I thought it would be fairly easy, given I have swapped a few on 360 gassers, boy I was wrong! The bolts were so crusted they rounded off.Then I got a gripper type socket, then the ones above the crossmember were hard to get at. I had to jack up the front of the engine just to get the socket and bolt out. Then while still jacked up I attempted to remove the oil pan, but it doesn't clear the bell housing. I ended up sawzalling it out, figuring the new one would shoe horn in. ( I thought at least make one step easy-right?) Well the new one would not go in, I jacked up the whole drive line and it still wouldn't clear. Finally I sawzalled two cuts down the back which allowed enough flex to slip past the bell. I felt like such a butcher, but I 'll be darned if I was gonna pull the trans or motor, or undo the shroud, mounts etc. I bolted it up and kept it cool and welded the seams shut, ground, rechecked and painted it. Did i miss some easy way i couldn't see? I sure hope not. Maybe this will help someone with the welder to do it as its faster.

 

No, you pretty much have to pull the motor.

 

I've talked to the guys down at Flynns truck repair in glen gardner and they said the same thing, the amount of work to get the oil pan out is about the same as getting the engine out.

 

Ok thanks,I regret having to do what i did but it is fine in the end. I am just particular about doing things the right way.I was pleased to see how simple the bottom end is and see crosshatching in the cylinders. That design isprobably the biggest downfall of the first gen/ctd combo (that I ve noticed). Thanks for the "good news", I thought what I did was a butchering but I am not equipped to pull the eng.

 

I pulled my motor when I did my pan.

 

I was able to undo the mounts and use an engine crane to lift the front of the engine high enough to get the pan in. I may have had to undo the tranny mount and floor jack that up also, I can't remember.

 

I have done it on two trucks now just by lifting the motor. Both 4wd with 5 speeds. Not that it was fun....

 

You certainly went about it the hard way. Just did one today on a 12V and all I needed to do was loosen the fan shroud and take loose the motor mounts. Lift the engine and you have enough room. No need to butcher the pan at all or take the engine out.

 

yupper like they say, jsut unbolt the motor mounts and fan shroud and lift motor up with engine crane, the pan slides in and out.

 

Yeah but my mounts and the shroud bolts were real crusty. thats why the pan needed a swap. welding is easy for me, and it came out perfect, no bloody knuckles. the auto trans looks harder than the 5 spd. i did a nice job.

 

I did my pan a couple months ago.
mine is a 4x4,
I just hooked the engine hoist to the front of the motor. Unbolted the motor mounts at the cross member. disconnected the fan shroud. Lifted the motor till it was hitting the fire wall. I had to unbolt the pickup tube while it was in the pan, but after that and a little wiggling and it fell right out.