replacing oil pan gasket

[eric helgoth]

I am sure this has been talked about before but I don't know how to sift through the thousands of posts to find the right thread. Is there some sort of search method I haven't seen yet? Anyway, my question....Is there an easier way to replace the oil pan gasket on my 93 4X4 explorer other than pulling the engine again. I already had it out once to replace it (the engine) and I'd rather not go through that ordeal again. I have to also tear down the top side to redo the lower intake manifold gasket as it is now leaking also. Should I give up and pull it to do everything right(hopefully) this time?

Thanks for your help.

 

[LukeDog3D]

I sifted through about a hundred thousand posts last week looking for the same answer. You don't have to take the engine completely out, but it needs to be jacked up quite a bit to get the pan completely off. (crossmember in the way) However, if you can jack it up enough to get your arm into the pan so that you can maneuver the gasket around the oil pickup (to position it correctly on the pan)....it will work. I did it on my 89 econoline without jacking it up at all. It was nasty as hell sticking my whole arm in, even though I had drained it, but it saved some labor.

You will have to use RTV on certain spots of the 4.0 pan. To use RTV, everything needs to be clean, and running the gasket through the pan will get oil all over everything, so if you go that route, make sure you clean everything before putting the sealant. A haynes manual will tell you where to put the sealant.

On a side note, I had a pan gasket leak also, (i thought it was a rear main seal leak), so i took off the tranny and found a little spot in the pan gasket under the crank where oil was leaking. I cleaned it with carb cleaner and caulked it with black RTV. I also tightened the pan bolts. It has sealed the leak so far (knock on wood). I was too afraid to change the pan gasket because I thought I would worsen the leak (which wasn't bad to begin with...most people called me crazy for taking off the tranny to get to a leak that was only about a drop per day or two)

anyway, good luck

 

[eric helgoth]

thanks dog!

 

[guest001]

what about that plate on the tranny, that covers the driveplate/flywheel?? transmission spacer plate or transmission inspection cover? I have a print off from a manual.....

If you remove that plate can you manuver the pan out and not have to lift it so high.