Oil Pan Swap?

[packman]

From day one, the front sump has been leaking on my mom's CV. Some dillhole stripped the drain plug, so I have to periodically tighten it to the point right B4 it loosens up again. Lately it has been really leaking from the plug; even after tightening it. It's making a mess of the street. So I would like to swap to a Summit chrome Mustang 5 qt. pan. It looks like I might have to change the oil pump, or at the very least, the pump pickup. I've skated on having to drop the pans on the other cars, but this time I can't. Is there anything I overlooked. I got the service manual for this car, so I will read up on that. I also have to talk with my father about doing this, since it involves clearing out the garage to make room for the front half of the CV.


Packman

[1987cp]

Thankfully, the procedure for replacing your oilpan is pretty straightforward:

1) Remove engine
2) Replace oilpan


No need to replace the oil pump and pickup unless they've somehow gotten damaged.

[88grandmarq]

It's really tight in there... you might be able to get the engine high enough if you take the wiper linkage apart and remove the wiper motor.
removing the engine from the car is the prefered method... it's more work, but less hassle. new oil pump, pick up and oil pump drive shaft are a good idea.

[import convert]

i know i see pans for front pump designs and stuff like that. makes me think over hte years the pickup location has changed a little. id just look at ones for the ox body mustangs and choose form one of htose.

and yea changing the oil pan on these hting wont be east but the only way thats worht it besides taking the motor out is to rais the engineenough to slide the pan out.

the other thing you could do is get the old plug out and retap it. just cover the area with vaseline so the bits of metal stick to the vaseline and clean it all out and put a slightly larger plug there.

ive also seen these plugs that have a large thread that goes in the pan and then have a smaller screw that threads into them. thread htat guy in there and you have a makeshift oil plug.

[86VickyLX]

Thankfully, the procedure for replacing your oilpan is pretty straightforward:

1) Remove engine
2) Replace oilpan


No need to replace the oil pump and pickup unless they've somehow gotten damaged.

No, it is possible to do it with the engine in the car. 87_Crown_Vic and I have both done it.
I would recommend two people doing this, but it can be done by one person.
What you need to do is, chock the wheels, put front up on jackstands since you will be on the ground doing this, drain the oil, remove the fan, fan shroud, upper intake, transmission fluid lines to the radiator (unscrew them). If you feel the need to pull the radiator out, that's fine too, it will give you more room to pull the pan out.

Clean the Cross member to remove all crud on it, this will make it easier to remove and install the pan.Remove the plug for the low oil sender in the back on the left of the oil pan. Remove the motor mount bolts, and by use of come-along, or engine hoist, hoist the engine up as high as you can get it without lifting the car. Use a hydraulic jack and a block of wood and place it under the tranny's bellhousing and jack that up to insure you have as much room as possible, also without lifting the car itself. remove all the bolts on the oil pan and remember where they came from. The ones in the very front and the very back are bigger than the other ones. I would label them as you take them off to limit confusion. Once they are removed, take the metal brackets off the bottom of the pan (under bolts) might fall down when bolts are removed so be careful. Once they are out of the way, pull the pan down, it won't go anywhere far. Once it's down, unbolt the oil pump (yes that's right, the oil pump has to come off first.), and the neck with the oil screen on it. I would remove them as one piece, so that's two bolts on the oil pump, and one nut on the main bearing stud, holding the screen and neck up (it's at the back of the engine. This will all have to be done with the pan still in the way, so you will have limited room to work, but I got my fat hands in there so it definitely can be done. Once the oil pump assembly is removed, you can work to get the oil pan out. Now pull it towards the front of the car (to the radiator etc.). You will most likely get caught up on the crank (don't move it if you're not caught up on it), If you have another person with you, you can have them crank the motor slightly to turn the crank shaft so the pan will clear it. If it still doesn't come out, ensure that the motor is raised up as high as it can be raised, and the tranny is as high as it can be (the higher the front of the tranny is, the more the engine can be lifted without lifting the car). You will be able to remove the pan after doing all of that. Clean the mating surface on the engine block and pan, but you won't need to do the pan since you're getting another one. Clean every place that the pan will come in contact with. Since you already have it out, I would replace the oil pump and shaft, about 40 dollars at the most. Save the pipe and screen because you will need to reuse it. Clean it up to insure that there is no contaminants in there. Attach the pipe to the new pump and place it in the new pan. Feed the pan back to where it belongs. When putting in the new pump, or the old one. you need to have the rod in the oil pump, when you have it in the right place (rod up where the distributor is, little stopper closer to the top of the engine. and bracket for pipe in the stud on the main bearing bolt), put one bolt in for the oil pump, (this is where having 2 people will come in handy) so you won't lose what you have, then put in the other one. Make the bolts fairly tight. Then, you can do your gasket. I have to go sorry, I'll finish this write up later.

