simple question .... how hard is really to take out the oil pan on a V8 dakota 4x4 i know its not as easy as on a 2x4 but ... is it worth it for a backyard mechanical to tackel .. or straight to repair shop ?? thanks for any opinion ..

 

It depends if it is a 4.7 or 5.2/5.9. The oil pan itself is easy to remove, just some bolts holding it there. The tricky part is getting to the bolts and getting the pan out once it is lose. I haven't ever looked for all the bolts on the oil pan of my 4.7 but I've changed the oil enough times to know there is some room around there. I think it's very do-able by yourself. I would get under there and start looking around to see if you can get to all the bolts without taking apart half the front end.

 

If you got the 5.2/5.9 tell me how it goes, I think my gasket has a leak, dealer said it did.

 

There is some room on the 4.7. Like bpark8824 said get under start looking around and access what need to do to get it out. If you compare your price to do it and a shop price I think yours would be cheaper. Time and patience's.

 

I have heard that for the 4.7 you have to lift the engine a little or remove the rack and pinion for enough room to remove it. Report back if you do it as I need to do it to mine.

 

Yikes! I was starting to wonder if the pan would come out even after you got all the bolts out... Guess not.

 

according the haynes you have to drop front drive axle remove motor mounts and lift engines slightly to get clearence for pan to move pan .. so later on tonight i will jack up front end and see .....i know 2wd are easy to remove no axle in way ....

 

umm whats the difference between the 4.7 and 5.2 oil pan ....

 

Not sure on the specific differences but the 5.2/5.9 and the 4.7 are totally different engine designs, the old 5.2 era of engines were push rod mid block cam, like any older typical v8, the 4.7 has 2 cams, 1 for the right bank and one for the left, they are in the head instead of the block, making the whole bottom end of a 4.7 different then the 5.2.

TBH I think the 4.7 wasnt ready for production when it was introduced and we were testing a unfinished product.

 

Yeah like Greg said, they're completely different engines and all of their accessories are in different locations. Plus the oil pan design itself is different.