Hi All,

1997 5.9L V8 here.

Thought I would start a separate thread about this since it seems like it will be a bitch of its own.

During my whole plenum repair process I decided to replace the oil pan gasket since I noticed a lot of seepage past it. I didn't realize that the oil pan is not able to slide out by just removing the bolts that mount it to the block

Anyone share some tips about removing the oil pan? The service manual instructions don't make a lot of sense:

1) disconnect negative batt cable: OK
2) remove dipstick: OK
3) raise vehicle: ...ok?
4) drain oil: of course
5) remove exhaust pipe (from the left side header I'm assuming)
6) remove left engine to transmission strut.... there is no left engine to transmission strut. (unless they mean left when looking towards the rear of the car. on mine, there is a strut on the right and the starter motor is on the left.

Because of that hiccup, I now don't know if I should trust the rest of their directions.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

happy update:
So i decided that, even if I can't take the oil pan off, maybe I can get the gasket off with the pan just lowered enough. So in trying, I grab a tiny flat head screwdriver and begin trying to wrestle the gasket from the block surface. After about 5 minutes of trying, I drop my screwdriver into the oil pan, and in trying to retreive it, I pulled the pan

Basically I just needed to slide it harder against the bell housing plate and then it gave. I am not sure if this was only possible because all of the front engine stuff was off (including harmonic balancer..), but this could be helpful information for anyone looking to do replace that gasket who doesn't have a god forsaken engine crane at their house, especially if they are planning to do so during a timing set job.

Thanks,

Nick

 

It's easier if you pull the starter, and the dust plate that hides the converter, then it just slides back, and drops out. You probably have it all back together by now though.....

 

Can always just jack the frame up while leaving the axle on the ground. Gives you plenty of room to maneuver stuff around.

Assuming 4x4 of course

 

I did pull the starter actually, it helped. It didn't seem like I could pull the bell housing cover very easily though. maybe it's different on mine (4x4 manual trans)

I'm a noob and not visualizing this well. Engine and trans would follow frame up, no? Unless you mean with motor mounts removed and engine supported. In my particular case, forward mobility was limited by crossbar under front of engine, backward by the bell housing cover plate, sideways by I don't remember exactly what. I think transfer case output shaft on driver side and suspension member (don't know what it's called, squarish bar with u cross section i think) running lengthwise along the car.

 

You can Jack the frame up. The motor mounts are attached to the frame. So the whole drivetrain will raise several inches. Then you just slide the pan out.

The axle stays put. There are several inches of travel in the supsension and this gives you plenty of room.

Worked for me at least. I have 2500 stufff so it sits a little taller anyway. Might not quite clear with the 1500. Either way you should be able to tilt the pan a certain way with the extra room and slide it out back towards the back of the truck. . I have done that back when I had a 1500.

 

Mine was just a cover, take off the starter, and a couple more bolts, and off it came. I don't know if the manual trans has a plate between the engine and trans.... (so, you can't take it off......)

is your truck 2 or 4 wheel drive?

 

well you fellas had me ready to about work myself to death. But anyway iv got a 2001 dodge ram 1500 regular cab 4 wheel drive with a 5.2 engine iwas gettin ready to drop th oil pan and every thing I read or checked into said you had to drop th exhaust and raise th engine. Well fellas I just got it out and all I did was remove th starter and that dust cover and two brackets and when I removed th oil pan bolts that thing dropped down and came right outta thier no problem at all. Now it's got th factory exhaust and a 5.9 might be differant. But that one wasn't any trouble at all

 

When I did mine I just unbolted front diff (I have independent front suspension not solid axle (3rd gen 5.9), lower diff down onto frame (never removed cv shafts, and mine came out without touching starter or dust plate…..my recommendation is do the rear main seal while pans off, cheap insurance and easy to do