Hey all! Had my fd for like two weeks and I already made my first mechanical mistake. I miss-read the shop manual and overfilled the oil. It looks like the pressure gave me an oil pan gasket leak. I can't believe I am such an idiot. Anyway, I searched and it looks like the only way to fix it is to replace it. Anyone close to Denver, CO want to help a beginner fd owner to change the gasket? I just read the shop manual and it honestly doesn't look too hard, except the engine needs to be supported and lifted a bit to get the crossmember off. I don't have power tools or the tool to support the engine. Anyway, if you have any ideas or can help out that would be great. I would rather spend $400 on reliability mods instead of correcting my idiotic mistake. Thanks for any help you can give.

 

My experience with oil pan replacement this weekend

Excellent Guide

I can't see any way to lift the engine up high enough to remove the pan without dropping the subframe.

 

try just resealing the motor mount bolts, they usually leak more than the pan

 

I feel your pain on the leak. I have never tried to do this with the engine in but I guess it is possible. I read through that whole thread (my experience with oil pan repla....) Just FYI there is no timing chain on the rotarys. its the Oil Pump drive chain and its allowed a max of one half inch slack messured between the two gears. Anyway off my soap box..

 

Great job. Your timing chain is not loose; you don't have one That chain drives the oil pump and the slack in it is just fine.

 

Without direction, the first time replacing an FD oil pan gasket seems a bitch. But I have seen many other manufacturers oil pans that require everything from the exhaust, to front covers, that need to be removed.

I have now done 3 gasket replacements (not the same car), and have no reservations in doing any more. Last time I "rented" an engine cradle and had the job done in 1.5 hours, complete.

 

Very impressive, the shop quoted me 4 hours labor. I wish you lived close to me.

 

I manage the service department at a dealership which allows me access to all the goodies, including air tools, swivel sockets, Master technicains, and the like.

Knowing every tool needed, and having them within arms reach, makes it much easier.

I still would not be afraid ofdoing this on the garage floor...................

 

A cherry picker will make it easier... I also would suggest resealing the motormount bolts... you can do it w/o dropping the subframe. use a block of wood on the bellhousing to lift it up if you don't have a engine jack. take the nuts on the PPF - tranny nearly all the way off. This will allow more freedom of movement. You'll need a good size breaker bar to get the bolts cracked on the motor mounts. Search for motor mount and Damion shot a pic that will give you an idea on how to get the motor up. This is how you can also to the pan gasket. either way the motor mounts have to come off because they bolt through the oil pan.
Good luck

 

be sure to never overtighten any bolt on the oil pan... i made the mistake of doing this the first time my oil pan gasket was changed. second time i got a new oil pan and it sealed perfectly

 

I'm just a domestic guy cranking wrenches on a friends purchase. The chain just looked like a timing chain to a V-8 guy like myself.

Once I actually got some cooperation, the job wasn't that hard. For some reason the engine just wouldn't lift up that high on my first attempts.

The hard parts were getting the subframe bolts loose, getting access to 2 of the engine mount bolts, and getting the old pan off.

Regardless, dropping the subframe makes it a lot easier, and so long as you have a strong 17mm deep well for a good 1/2" drive, it's not that bad.

1.5hrs? I would imagine at least 2.5 for me now that I know exactly what I'm doing because I don't have a lift.