DanielB23
Member
- Joined
- February 9, 2023
- Messages
- 12
- Reaction score
- 10
- City, State
- Birmingham, Alabama
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 97 Limited 5.0L V8
So I've basically been rebuilding the engine on my 1997 v8 explorer as in depth as possible without pulling the engine. The explorer has been sitting for at least a year or two, I knew it had an oil leak I was just unsure of where or the severity. I was degreasing the bottom of it yesterday, transmission pan had oil on it, oil pan was practically covered in oil, and really just everywhere else underneath the engine. I know my valve cover gaskets were definitely leaking, but I believe the oil pan gasket and the rear main seal are also leaking pretty heavily. To my knowledge, neither have been replaced ever. The explorer has approximately 190k miles so it's long overdue. I'm wondering if I should go ahead and pull the engine now while I'm replacing all these gaskets and seals...or if I should just hold off, put my engine back together as is, and get my explorer back to running again...then investigate further on the possible oil leaks. I saw that some people have been able to drop the oil pan just enough to replace the gasket. I also saw there is a Fel Pro gasket that has enough elasticity to stretch over the outside of the oil pan, so you can just pull out the old gasket and slide the new one in. But there's also the rear main seal that i suspect is leaking...I also saw there is a way to change that seal without pulling the engine, you can drop the transmission and lift the engine. But this is all a lot of work, Idk if maybe pulling the engine would just be easier or simpler at this point? I'd hate to put my engine back together, get it running again, and then have to take it back apart and pull the engine just to change some gaskets.
I've never pulled an engine and do not have an engine hoist to do so, but I'm sure I can find a friend who does. Also, is there any other oil leak locations that I should address? I will likely be replacing the timing cover gasket also. And I also screwed up a transmission line while pulling my radiator, twisted it up pretty badly to the point it will need to be replaced. Maybe that affects this decision also.
I've never pulled an engine and do not have an engine hoist to do so, but I'm sure I can find a friend who does. Also, is there any other oil leak locations that I should address? I will likely be replacing the timing cover gasket also. And I also screwed up a transmission line while pulling my radiator, twisted it up pretty badly to the point it will need to be replaced. Maybe that affects this decision also.