Engine Article - Engine Oil Pan Gasket Replacement

[Mopar1973Man]

I know most of you have looked at your oil pan and wondered if the oil pan can be removed easily. The answer is yes. You can remove the oil pan completely but you will need a few heavy-duty tools like a bottle jack or an engine hoist. The first thing you going to need to do is jack up the truck so the axle hangs freely. Then you want to drain all the oil from the pan. In my case, I had to do tie rod ends and a new drag link so this was all removed. I removed the wheels from the axle and allowed the axle to just hang freely. Loosen up both engine mounts bolts till the nuts are to the end of the threads. Now set up an engine hoist and hook it to the front hoist ring of the block.

 

 

Lift the engine carefully watching the fan and clearance of everything. Once the engine is lifted remove all the 10mm bolts in the oil pan. Using a putty knife pry the pan free from the block. There will be plenty of room to slide the pan around and loosen the two 10mm bolts that hold the pickup tube on the driver side of the block and then the two bolts in the flange of the pickup tube.

 

 

At this point, there is nothing holding the pan in place, and should about fall out the rear of the engine. You will be able to scrap the bottom of the block clean with a putty knife and then scrap and wash the oil pan clean.

 

 

The gasket I used was from NAPA. The oil pickup tube part of the gasket is perforated so it can be cut free from the main oil pan gasket. I opted to do so because I wanted to glue the pan gasket to the pan using grey RTV silicone. Then a thin coat of grey RTV on the pickup tube flange too. Once it is mostly cured up you can place the pickup tube in the pan and slide it back into position. You are going to install the pickup tube bolts first and mount them all back together this will help in holding the oil pan in place again. Now you can start hand installing all the pan bolts back into the oil pan and hand torque them once all the bolts are installed. 

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[Caleb Hardy]

Is removing the pick up necessary? Or did you do it so you didn’t have to lift the engine as high? I hope it was just for clearance. I did mine last year and would not be looking forward to doing it again if it’s necessary. Hahahaha

[Mopar1973Man]

On 8/19/2022 at 11:13 PM, Caleb Hardy said:

Is removing the pick up necessary?

Yes. You can't get the pan out because the pick up tube blocks passage of the pan. 

 

On 8/19/2022 at 11:13 PM, Caleb Hardy said:

Or did you do it so you didn’t have to lift the engine as high?

You have to lift the engine quite high to get enough room to slip the pan out. 

 

After figuring this all out it was super easy. Jack up the frame, jack stand the frame so the front axle hangs free. Pull the two bolts out the engine mount just jack up the engine by the dampener or use a cherry picker and lift at the engine ring. Lift as high as possible. Remove the pan slide it over to one side remove the pick up tube and drop it in the pan. The pan will slide out the back. In my case it fell out by itself. 

[Caleb Hardy]

I was able to remove my pan without removing the pick up. I was wondering if there was something I should have replaced while it was removed. Thanks!

[Mopar1973Man]

4 minutes ago, Caleb Hardy said:

I was wondering if there was something I should have replaced while it was removed.

 

Not really unless your wanting to do bearings on the connecting rods and main bearings. 

 

You'll end up removing the pickup tube anyways when you install the new gasket most of the pan gaskets have the oil pickup gasket in the corner and you can cut it free, to install it separately. 

[Caleb Hardy]

👍🏻 I believe the gasket I bought had them separated…..I can see why you remove at that point much easier to get the pan out…..that was my first one hahahahaha I wish I could have read this before I did mine…..damn near had the engine all the way out hahaha

[VMac822]

I pulled the pan on my 98.5 this spring when I did a cam upgrade.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to fuss with strings and stoppers fishing in new tappets, so I pulled the pan which made it super easy swapping tappets out.  After pulling the stock cam it was kind of fun popping the old tappets off the dowels and letting them hit the floor! I then pushed new tappets in place and held them while my kid shoved the dowel sticks in from above.  Then slipping the new cam in was easy too, my kid guided it in from the front while I supported the end from underneath and guided it through the cam bores.   It's a tossup which method is easier overall, but I think dropping the pan does save some hassle and lets you take a look at the lower end.

[Mopar1973Man]

Awesome suggestion I'll keep that in mind when a cam replacement comes.