New owner need help with oil pan removal

[97LT1T/A]

Hi I just bought an old Bronco II 85, 2.8L and I'm trying to change the oil pan gasket. I took all the bolts off and I tried to pry it off by wedging a screw driver in there and popping it off but it didnt work. What am I doing wrong, or do I just need to work my way around and pop it off?

 

[2.8 is great!]

I think you have to lift engine a bit to get it past all the pickup. - Fairly big project, I'd dread having to do it.

 

[smokey]

could be baked on or permatexed on.If so take a scraper cut the gasket by tapping it in around the pan

 

[almostclueless]

Are you sure its the oil pan gasket leaking and not something else?

 

[Forcus]

Couple things, there is not a ton of clearance between the oil pan and crossmember, especially if the mounts have sagged. You may have to either use an engine hoist to lift the engine up or a jack to raise the front of the engine so that you can remove the pan. Also the pickup is there and if it is loose but not coming out, that may be blocking it and you will have to lift the engine up.

Be aware as someone said above that valve cover gaskets can make it look like an oil pan leak.

 

[97LT1T/A]

Well now that it is on there so tight, it does kinda make me wonder: If it was on there so tight how could it be leaking? I do have a either a head gasket leaking or a valve cover gasket leaking. Not sure which I haven't had it for very long, I've done all of the tune up stuff but noticed oil caked all over the engine. I haven't touched it since I posted because I am about to take my finals. Could I just put the bolts back in and finish the oil change and be ok, or do I need to take it off since I may have pushed some of the old gasket sealer in the pan?

 

[97LT1T/A]

I just hope that I can put the bolts back in and change the valve and head gaskets because pulling the engine is waaay above my head. Anyone in central TX to help me or know of a Bronco//4X4 club that I could talk to? I'm in a Trans Am/Camaro club but not too many Bronco's in there lol.

EDIT:would it be wise to change my fuel pump? since its only like a $40 part and I doubt its ever been changed.

 

[Forcus]

Well, if you put the bolts back in the pan and moved on, I don't think it would be any worse. The issue is usually that the gaskets harden and crack from heat and age and so everything might seem tight but you have seepage from an area where a piece of gasket fell out. Personally, if I was in your situation, and using it for a driver (ie, no down time), I would liberally douse the lower engine bay / block with Simple Green or another degreaser, and scrub as much as you can with long handled brushes. There is not a ton of room to work but you can get at it if you try. Beware, it's usually a dirty job.

The other thing you could do is take it to a detail shop with a steam cleaner and have them steam clean the engine bay and underside. The only problem with that is steam = moisture and these things are 20 years old or more and may not react that well to it (electrical, etc).

I think it would be best to determine where the leak is coming from before doing any major work! Also, cleaning to me is essential because dirty parts aren't happy parts when you are assembling things, and who really wants chunks of grease and road kill falling in their face??

 

[Forcus]

Oh yes and one other thing, be careful prying on sealing surfaces, you don't want to create a leak area by marring it. It's usually easily fixable but just something you want to avoid.

 

[97LT1T/A]

I'll take your advice and just finish the oil change, clean it and figure out where it really is leaking from. Pulling the engine is way over my head and if I was going to do that I would put a 351 in there anyway.

Would it be a wise decision to replace my fuel pump; I don't think it has been replaced. But its only like $40 at autozone so I don't think it would hurt anything by me changing it.

 

[Sunk]

Have you been having any fuel related issues? I know i personally wouldn't replace the pump unless i needed to. I think its one of those things, that if its working, its working.

 

[97LT1T/A]

Well the last time I drove it, it was bogging. So since then I have changed: Plugs, Wires, Fuel Filter, Breather filter, PCV valve, and air filter, cap and rotor were fine.

I have not fired it up since so I don't know if all of that fixed my bogging issue.

I've got an alternator and battery on order for Christmas so that will be taken care of.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Couple things, there is not a ton of clearance between the oil pan and crossmember, especially if the mounts have sagged. You may have to either use an engine hoist to lift the engine up or a jack to raise the front of the engine so that you can remove the pan. Also the pickup is there and if it is loose but not coming out, that may be blocking it and you will have to lift the engine up.

Be aware as someone said above that valve cover gaskets can make it look like an oil pan leak.

+1 there is oil on my oil pan but its the Valve cover gaskets that are leaking. you probably already broke the oil pan gasket so lift it up a little bit.

 

[84Ranger4X4]

I second the valve cover gaskets. Mine was doing the same thing, I thought it was the oil pan. I degreased the engine and replaced the valve cover gaskets and the leak is gone.

 

[97LT1T/A]

Well based on youll's opinions I decided to put the bolts back in and let it roll. But now that I have done all this work it won't fire. It will turn over but it won't ignite. I have checked my plugs and wires, they're all in the right order. Battery is fine, so is the alternator and starter, could it be my ignition coil? In another thread someone posted a problem about pickup coil could that be my issue?