Oil Pan Gasket Replacement
#1
Oil Pan Gasket Replacement
Ok, So I have read a large amount of threads and posts concerning the removal of the oil pan.
I have to do this job soon, so
1) is my oil pan a strutural member of the engine/transmission which would force me to pull the engine.
2) Or am i going to be lucky enough to drop the front diff/axle and go about it the easy way.
1997 blazer, 4x4, 4.3w
I have to do this job soon, so
1) is my oil pan a strutural member of the engine/transmission which would force me to pull the engine.
2) Or am i going to be lucky enough to drop the front diff/axle and go about it the easy way.
1997 blazer, 4x4, 4.3w
#2
just replaced one on my 1995 by droping the front dif i think the strutural member you are talking about is on 99 or later modles with the cast aluminum oil pan if your oil pan is steel you wont have any problems with the easy route by the way getting the front dif out is not that easy
#3
rusty91, thanks for the info. Crawled under the blazer and it seems somewhat straight forward, 2axles 4bolts 1driveshaft and a few sensors, though I have been wrong before. I'll be doing this next week, then ball joints on a 02 trailblazer. It's weeks like these that make me glad I didn't become a mechanic like I had considered.
#4
rusty91, thanks for the info. Crawled under the blazer and it seems somewhat straight forward, 2axles 4bolts 1driveshaft and a few sensors, though I have been wrong before. I'll be doing this next week, then ball joints on a 02 trailblazer. It's weeks like these that make me glad I didn't become a mechanic like I had considered.
If you launch into it before I do, can you take lots of pictures? I'll do the same if I start first.
#5
I got an email from a mechanic buddy of mine. I haven't looked into whether it will work but he thought he might have a time-saving idea:
"If it's setup like I think it is, when you replace the oil cooler lines (they all leak), make sure to remove the oil filter housing and install new gaskets. There's a kit available at your friendly GM dealer.
For the oil pan, you might be able to remove the bolst [sic] for the engine mounts and jack the powertrain up by the transmission to gain enough room to drop the pan."
"If it's setup like I think it is, when you replace the oil cooler lines (they all leak), make sure to remove the oil filter housing and install new gaskets. There's a kit available at your friendly GM dealer.
For the oil pan, you might be able to remove the bolst [sic] for the engine mounts and jack the powertrain up by the transmission to gain enough room to drop the pan."
#6
I just did all the gaskets, motor mounts, etc. and no matter how high you jack the powertrain there is no where near enough room. Why because there is a baffle in the pan and to get the pan off it has to drop straight down and even then its still tight. Thats why pulling the motor or droping the axle is the only way. In my case I was rebuilding the entire front end and i only had to muscle the axle and diff but even then the cast iron alone seemed to weigh a ton when your laying under it. So weather you got a cast or aluminum and your attempting to droping the front axle fully dressed have some help cause she's a wee bit heavy.
#9
one other thing to drop the dif you have to take the left or drivers side upper control arm off to get at the bolt that holds it in make sure you mark the postion of the cam bolts on the control arm or you will have to get the truck an wheel alingment
#10
If I do end up having to remove the upper control arm I will make sure to mark it. Thanks for the tip.