1964 Skylark Oil Pan Removal

[Machine Gun]

I have an oil pan gasket leak that I want to fix. The engine is the 300 c.i. V8. A prior owner apparently over torqued the bolts to the point where two had sheared off, and the gasket needs replacement anyway. My question is whether the motor mount bolts have to be removed and the front of the engine raised in order to get the pan out, or not. The factory shop manual indicates that has to be done, but the Mitchell repair procedure does not indicate the need to do that. My problem is that I'm not in a position to raise the engine, so if I follow the Mitchell procedure and find that the engine does indeed have to be raised I'll be past the point of no return with a destroyed gasket. 

 

I'd like to hear from someone who has actually been there and done that. Thanx.

 

Jim

[Bill Stoneberg]

I just did this on my Electra and I dropped the steering gear out of the way instead of raing the engine.  Can you do that ?

[Aaron65]

I've done this, and I did have to jack the engine up.  I followed the manual's instructions and it went fine.  It didn't take more than a few minutes to get it unbolted, jacked up, and resting on the motor mount through bolts.

 

If you have a jack and a wood block, you do have the means to raise the engine enough to do the job.  The key is to spread out the weight with a reasonably sized wood block so you don't crush the pan.

Edited June 15, 2018 by Aaron65 (see edit history)

[avgwarhawk]

Can you rent a engine hoist for the day?  Only need to take the mounts loose and hoist the motor but a few inches.     

[ol' yeller]

  I have done this several times.  The problem is the front cross member and the oil pickup tube.  It is easy to do with a jack and a block of wood under the harmonic balancer.  Drain the oil, remove the 2 bolts through the engine mounts, jack up the engine, unbolt the pan and there you go.  The hardest part of this job will be getting out the broken bolts. 

[JohnD1956]

+1 to Ol" yeller's method. Have also done that and no problems.  Note, keep the weight on the balancer, and not the lower pulley.

[Machine Gun]

Guys, thank you all for your replies. OK, I guess I'll have to man up and do it right. My main problem right now is time, so the oil pan project may have to wait until the fall. Fortunately the leak isn't so bad that it has to be fixed before I use the car during the summer.

 

I just fixed oil leaks from the rocker cover and intake manifold seals, which were practically vomiting oil from the top rear of the engine. The car practically created a Super Fund site wherever I parked it, but the top end is nice and dry now. Anyway, as simple as those fixes were, they took me weeks to complete just because I've only been able to steal an hour here and there. It's been crazy busy, and I want to drive the car as often as I can instead of having it laid up while I do another job. My time situation is probably not any different than with most of you. Anyway, thanx again for your insights and advice.

 

Jim

[JohnD1956]

You could always send it to a trusted mechanic to do the job.  While doing things yourself is gratifying, sometimes it just makes sense to have someone do an item or two.  I call my preferred shop for some underside things now, and always ask if I can bring my own parts.  I figure with what it would cost for a lift (and the building to put it in so it could be used) I can get the work done faster,  for less,  and spend more time driving down the road.    I see no harm in that.

[MRJBUICK]

something that hasn't been mentioned above, from what i am seeing is it looks like the 300 is in a 64 special/skylark if this is the case and the car has a single exhaust you would also have to drop the Y-pipe (or crossover pipe) as that usually goes under the oil pan in the rear. if its not a new exhaust that can be problematic alone with rusted bolts or snapping studs. kind of what i am saying for a messy job like the oil pan you might want to take JohnD1956 advice and take it to a shop where they have it on a lift can put heat on the exhaust and the problems become theirs. As much as i love dong my own work sometimes if you have someone you can trust its just better for yourself

[Machine Gun]

The point about having to remove the exhaust Y-pipe coincidentally relates to the suggestion of having a mechanic do the oil pan job. I have an appointment on Wednesday to have my exhaust system replaced. I have a new stainless exhaust system whose installation I'm farming out because I don't have a torch to break the bolts free from the manifold. I don't want to take the time and effort to rent a torch and then go through the rest of the process. I may very well do the same with the oil plan gasket. I'll ask the guy to have a look at it next week while he's under there working on the exhaust.