I am not looking forward to this. Something is hitting inside of my oil pan while the engine is running. It is either hitting the windage tray, or the oil pan itself. If you touch the oil pan while the engine is running, you can feel it. It is on the passenger side, at the back. Other than the crank or a connecting rod, what could be hitting in there? It is in relation to the speed of the engine. The bottom front of the pan is dented a bit right in front of the front drain plug, since the sway bar hit it. I've got to space that down too. Any ideas what it could be, and is there an easy way to do this? Thanks. This noise takes away from my new exhaust. :curses: I'm not driving the car since I am afraid to break something.
How To Remove Oil Pan While Engine is in Car?
- Thread starter 1989MustangLX
- Start date
gregpro50
Member
Un-bolt the mounts from the crossmember. Jack up the engine and stick a block of wood beneath the mounts and the crossmember to hold it up. Sometimes you have to reach in and un-bolt the pickup before you can wiggle the pan out. I'm sure once it is off your problem will be obvious.
bryanrevans
New Member
I just went through this!!!!I started out to replace the rear seal and put in a new clutch.Well I did alot more!!!!!!!Have some different sizes of wood handy so u can jam them under motor mounts.Be careful not to let it tip forward.I snapped my heater core ends off.
bryanrevans
New Member
my thoughts on that noise is the oil screen/pickup is bolted up in the mid near there on the passager side.if you reach in and unbolt that 9/16 bolt and then the two 1/2 bolts up front on oilpump it dropps down.Wiggle out.
Jkstang78
Founding Member
I hate to say this, but maybe you pull the engine. This might be your eaisest way. I can't think of what it could be, there is not much down there. I see you have a windage tray. so maybe some how it got loose. but other wise no clues.
Lets see what sits down there.
Crank
Rods
Main surrport
windage tray
Main caps
Oil pump and pick up
Hey what kind of pan are you using. Does the pan have a windage tray that was weld to it on the inside like some Canton pans. I wonder if the windage tray broke a weld.
Lets see what sits down there.
Crank
Rods
Main surrport
windage tray
Main caps
Oil pump and pick up
Hey what kind of pan are you using. Does the pan have a windage tray that was weld to it on the inside like some Canton pans. I wonder if the windage tray broke a weld.
Been there, done that - You can do it in the car, but it is hard to do. Disconnect the battery at the battery ground terminal, remove the fan and fan shroud. Both motor mounts will need to have the large nuts that secure them to the frame removed. The trans mount will also have to be loosened, and it is a good idea to remove the drive shaft.
I also had to disconnect the cat pipes at the headers to get the engine high enough to remove the oil pan. Be prepared to have to drop the steering rack and disconnect the steering shaft. Jack up the engine with a wood block under the oil pan and watch for things that bind or hoses/electrical wiring that may need to be disconnected. I put a couple of wood blocks between the headers and the frame to support the engine. You will likely need to jack up the rear of the transmission as well to get the required clearance.
Scrape the pan mating surfaces clean as possible - old gasket stuck to the surfaces are a source of leaks.
Get a replacement HD pump shaft. FMS makes one, and ARP does too. When you install the pump, the funny looking washer thingy goes on the part of the shaft that fits into the hex socket in the distributor shaft. It keeps the shaft in place when you remove the distributor, which you will have to do to prime the pump. Forget to put it on, and the pump shaft can come loose and fall down in the bottom of the oil pan.
There is a one piece oil pan gasket which will help re-assembly if you can find it. If you can't get this gasket, use weather strip adhesive to secure the cork gasket to the pan rails and the rubber strips to the bearing caps. Read the instructions on the adhesive carefully to make sure the gaskets are permanently stuck in place and won't move when you slide the pan in place. Use lots of blue silicone sealer on top of the front and rear rubber seals where they mate with the pan.
Fill with oil, replace the filter. Reconnect the battery, switch the ignition on to enable the gages, but DON'T crank the car. Remove the distributor and use a 1/4" hex socket to turn the pump counter clock wise (same direction as distributor rotation) until you see oil pressure (an external gage is a great help long about now). And keep turning for about 30 sec after you see the pressure come up. A reversible drill is the best tool to use to turn the 1/4" socket. The pressure should come up to about 50-80psi with cold oil. Once you see good pressure, check for obvious leaks, and then and only then, lower everything back into place and bolt down the mounts and anything else you had to take loose.
Re-install the distributor and set the timing with the engine running using timing light (don't forget to disconnect the SPOUT plug and reconnect it when finished) 12-14 degrees BDC is good. Start up and check for leaks, let it warm up and look again for leaks. It took me 2 days plus, but I am old and slow, maybe your granny is faster.
Everything considered, it may be simpler to remove the engine.
I also had to disconnect the cat pipes at the headers to get the engine high enough to remove the oil pan. Be prepared to have to drop the steering rack and disconnect the steering shaft. Jack up the engine with a wood block under the oil pan and watch for things that bind or hoses/electrical wiring that may need to be disconnected. I put a couple of wood blocks between the headers and the frame to support the engine. You will likely need to jack up the rear of the transmission as well to get the required clearance.
Scrape the pan mating surfaces clean as possible - old gasket stuck to the surfaces are a source of leaks.
Get a replacement HD pump shaft. FMS makes one, and ARP does too. When you install the pump, the funny looking washer thingy goes on the part of the shaft that fits into the hex socket in the distributor shaft. It keeps the shaft in place when you remove the distributor, which you will have to do to prime the pump. Forget to put it on, and the pump shaft can come loose and fall down in the bottom of the oil pan.
There is a one piece oil pan gasket which will help re-assembly if you can find it. If you can't get this gasket, use weather strip adhesive to secure the cork gasket to the pan rails and the rubber strips to the bearing caps. Read the instructions on the adhesive carefully to make sure the gaskets are permanently stuck in place and won't move when you slide the pan in place. Use lots of blue silicone sealer on top of the front and rear rubber seals where they mate with the pan.
Fill with oil, replace the filter. Reconnect the battery, switch the ignition on to enable the gages, but DON'T crank the car. Remove the distributor and use a 1/4" hex socket to turn the pump counter clock wise (same direction as distributor rotation) until you see oil pressure (an external gage is a great help long about now). And keep turning for about 30 sec after you see the pressure come up. A reversible drill is the best tool to use to turn the 1/4" socket. The pressure should come up to about 50-80psi with cold oil. Once you see good pressure, check for obvious leaks, and then and only then, lower everything back into place and bolt down the mounts and anything else you had to take loose.
Re-install the distributor and set the timing with the engine running using timing light (don't forget to disconnect the SPOUT plug and reconnect it when finished) 12-14 degrees BDC is good. Start up and check for leaks, let it warm up and look again for leaks. It took me 2 days plus, but I am old and slow, maybe your granny is faster.
Everything considered, it may be simpler to remove the engine.
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