Yea but after you fix everything, it will last a couple more months.

 

On mine, I didn't have to touch the exhaust, nor did I have to unbolt the trans. There are two large bolts, one small bolt, and the starter motor that have to come off to get the inspection plate off. (along with two small bolts on the engine mounts for the transmission braces.) Once those are out of the way, its about two dozen bolts holding the pan to the engine. (pull the dipstick out before dropping the pan. You will see why when you have the pan out.) Just lower the pan far enough to clear the bellhousing in the back, and pull it straight back. The pickup tube hangs fairly low, so, you will have to jockey things around a bit to get it out.

Note: My exhaust did NOT cross under the engine. It was further back, and so, out of the way of the oil pan.

Since you are going to be in there, replace the oil pump, and rear main seal. Its two bolts to get the pump off, and you have to pull it anyway, to get the pickup tube off. (beware the oil that will drain out when you drop the pump.) If you have the cash, a new pickup tube was only about 15 bucks from Advance...... I just cleaned mine.

You can go with a high volume pump, they run a little under fifty bucks, the stock pump is 25 or so.... although, I have heard tell that with the high volume pump, a hardened driveshaft is recommended as well.... gotta yank the distributor to change that.

I had about 100 bucks worth of parts, oil pump, rear main seal, oil pan gasket, oil filter, and oil...... invested in this. Took me about 2 to 3 hours, and I did it in my driveway, with just a few assorted hand tools.

 

my truck is the same way, no u dont have to remove the exhaustu might be able to wiggle the pan out with out taking off ur tranny inspection plate, but chance are ull have to take it off, and ull have to remove the driverside motor to tranny support strut so u can get to a couple of bolts, and also to slide the pan out. after that two bolts hold on ur oil pump and it comes right off, just watch out for the oil thats gonna come out of the pick-up tube and from the block once u take the pump off, i didnt and it hit me right in the face lol, when u put the new oil pump on make sure u hold it firmly againt the block as u tighten up its bolts all the way or u can snap its neck. its takes longer to unbolt the pan then it does to change the pump, and make sure u get the higher volume pump, ur truck will run a lil better

 

I've run a HV pump for at least 45,000 miles with no hardened driveshaft, but if you romp on it regularly, Its a good investment.

 

Thank YOU Sir! That eases my mind significantly. I rarely, if ever, step hard on the gas, so, I am not going to worry about the pump drive then.

 

this is a good article, although its slightly inaccurate. when i did mine i didn't have to lift engine or drop exhaust. i did have to remove starter.
http://www.pavementsucks.com/tech-article-31.html

 

Thanks guys for all the great info and tips. I am definately going to replace the oil pump/pick-up tube/rear main seal/hardened shaft like you all suggested. I might as well do everything while it's apart.

Once this is done I get to investigate where my coolant leak is, I believe it's the intake gasket...well I HOPE it is, otherwise it's the head gasket but my truck runs good so I didn;t think that was it? While i'm in there i'll change the valve cover gaskets as well as the intake gasket. I'm sure this is going to be fun. Heck by the time i'm done almost everything will be new, geeze.....

QUESTION: For a quick fix (just to be able to go deer hunting this weekend) I read that some guys have been draining the oil and putting Kerosene in to break down all the gunk in there and then drain and change the oil again.

Anyone ever tried or heard of this working?

 

Kerosene has zero lubricating properties. In fact, it will break down any lubrication that's left on the bearings, as well as the assorted goop in the system, and circulate it very nicely throughout your engine. General result of this exercise? Fried bearings, scored crankshaft journals, and various other rather expensive things. (cam tends to be another victim of this particular little jaunt.)

DON'T DO IT.

As for coolant leaks..... the dodge v-8s seem to have a selection of places that LOVE to dribble.... but, NOT when you are watching.

Freeze plugs. The one behind the drivers motor mount is famous. along with the ones on the back of the block. (yeah, the ones that require dropping the trans to change....)

Heater Hose. On the passenger side, there is a two part hose, joined in the center..... pleasant place to develop a leak, but, easy to get to, so, probably not it.

Bypass hose. This guy hides underneath the A/C and alternator bracket. You can't really see it without removing a bunch of stuff, so, of course, this is a favorite place to leak too.

Inlet pipe at waterpump. Steel pipe on drivers side of water pump, that the hose coming from the heater core attaches to. Its sealed by just a tiny little oring..... Have a look right at the base of the pipe, at the water pump. These guys also like to rust out, and break.

Anywhere there is a hose clamp, should be suspect. The spring clamps that came on there from the factory are most certainly not my favorite.

 

Thanks HeyYou,
looks like I will NOT go the quick fix kerosene route, I don;t need to but any more parts then I already have too lol. Thanks for the advice.

I'll also start searching for the coolant leak from your places to look. It seems like this leak drips down past the oil pan so it may be one of those freeze plugs in the back?....

So i've got some serious work to do AGAIN. Ahh fun fun...NOT

 

I think there are freeze plugs in the back of the heads as well. Gotta be a contortionist to see those....... clean everything off good, and then see if you can find where the trail starts. If it is dripping out the little hole in the bellhousing, chances are good its the plugs in the back of the motor......