My oil pan on my 87 non turbo stang is rusted to crap, so I bought a new one and unbolted the old one, but I can't get it off. The steering mechanism and the crossmember(?) are preventing it from coming out. I tried jacking up the engine but I still don't have enough clearance. I was thinking instead of dissasembling the whole front end, I would unbolt the tranny and use a hoist to lift up the motor and I could switch the oil pans. I have only one day to replace the oil pan. I need suggestions on how to replace it. PLEASE HELP!! 
Need serious help replacing oil pan :(
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351wcoupe
New Member
JamesBaumann
Member
I tried taking the pan out of my Stang while it was still in the frame when I did the motor rebuild. No dice. I had to just pull out the block and go from there.
Ray III
New Member
The engine should raise pretty far with the mounts disconnected and a lifting device on the crank pulley. The fuel lines are probably going to hold it down but get a fuel line disconnect tool from NAPA and get them off, then there should not be anything preventing the engine from coming up enough to get the pan off.
351wcoupe
New Member
I got the engine about 4 inches up, but its still hitting the oil sump pump I think. I put the engine at TDC and raised the engine by putting a length of 2x4 under the harmonic balancer and jacking it up with a floor jack. Every time I tried jacking the engine up further, it started lifting up the whole body and then the peice of 2x4 went sideways and flew out. Thanks for the suggestions guys, keep em coming!
351wcoupe
New Member
351wcoupe
New Member
This may be a lat ditch if you can't figure out anything else but.
unhook the exhaust and drop the trans crossmember and let the trans drop a little ways. Then hoist the engine as far as you can at that angle before you start ripping up your wiring (WATCH OUT FOR THE MAP SENSOR) i've replaced 2 that way.
You "should be able to get it with that kind of clearance.
unhook the exhaust and drop the trans crossmember and let the trans drop a little ways. Then hoist the engine as far as you can at that angle before you start ripping up your wiring (WATCH OUT FOR THE MAP SENSOR) i've replaced 2 that way.
You "should be able to get it with that kind of clearance.
Ray III
New Member
Hunter_Zero
Founding Member
Do you have an al4d or a T5? the reason i ask is because when i changed my oil pan(by jacking up the engine, no removal required 
) i ended up breaking one of the lines on my al4d that runs from the transmission to the radiator 
and you thought that the oil pan was a pita .So the moral is you can get that pan out with out yanking the engine but youll probably break somthing else. Good Luck!
) i ended up breaking one of the lines on my al4d that runs from the transmission to the radiator and you thought that the oil pan was a pita .So the moral is you can get that pan out with out yanking the engine but youll probably break somthing else. Good Luck!
Lex
Founding Member
Ok. I replaced my oil pan last weekend. It was a 3.5 hour job (mostly due to rusted bolts) heres the order I did it
1) Disconnect the battery
2) Take off the starter
3) Take off the 2 bolts that hold on your rack & pinnion
4) Take out the bolt and nut to the steering colum
5) Pull out the rack & pinnion as far as you can. That will clear about 3 - 4 inchs right off.
6) Unbolt the plate that bolts from the tranny to engine. Its on the drivers side and its 3 bolts thaty hold it on.
7) Unbolt the wiring harness underneath on the passenger side (single bolt)
8) Unbolt the 2 engine mount bolts. Don't worry the engine won't fall as it sits on the mounts.
9) I'm not sure if you have a hoist (I do) you will need to raise the engine a bit more to give enough slack for the pan. I used a pipe and floor jack and lifted the engine on the bottom pulley (I thought it was a harmonic balancer pulley but I was told different) Point is you need to raise the engine without touching the pan, Makes sense duh. The only thing I had to undo under the hood was my CAI. THats all
10) Remove like I think 16 oil pan bolts (8 mill size)
11) The oil pan will drop. And you should be able to wiggle it out.
I never undid the oil pump and it worked fine. The hanyes book said to unhook the rad hoses and stuff buts its not neccessary.
12) Clean off the gasket crap on the bottom side of the engine (where the pan was) .
13) put some gasket seal on the new pan (I also bit a gab of silicon on the edges on eachend where its a half moon shape cause alot of leaks happen there), then put the NEW gasket on the oil pan and clamp it down with a few vice grips (not too tighten though) let it sit for 20 minutes to let the gasket seal harden to hold the gasket on a bit better , then Put some gasket seal on top of the new gasket.
14) after 20 min , grab a couple bolts and your 8 mil racket and wiggle the new pan back it. watch out for the tranny lines as they can be in the way. I started by bolting all four corners (finger tight) first to set the pan in making sure the gasket was lined up right, then I bolted the rest finger tight.
15) after all the bolt are in I tighten them corner first the work my way to the center.
16) then run steps 10 to 1 reverse and there you have. I also changed my oil filter since basicallt your doing an oil change anyways.
I hope this helps
1) Disconnect the battery
2) Take off the starter
3) Take off the 2 bolts that hold on your rack & pinnion
4) Take out the bolt and nut to the steering colum
5) Pull out the rack & pinnion as far as you can. That will clear about 3 - 4 inchs right off.
6) Unbolt the plate that bolts from the tranny to engine. Its on the drivers side and its 3 bolts thaty hold it on.
7) Unbolt the wiring harness underneath on the passenger side (single bolt)
8) Unbolt the 2 engine mount bolts. Don't worry the engine won't fall as it sits on the mounts.
9) I'm not sure if you have a hoist (I do) you will need to raise the engine a bit more to give enough slack for the pan. I used a pipe and floor jack and lifted the engine on the bottom pulley (I thought it was a harmonic balancer pulley but I was told different) Point is you need to raise the engine without touching the pan, Makes sense duh. The only thing I had to undo under the hood was my CAI. THats all
10) Remove like I think 16 oil pan bolts (8 mill size)
11) The oil pan will drop. And you should be able to wiggle it out.
I never undid the oil pump and it worked fine. The hanyes book said to unhook the rad hoses and stuff buts its not neccessary.
12) Clean off the gasket crap on the bottom side of the engine (where the pan was) .
13) put some gasket seal on the new pan (I also bit a gab of silicon on the edges on eachend where its a half moon shape cause alot of leaks happen there), then put the NEW gasket on the oil pan and clamp it down with a few vice grips (not too tighten though) let it sit for 20 minutes to let the gasket seal harden to hold the gasket on a bit better , then Put some gasket seal on top of the new gasket.
14) after 20 min , grab a couple bolts and your 8 mil racket and wiggle the new pan back it. watch out for the tranny lines as they can be in the way. I started by bolting all four corners (finger tight) first to set the pan in making sure the gasket was lined up right, then I bolted the rest finger tight.
15) after all the bolt are in I tighten them corner first the work my way to the center.
16) then run steps 10 to 1 reverse and there you have. I also changed my oil filter since basicallt your doing an oil change anyways.
I hope this helps
Lex
Founding Member
ilovestangs said:
No hoisting engine out nessecary. read above steps and you'll be fine. I have a Al4d tranny as well. Not for long but for now yes.
Hunter_Zero
Founding Member
When i did my oil pan i took out the two engine mount bolts jacked the engine as high as it would go(cant quite remember how high i got it 4-6" i think) undid the oil pan bolts, let it drop and wiggled it out wiggled the new one in tightened it up and voila! its not quite as extensive as lex's explanation but it worked for me though i did break that line like i said.
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