1992 FOX oil pan gasket replacement

SVT32VDOHC

waiting for the next hack atta
Founding Member
Nov 22, 2001
3,501
27
119
Motor City
Got a 92 Mustang Notch 5.0L. Oil pan leaking on right side. Can I replace it without removing the motor???? I have a forklift a hoist and many tools, and many years of mechanical experience. Although of the 10 Mustangs I have owned in 6 years, I have never had an oil pan leak.
 
  • Sponsors (?)


It's been a few years since I did an oil pan gasket in-car, but I seem to remember I had to unbolt the motor mounts and lift the motor as high as I could. I'm quite sure I didn't have to move the steering rack. This was on a '91 LX 5.0.

Jeff
 
you have to remove the rack and pinion, I just started on mine tonight. I am changing my oil pan due to it being smashed up a little.. I am just wondering about the sensor in the pan, my new pan does not have it. Will this make the oil light come on or not?..
 
You have to
loosen the trans mount - 2 nuts
unbolt the engine mount 1 big nut on each side.
remove the steering rack
maybe loosen or detach exhaust from the collector.
maybe remove the smog tube
check for other things that will hang up when lifting the motor.
unbolt the pan
unbolt the oil pump
lift the engine up enough to clear the pan out the back of the car.
becareful not to crush anything while your lifting the motor up, as everything is still attatched.

the tricky part is removing and then installing the oil pump while it is in the pan . you can not remove the pan with out taking off the oil pump first.
Dont forget to re-install the pump driveshaft. <- been there done that. I suggest using some gasket tacky stuff to keep the new oil pump seal in place while working on it .
Its a pain in the ass , but it can be done with some patience.
If you are using a stock pan I suggest using the new 1 piece gasket.
also you may have to trim off some of the excess rubber from the mold the gasket came from ..otherwise it will never seal in the rear.
Also a dab of rtv black at the corners of the half moons. helps a little.
Also, no, a HO oil pump will not fit in a stock 91-92 pan, but it might be a good idea to replace your stock pump shaft with a new stonger shaft.
just make sure the retainer cage on the pump shaft is in the same position .
I also highly suggest replacing the pan bolts with studs. It makes re-install soooo much easier.

Just my $0.02
 
If you are simply replacing your oil pan gasket and nothing else, you do not need to remove your rack, exhaust, or pull the motor.

Put the car on jack stands, hook the hoist to the motor, unbolt the motor mounts, raise the motor as far as you can...safely. Then you can drop the pan enough to snake the gasket in place. Be sure to use a gob of heavy duty silicone on the "corners" of the pan where it dips down for the front seal. The one peice gaskets tend to leak there, so a dab of silicone will help with that.
 
WOW I got some pretty different replies. Thanks a lot guys, but some of you say remove the rack and some say don't. It really doens't matter whether I have to pull the rack or not, its 2 bolts plus the tie rods. I guess I will find out next weekend. I am tempted to just gob some silicone onto the side of the pan and the block, cause that is were it is leaking. A one inch section just popped out of the side of where it seals. I just finished the cars paint and interior it looks brand new, and the 135K engine runs great, now I just have a couple drops of oil every time I park it. Will gobbing it up a little bit work??? hehe
 
SVT32VDOHC said:
WOW I got some pretty different replies. Thanks a lot guys, but some of you say remove the rack and some say don't. It really doens't matter whether I have to pull the rack or not, its 2 bolts plus the tie rods. I guess I will find out next weekend. I am tempted to just gob some silicone onto the side of the pan and the block, cause that is were it is leaking. A one inch section just popped out of the side of where it seals. I just finished the cars paint and interior it looks brand new, and the 135K engine runs great, now I just have a couple drops of oil every time I park it. Will gobbing it up a little bit work??? hehe

Most of the different replies are also mentioning replacing the oil pump and removing the pan all together....which you don't need to do if all you are doing is replacing the gasket. You only need to drop the pan away from the block far enough to snake the old gasket out and put the new one in....and put a dab of silicone on each of the corner divets.
 
Oh OK cool..Fett thanks, you know I was starting to wonder about that. I should be able to just snake the new gasket in there. I am not changing the oil pump or pan. Dab in each corner should work good too?? some said no silicone at all on certain gaskets. I really don't want to use a cork gasket. I might purchase the rubber reuseable one.
 
In all honesty, I would pull the motor, and change the gasket hanging on a stand or at least from the hoist. I would hang it as low as I could and block it.

I have done it both ways, in different cars, and on my Fox Mustang, I definitely find it easier to remove the engine to do this.

Otherwise, I find that I sometimes don't get the new gaskets to seal well.