I may have missed it but

[tack311]

I did search for a how to on doing the oil pan gasket. I am positive that I need to remove the diff,but what's the easiest way is the question. Looks like I need to drop the t-bars to free up the cross member it is on. Any help is appreciated.

 

 

Scott

[nunya]

Yank the motor? (you laugh that's what I did on one of my 4 cyl Hardbodys)

[tack311]

I thought about it. At least that way I could do all of the gaskets fairly easily. I thought about just leaving it alone and adding oil until I do my manual trans swap,but it is leaking way too bad. I guess this is what I get for half a**ing the rear half moon when I rebuilt my trans.

[Kingman]

You'll need to drop the diff, which can be done without removing the torsion bars.

[Precise1]

Have you tried just snugging the 10mm bolts on the oil pan?? Something like 8-10 ft/lbs IIRC. Just like valve covers, as the gasket ages/shrinks the leaks start. I've fixed or drastically slowed down leaks many times this way. Give it a shot, takes 5 minutes and is free...

 

B

[unccpathfinder]

I'd try what B said...and be careful with that axle...it will give you stitches if you arent careful...i almost lost my pinky from a front axle falling on me after using pry bars and jacks for about an hour or so and the 1st time i grabbed it with my hand it fell and whap right on my finger...i've got pix posted somewhere of it

[tack311]

Thanks for the info guys. I just went ahead and dropped the passenger t-bar. The axle came out very easily after that. Tightening the bolts didn't work due to the rear half moon piece being made out of a full pan gasket. I was too cheap at the time to go get the real thing hoping it wouldn't fail ,but now I am paying for the easy way out. Getting it back in is going to be a magic trick,that's for sure.

[unccpathfinder]

a note...before reinstalling the oil pan pull the oil dip stick...if not it may not come out

[sewebster]

So after some dud lifters ruined my camshafts, I'm wondering if I should drop the pan to clean out any metal dust that's in there, but of course it's a significant task. How much of the engine/transmission do you have to unbolt? The FSM makes it sound like basically the whole thing. Do you need to slide the tranny back to get the pan off? I guess I'm trying to figure out if it's worth doing. Sigh.

[sewebster]

I think my plan is to securely attach a small rare earth magnet to the end of some bent welding rod and fish filings out of the bottom of the pan through the drain plug for a while.

 

I considered cutting the bottom part of the pan off and welding it back after, but that's probably too annoying under the truck. Maybe if I had a hoist

[MY1PATH]

or just get a oil pan magnet and leave it on there and the shavings will never travel.

[sewebster]

or just get a oil pan magnet and leave it on there and the shavings will never travel.

 

I did put a magnet in there when I put the pan on last. Maybe I'm just worried over nothing.