Hey DF pals, anyone know exactly where to lift the engine up from on 2nd Gen vans to get the oil pan out?

I’ve followed advice from multiple posts here so far and removed starter, engine to tranny braces, tranny dust cover, exhaust pipes from manifolds, cooling fan, and engine mount bolts and I’m confused as to where on the engine is a safe place to start lifting each side.

I’m planning on adding cuts of wood as shims/spacers between the mount seats and block on each side as I raise it.

Any ideas, tricks, magic spells welcome.

Thanks y’all!

 

Can you jack it up using a floor jack and wooden blocks under the lower pulley(harmonic balance)? Then block up the engine mounts.

 

I could do that, for sure, but is the balancer ready to take that kind of weight?

 

No don't do that, you could damage the rubber spacer in the balancer. The best method is to loosen the engine mounts and use an engine hoist to lift the engine, then put wood blocks between the frame and engine block to set the engine back down on before starting the work. If you don't have access to an engine hoist, then place a 2x6 or 2x8 under the pan and lift with a floor jack after loosening the engine mounts. Again, use wood blocks between the frame and engine block to set the engine back down on before starting the work. That block of wood under the pan is strong enough to lift the engine without damaging the pan as long as the engine lifts freely.

 

Thanks! I was able to jack up the engine at the oil pan with a 1x6 beneath the front of the pan and a 2x6x12 piece (vertically) between the 1x6 and floor jack seat.
However, the engine doesn't lift high enough on my 2000 model to get the pan all the way off.

I found this thread from 2014 that was helpful, suggesting lowering the cross member:

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/dodge-r...placement.html

I'll have to come up with some other way to brace the engine in place while it's raised.
Trouble is, I'm not sure how to lower the cross member. It seems I'll need to take all the weight off the front wheels?
Anyone have some step by step advice? Thanks again, y'all!

 

What stopping the engine from going up further?

 

The fuel line, tank evap hoses, and harness on top of the tranny are keeping it from raising any further at the doghouse base.

The coolant lines to the rear AC, compressor and other lines are getting squeezed at the firewall in front.

 

Looking at the dust cover, seems this may not be a rear main seal leak, but perhaps just the oil pan gasket. Most of the gunk is on the front of the tranny dust cover on the right side of the vehicle. It was tricky to tell but the pan gasket seemed weak there when I started to pull it off and eventually broke when I pulled harder. Maybe that’s all it is? Would sure save me the headache of getting to the rear seal.

Also, there is not nearly as much oil buildup on the back side of the dust cover but there is still a good amount. (See pic). In fact, I did discover a small amount of oil on my CKP sensor a while back before the leak got really bad down below.

Would we see more oil and buildup on the inside of the dust cover and on the flywheel if it were a rear main seal leak?

Could use some thoughts!

Suspect!

Note the sludge on the front has built up where the pan gasket seemed weak.

Not so much behind

 

It sounds like you are in a spot where you are going to have to remove the transmission and multiple assemblies.
If you can manage to do just the oil pan gasket at this point - i would probably take that road.
Since you think it is the most responsible for the leakage.

I'm "dodging" the oil pan / rear seal fiasco on my 89 for right now.
Everything i read about it (89) suggests removing transmission and having the engine about 90% ready to remove, held in place at angle with a cherry picker hoist.

At that point - i would just pull the whole bicht right out of the van and mount it on an engine stand .wtf

It's too late for you to try what i did - for now.
Removed 2 oil pan bolts side-by-side at a time, and squirted their holes full of RTV.
Re-Install bolts
Did them all
Let it cure for 2 days
Oil pan gasket seems to have stopped leaking.

Went with Mobil 1 10w/40 Synthetic High Mileage oil.
Only about 200 miles on the oil so far, but the front and rear seals are doing "better".
With more miles they may improve more.

The Mobil 1 High Mileage oil has kept me from having to replace valve cover gaskets on my 04 Acura TL.
They start seeping again about the time when the oil is due for replacement.
It's been good stuff for me

 

For my 1990 b150 it's just removing the exhaust crossover and there is plenty of access to remove the pan. I know different years can vary.

Even still, it will be easiest to hacksaw the crossover pipe and repair it with clamps and a metal sleeve. Still haven't done it.