[torquelover]

Stay away from chrome anything if you want no leaks, and a quality item IMHO.

[86VickyLX]

No, it is possible to do it with the engine in the car. 87_Crown_Vic and I have both done it.
I would recommend two people doing this, but it can be done by one person.
What you need to do is, chock the wheels, put front up on jackstands since you will be on the ground doing this, drain the oil, remove the fan, fan shroud, upper intake, transmission fluid lines to the radiator (unscrew them). If you feel the need to pull the radiator out, that's fine too, it will give you more room to pull the pan out.

Clean the Cross member to remove all crud on it, this will make it easier to remove and install the pan.Remove the plug for the low oil sender in the back on the left of the oil pan. Remove the motor mount bolts, and by use of come-along, or engine hoist, hoist the engine up as high as you can get it without lifting the car. Use a hydraulic jack and a block of wood and place it under the tranny's bellhousing and jack that up to insure you have as much room as possible, also without lifting the car itself. remove all the bolts on the oil pan and remember where they came from. The ones in the very front and the very back are bigger than the other ones. I would label them as you take them off to limit confusion. Once they are removed, take the metal brackets off the bottom of the pan (under bolts) might fall down when bolts are removed so be careful. Once they are out of the way, pull the pan down, it won't go anywhere far. Once it's down, unbolt the oil pump (yes that's right, the oil pump has to come off first.), and the neck with the oil screen on it. I would remove them as one piece, so that's two bolts on the oil pump, and one nut on the main bearing stud, holding the screen and neck up (it's at the back of the engine. This will all have to be done with the pan still in the way, so you will have limited room to work, but I got my fat hands in there so it definitely can be done. Once the oil pump assembly is removed, you can work to get the oil pan out. Now pull it towards the front of the car (to the radiator etc.). You will most likely get caught up on the crank (don't move it if you're not caught up on it), If you have another person with you, you can have them crank the motor slightly to turn the crank shaft so the pan will clear it. If it still doesn't come out, ensure that the motor is raised up as high as it can be raised, and the tranny is as high as it can be (the higher the front of the tranny is, the more the engine can be lifted without lifting the car). You will be able to remove the pan after doing all of that. Clean the mating surface on the engine block and pan, but you won't need to do the pan since you're getting another one. Clean every place that the pan will come in contact with. Since you already have it out, I would replace the oil pump and shaft, about 40 dollars at the most. Save the pipe and screen because you will need to reuse it. Clean it up to insure that there is no contaminants in there. Attach the pipe to the new pump and place it in the new pan. Feed the pan back to where it belongs. When putting in the new pump, or the old one. you need to have the rod in the oil pump, when you have it in the right place (rod up where the distributor is, little stopper closer to the top of the engine. and bracket for pipe in the stud on the main bearing bolt), put one bolt in for the oil pump, (this is where having 2 people will come in handy) so you won't lose what you have, then put in the other one. Make the bolts fairly tight. Then, you can do your gasket. I have to go sorry, I'll finish this write up later.

