5.0 Oil Pan removal

Topic: 5.0 Oil Pan removal (Read 3665 times) previous topic - next topic

5.0 Oil Pan removal

March 14, 2005, 02:10:07 PM

Has anyone out there dropped the pan on a 302 with the engine in the car? Everything I've read says you can do it if you jack the engine up off the mounts but, it just doesn't look all that promising.
I've got a bad wrist pin or bearing or something (wicked knock) and want to avoid pulling the engine now. Gonna build a new one later this year and don't want to do it twice.
Any thoughts/suggestions would be helpful.
Thanx,
Chris

Re: 5.0 Oil Pan removal

Reply #1 – March 14, 2005, 02:28:25 PM

It is do-able, however you really want to put aside a weekend or so to do it. Otherwise it's a matter of unbolting a fair, but not obscene amount of things. An engine hoist really helps in allowing you to hoist the engine up enough to allow clearance to get the pan out and work on everything, that would be my most important suggestion. Other than that you just need a lot of patience

. I'll look through my pictures from when i did mine later, and come up with a list of the essentials that need to be unbolted.

Re: 5.0 Oil Pan removal

Reply #2 – March 14, 2005, 04:06:10 PM

1. Disconnect the battery.
2. Drain the radiator. Remove fan, fan shroud, belt and radiator. Also disconnect the air cleaner hose.
3. Put car on jackstands (framerails) as high as possible.
4. Unbolt exhaust from the manifolds.
5. Drain oil pan out of both plugs. Put the plugs back in when you're done.
6. Unbolt the pins from the engine mounts (1986-88) or unbolt the mounts from the K-member (1983-85).
7. Put a jack tightly under the transmission crossmember. Remove the bolts from the trans crossmember. Let the jack drop down a little.
8. Using an engine hoist, jack up the motor all the way until you can't go any more. If the car starts coming off the stands, drop the motor down until the car is safely on the stands again. You may also need to trop the trans more to get enough clearance.
9. Remove oil pan bolts. Let the pan rest on the framerail. If necessary, remove the 2 bolts holding the steering rack to the K-member and let it drop down.
10. Unbolt the oil pump and let it fall into the pan.
11. Remove the pan out the front of the car for an AOD; out the back for a 5-speed.

You cannot get the oil pan out without removing the pump. Removal is the reverse of the above.

Re: 5.0 Oil Pan removal

Reply #3 – March 14, 2005, 04:31:08 PM

Well if u have something knocking what do u hope to do with taking the Oil pan off?

Re: 5.0 Oil Pan removal

Reply #4 – March 14, 2005, 10:35:03 PM

Taking the pan off allows access to the bearing caps which need to be removed to get the offending piston out after I take the heads off. Any other questions ????????
Thanx to the Topless Phantom for the useful information. It is much appreciated.
Chris

Re: 5.0 Oil Pan removal

Reply #5 – March 15, 2005, 01:52:37 AM

nope just wondering if u were thinking of taking cap out and trying to change bearing if it spun one that way.

I did this on a SB 350 and changed the bearing only to have it spin a week later.
I have seen people change then and have them last a good time too.

Good luck and take pics

Re: 5.0 Oil Pan removal

Reply #6 – March 15, 2005, 11:14:18 AM

Had to do mine on a 88 bird, about a year ago, had no oil pressure and a bottem end knock, thinking i needed a new oil pump (which came with the car) I couldn't get the motor up high enough so i ended up dropping the whole k-member slightly to get the pump and pan out. come to find out my bearings were gone, ended up pulling the motor anyway!! good luck!