Dropping Oil Pan and replacing gasket.

[RTFM]

89 I6 4x4 5sp

Here's the situation. I have a slight oil leak from the half moon section of the pan at the upper most (toward floor board) section. If left idling, it will leave a quarter sized spot on driveway. I would like to attempt replacing the pan gasket but am not overly mechanically inclined and all I have is typical hand tools, floor jacks and a concrete driveway.

I read what looks like horror stories of having to remove starters and removing cross members and jacking transfer cases.......

Reading other threads I see that the rear main seal can be accessed with the pan off -YES?
I also read that replacing the oil pump is a good idea then too - YES?


OK what are the pit falls and cautions I need to be aware of?

I find different types of gaskets 1 piece - 4 piece - cork
Do you use a gasket only or gasket and Permatex?
If yes to both is it:
Pan then Permatex then gasket to engine (bottom to top)
OR
Pan then gasket then Permatex to engine?

Do you use anything on the bolt threads?
Are the bolts in any specif order?

I don't mind putting this off for a week or two to to research and read, :read:
But I need to know if it's drive way do-able for a back yard novice (in Idaho and the temp is dropping.....)

RTFM

 

[Timber]

http://jeepin.com/features/rearmain/

 

[92DripCherokee]

Are you positive it isn't the oil filter adapter leaking down there?

If it is the oil pan, I have few tips.

Wait for a calm day to do the job, so wind doesn't dust your exposed engine with sand.

Wear nitrile gloves, and throw-away clothes. Its a very dirty job.

You'll need a high-lift floor jack to raise the jeep high enough to droop the axle all the way down.

Removing the loosened pan is far easier with the oil pump removed. Some go overboard and pull the starter and the even the exhaust pipe to free the pan. The pump is the main interference for pulling the oil pan, besides the front axle.

It's a great idea to replace the oil pump with an OE part if possible.

Completely scrape and vacuum any gasket material until every trace is gone from all the mating surfaces. This can take longer than pulling the pan!

If the pan is stuck on the block skirt, drive a drywall mud knife into the gap at several point to break the bond. The thinner the knife the better. A flat screw driver would bend the oil pan flange.

Degrease the oil pan flange, and glue the gasket to the pan before installing it. Give the RTV some time to cure. Go around every bolt hole, but not thick. Cured RTV can really foul up a torque reading.

The pan bolts should be cleaned up with a brush before reassembly. and criss-cross torqued from the center bolts outwards, in two passes.

 

[BruceB83]

As far as the oil pan gasket goes, use the oem 1-piece...it's rubber and has a metal insert in it. Also, buy some MOPAR RTV Black Sealant to dab on the corners. Good luck, it can be a real PITA on your back in the driveway.

 

[dizzymac]

Seeing as you have the pan down, you might as well replace the rear main seal too. Also while your'e laying down there doing nothing ( lol) give you motor mounts a check. 4.0 bolts are notorious for backing off or breaking.
Good luck...as others have mentioned it is a PITA, but you'll have a warm fuzzy feeling when you see what you have accomplished (Scotch will do that)

 

[RTFM]

92DripCherokee
Are you positive it isn't the oil filter adapter leaking down there?

Hmmmm it is nasty up top too...... 92Drip please explain - is that an oil filter adapter that can come lose?
It may not be the gasket at all....... hope springs eternal....

As a matter of fact, the whole rear area from the oil filter down is oily covered with dirt. (not wet oil like a leak though)

After I drive it and then crawl under it, I can clearly see a fresh line of oil coming down from the 1/2 moon area of the pan.
I will have to drive it after work and then look from the top side to see if it is from the top or the bottom area.



As usual - thanks.

RTFM

 

[dizzymac]

The piece that your oil filter screws on to is the oil fliter adapter. It screws to the block. It contains three "O" rings. If one or more are bad it may/will leak oil. Cheap fix $3.00+, a little bit of PITA not that bad.
You should be able get the "O" ring set easily, but if not PM me, I know I have a couple of sets hanging around here somwehere. Check your oil filter and valve cover too.

 

[smokeman]

I had the exact same leak from the half moon. I did not remove the oil pump to get the pan off. I just jacked up the front to full droop, disconnected the tranny from the crossmember, and jacked up the tranny about 2 inches. It slid out easily after that. I only used RTV on the corners of the gasket. The side of the gasket that seals with the engine block. I then used bread ties to hold the new pan gasket in place when putting it back in. Tightened a few pan bolts down and removed the bread ties. I did replace the pan gasket and rear main seal, but left the oil pump since I had good pressure before starting this job. Also, checked a couple of rod cap bearings to see how worn they were. Anyway, I think the key to a no leak pan gasket is to make sure you torque the pan bolts down correctly. I think the manual says 7ft-lbs for some and 11 ft-lbs for others. There are three or four pan bolts that are larger, so I torqued them a little tighter than the others. No leaks so far. Good luck.

By the way, x2 on it being a messy job. Get some old clothes because you're going to get nasty.

 

[92DripCherokee]

Might as well change the oil filter mount o-rings anyway. Its pretty easy if you have the hex head type of adapter, or the renix (torx-60) style adapter. There's a couple of threads here covering the o-ring replacement.

smokeman's approach is a good idea too. If you have enough jackstands around, it could simplify the job.
A piece of pressure treated 2x6 lumber on a jackstand makes a good support for the transmission.


But it does sound like the oil pan gasket is leaking.

the day before tear-down, drain the oil, and then pull your battery cables off. This keeps the excess oil from dripping on you, and remind's you the oil's out!

The rear main job is a little risky if you're not experienced with bottom end engine work. At the worst you could go from tolerable oil leak, to a scored, dirt-contaminated main bearing with a new, leaking rear main seal.

 

[darjevon]

unbolt your shocks so the axle hangs free, unbolt the tranny mount and jack up the the tranny. Makes the job a lot easier. If you still can't get it, try "barrel rolling" the pan out; I had to do this on a zj once.

Get the one piece oil pan gasket from Rockauto.com. NOT THE 4 PIECE FROM QUADRATEC!!!

 

[Mdub]

As far as the oil pan gasket goes, use the oem 1-piece...it's rubber and has a metal insert in it. Also, buy some MOPAR RTV Black Sealant to dab on the corners.

Totally agree. Use the 1 piece rubber. Totally agree that you should do the rear main seal.

However, I don't agree that it is a hard job. Very simple actually. Just have to use some elbow grease to make sure you get all of the remnants of the old gasket off of the block and the pan. When removing the pan, use a small FLAT pry bar moving around the pan in several places. Also be sure you keep track of the threaded rod locations (holding the pan in are a bunch of bolts with normal heads and a few threaded rods with nuts on them and some of the rod sticking through the nut - the threaded rods are there so you can attach cable clamps etc.). Other than that, go to it.

 

[Mdub]

The piece that your oil filter screws on to is the oil fliter adapter. It screws to the block. It contains three "O" rings. If one or more are bad it may/will leak oil. Cheap fix $3.00+, a little bit of PITA not that bad.
You should be able get the "O" ring set easily, but if not PM me, I know I have a couple of sets hanging around here somwehere. Check your oil filter and valve cover too.

Oh yeah do what this guy says, and make sure it isn't these o-rings. While not a big deal, dropping the pan is more work that replacing the oil filter mount o-rings.