I would recommend a one piece gasket, only because it will be so much easier to deal with. It is very crucial that the gasket is seated properly or you will have to do this again. Lay the pan on top of it. Place in some of the bolts. Once you get all the bolts in tighten them in an x position. Then do a once over after they're all tight to insure that you didn't miss any. Do not over tighten them or you will distort the gasket and might cause leaks. Once that's in place, lower the engine and the tranny, and make sure that the motor mount brackets are back in place. Bolt up the motor mounts, reattach the low oil sender (if there's a place for one), reattach all lines that you disconnected. I forgot to mention, you are going to need to pull your distributor before you even start this job. That way you won't have any trouble priming the pump when you fill the pan with oil. Once everything is done, and you've filled the engine with 5 quarts of oil, get a drill (corded) with a bit, I forget what size, and put it on the rod were the distributor would go, have the drill going counter clockwise, and run it until oil starts coming up to you. Once that's done, find TDC so you can run it. Make sure you have no leaks. After you have verified there are no leaks, you can set the timing to where you like it. Good luck mang.

[87DeuceVic]

Oil pan

Also, I have Mr Gasket Ultra Seal gaskets on mine. Its fine, just let the sealer set overnight and then put the pan on and you should be good to go.

[Grandmarchris]

Stay away from chrome anything if you want no leaks, and a quality item IMHO.

Not to mention chrome traps heat inside the pan..Excessive heat bad

[mrltd]

Someone here prolly has a good spare stock pan around somewhere....

[packman]

I could probably go with a stock pan. I'll definitely stay away from the chrome stuff. Perhaps I might just get a 7 qt. Milodon pan with matching pump and pickup. I know it's overkill for a stock engine, but I think that sometime in the future, this car will get another 5.0L in there. So I might as well get some of the set up since I got everything apart. This pan thing is something to think and discuss with my father because I know I ain't doin' this alone. We'll see what happens after the brake overhaul on the CV and the other work planned for the C-20.


Packman

[gadget73]

Not to mention chrome traps heat inside the pan..Excessive heat bad

Chrome valve covers were actually used on air cooled Volkswagens in extremely cold climates for exactly this reason. The standard black would radiate too much heat. Chrome is very bad in warmer climates for this same reason. That, and Greg is right, chrome parts are generally pieces of shit that don't fit properly.


Fox oil pan = Panther oil pan. Same thing, but you really do not need more oil capacity with a stock engine or anything close to a stock motor unless you're doing roundy-roundy racing. You'll never get it in there without pulling the motor anyway, they're just too big.

[1987cp]

+1 on the one-piece pan gasket. Fel-pro's one-piece that I got listed for a '96 Explorer came with neato alignment pins that thread into the front and rear bolt holes and you snap the gasket, and then the pan, over the pins, and they hold everything in place very nicely while you install all the 1/4" pan bolts.

Another (possibly screwball) idea I had for fixing buggered drain plugs is to take a piece of steel and put a drain plug in it (maybe tap for a small pipe plug if the material is thick enough, or one of those B&M trans pan kits might work also), and just weld or braze it either over or in place of the plug that's giving you fits. It should be at least as good as the stock stamped-steel piece that's tack welded to the inside of the pan for the drain plug to screw into, it could theoretically be done with the engine in the car, and it could possibly be a lot easier than the changing-the-pan-in-the-car method.

[86VickyLX]

Another (possibly screwball) idea I had for fixing buggered drain plugs is to take a piece of steel and put a drain plug in it (maybe tap for a small pipe plug if the material is thick enough, or one of those B&M trans pan kits might work also), and just weld or braze it either over or in place of the plug that's giving you fits. It should be at least as good as the stock stamped-steel piece that's tack welded to the inside of the pan for the drain plug to screw into, it could theoretically be done with the engine in the car, and it could possibly be a lot easier than the changing-the-pan-in-the-car method.

Could also go to an over sized plug and forget doing this huge thing.

[1987cp]

Quite true; I'm just taking into account that there's not a whole lot of material behind the original stamped steel drain-plug threads. And come to think of it, in a serious pinch a person could consider just blocking the front drain plug off entirely if that's the one that's stripped.