99 Explorer 4WD 4.0 v6 OHV oil pan removal/replacement.

[BadaBingM3]

Going to probably have to remove the oil pan and fish for a rocker arm clip that flew off (on going issue from my other thread on rocker arm issue). looks like it is going to be a tight and hard job due to it being a 4WD. wanted to ask before I start pulling it, any tips, am I going to be able to remove and replace it without pulling starter and dropping front axle, etc. stuff? With 245,000 miles on this engine, if I can pull the oil pan, should I install a new oil pump for future maintenance issues? or am I wasting time and money? Thanks!

 

[poker4me007]

That seem's like a lot of work, did you try using a borescope fish it thru the drain plug hole?

 

[BadaBingM3]

Not yet. Actually suffered a bad hand injury with a shattered bottle in the kitchen so now cant use my right hand. grrrrr!! But collecting ideas and acquiring parts and gaskets so when I can get back on it, I can get this thing back up and running asap. i will be purchasing a borescope though for sure. Used to use them a lot for jet engine inspections while I was a Jet mech on F-15C's in the USAF years ago. So hopefully that will help me find it and retrieve it.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

One of those wand magnets might work, to fish it out the drain plug hole.
If you locate it with a bore scope, maybe a strong magnet, working on the outside of the pan and pulling toward the drain hole, will get it out...

 

[BadaBingM3]

This will be tricky. Hopefully I can find it. I can't imagine with a borescope, magnet and long finger tweezers, oil pan maybe removed and intake manifold removed, I can't find it. Then what? engine change? holy hell that will be expensive.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

One of those wand magnets might work, to fish it out the drain plug hole.
If you locate it with a bore scope, maybe a strong magnet, working on the outside of the pan and pulling toward the drain hole, will get it out...

 

[ranger7ltr]

The probability is that the pin that holds the rocker broke into pieces is high... The wavy washer/retainer is probably in pieces too since it is nowhere to be found and the drain hole in the head is not that big...The good thing is that the oil pump pickup has a screen on it to catch debris that this... Now from the look of the head your engine is pretty clean unlike my sludge monster that was more sludge than engine...But I would think the pieces might under the intake manifold if they are not in the oil pump pickup screen..The area under the intake is great for catching stuff.....As far as pulling the pan if it was a 2wd I could tell you every step to take... As a 4wd I have been told that the engine either needs to be raised off the mounts and the pan bolts, the bellhousing rear bolts removed and the starter removed in either case...And I would install a new oil pump and screen if you pull the pan...Even with the sludgey thing I bought with 129k on that engine, I replaced the oil pump and screen, cleaned the pan and inside the block, and put another 40k on it before I saw a minor head gasket coolant leak when I decided to replace the shortblock and put the new heads I bought to fix the minor coolant leak...And just as a tease, look at the space under my oil pan!!!!

 

[BadaBingM3]

OMG that is A LOT of sludge!! Thank you for the pictures. ugh, it is going to be a long road to recovery on this for me.

 

[ranger7ltr]

Yeah that truck sat for a couple of years before I bought it and this is the result of the original owner not changing fluids and filters...You should have seen the oil pan and pump when I removed it to replace the oil pump!!! And this engine ran well with all of this sludge in the top end...

 

[vroomzoomboom]

if it was a 2wd I could tell you every step to take... As a 4wd I have been told that the engine either needs to be raised off the mounts and the pan bolts, the bellhousing rear bolts removed and the starter removed in either case...

its actually no worse if its a 4x4. only thing you have to do is drop the front diff out of it, which really isnt hard either (as long as its a torsion bar suspension). once that is down, everything is right there. SOHC's are a little more of a challenge, OHV are easier.

 

[poker4me007]

Anyone who let's there engine get this way should have there driver's licence revoked...ouch

 

[ranger7ltr]

its actually no worse if its a 4x4. only thing you have to do is drop the front diff out of it, which really isnt hard either (as long as its a torsion bar suspension). once that is down, everything is right there. SOHC's are a little more of a challenge, OHV are easier.

All I had to do was to get under the truck, remove the starter, then remove the bolts holding the pan in place...I didn't even have to raise the truck on jack stands...Mine is a torsion bar front end but with no front differential in the way...

 

[BadaBingM3]

Yeah that truck sat for a couple of years before I bought it and this is the result of the original owner not changing fluids and filters...You should have seen the oil pan and pump when I removed it to replace the oil pump!!! And this engine ran well with all of this sludge in the top end...

That is amazing! My tranny went out at 188,000 miles a few years ago and the AMCO guys said that was already a miracle. But my engine has gone strong with only needed a front timing chain replacement because the seal had a slow coolant leak. Other than this current problem, it's been a work horse.

 

[BadaBingM3]

its actually no worse if its a 4x4. only thing you have to do is drop the front diff out of it, which really isnt hard either (as long as its a torsion bar suspension). once that is down, everything is right there. SOHC's are a little more of a challenge, OHV are easier.

Mine has torsion bars. What all do I need to do to drop the front diff? I have to do all this in my garage and have plenty of jacks to support.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

take the nut off the axle ends (cant remember if its a 32,34 or 36mm) take the brake calipers off as well as the rotors, split the upper ball joint from the spindles, then wiggle the axles out (its tight, can be done with the lower ball joint holding the spindle on). then take the front drive shaft off (at diff i think its a 35 torx, at the transfer case, they are 8mm). then there are three bolts, all 13mm. one on the upper part of the diff housing on the passengers side, one on the upper part of the housing on the drivers side (a little hard to see, but you can see it. using a swivel to get it make life so much better) then one on the torque arm on the drivers side that faces up and down. have a jack near by when you pull the bolts out. the nut on the other side of them have hooks, so you dont have to worry about getting a wrench up in there. pry one side out at a time and its out. i have been able to get them down in about 20 mins, but then again i have dropped mine more times then i have fingers, and toes.

 

[BadaBingM3]

Ugh, well I'll be able to do it all. I've changed out rear springs, torsion keys up front, rebuilt brakes and front bearings so just a lot more work for me. hopefully I can find this damn clip that blew off in the pan or somewhere and retrieve it without having to do all this. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the tips.