Can the pan be removed without removing the cross-member?
The shop manual doesn't mention removing the cross-member.

 

i removed mine but later found that just taking out the tranny mount bolts and jacking the tranny up a bit does the trick.

 

There is some clearance between the pan and the cross-member... What prevents removal of the pan with the available clearance?

 

the pan has to drop down farther to clear the filter. unless your salad fingers and can pop the filter off at the same time... better off just zipping 2 bolts loose and lift the tranny a couple inches. no biggie

 

or drop the crossmember, takes about 10 minutes, 4 bolts and 3 nuts to the trans drops right our and everthing is clear.

LB

 

that's what i do. i would sacrifice a few extra minutes if it meant having a better work space.

 

The shape of the pan and available clearances. You HAVE to have additional clearance to get the sucker out of there! I removed the 4 bolts and jacked the back end of the transmission a little more than an inch and found one and one way only to get it out even then!