Oil pan gasket - lifting the engine

I get the impression from the FSM that when raising the engine in order to get access to the oil pan gasket, it's done from above with a hoist. (FSM just says "raise the engine" and warns against lifting via the oil pan, which is stupid anyway since you can't get the pan off if you're lifting the motor up with it, aside from the obvious damage it would do)

Is there any safe point to jack up the motor from below? Maybe off the balancer? - or do I just go to Harbor Freight and pick up a crane?

Rent one from a tool supply store if you don't think you'll need it again. Should be like $50 for the day.

Or, try your local craigslist. Someone may have one that you could borrow in exchange for a small deposit.

Just put a piece of wood under the pan, and use a floor jack to raise it up. Shove a piece of 2x4 in between each engine mount, and remove the floor jack to drop the pan. Easy.

If you have the engine driven fan, you have to remove the top shroud. Also unbolt the trans cooler line clip on the side of the pan. You have to position the crankshaft so that the timing mark is at the 6:00 position, so the counterweights are out of the way, to get the pan out. Remember to remove the oil level sensor before removing the pan. While you are in there, put a metal oil pump sleeve/retainer in place of the nylon one.

jayoldschool wrote:

Just put a piece of wood under the pan, and use a floor jack to raise it up.  Shove a piece of 2x4 in between each engine mount, and remove the floor jack to drop the pan.  Easy.

I did almost the same with my 92, with the difference being that I lifted under the harmonic balancer instead of the oil pan. Also, some may need to remove the distributor (or at least the cap) first so it doesn't jam up under the overhanging dash (does not apply to LT1 engines like this specific example, of course).

On top of the intake manifold there must be a lifting "eye" , it's at the front of the manifold. good luck
Pete

The lifting "eye", if it is there, is on one side. It will cause the engine to cant to the side. It is better to lift from below. You are required to remove the trans, and oil dipsticks, and be careful of the wiring against the firewall. Since it is an LT1, the distributor is not an issue. The wood blocking is how the Haynes manual instructs you to raise the engine.

You are not supposed to lift the engine with the harmonic balancer, because the end of the crank is not designed to carry that much side load. If you can lift it by the front flange of the pan, then block the mounts, that would be effective without the risk of damaging the crank or harmonic balancer.

i needed an oil pan 1 time,.. so i undid the motor mounts and rolled the car onto its side,. it was fairly easy then,..

 

That was when Nick lived next to a deep ravine. Rolling it on it's side was easy.

I found a coupon for the HF engine hoist which makes renting it pointless. I see one lifting eyelet on the back of the motor which doesn't seem very useful. I may run some bolts into the front of the block (water pump mounts?) and lift it from there. Any comments? And if that doesn't work, I'll totally take phantom's approach. What could go wrong?

Having one of the gadgets, like the one shown below is helpful when playing with motor swaps. I'm sure several sources can be found for similar items.


What I fought with is the long cowl in front of the windshield. I had to use bolt holes that were NOT all the way to the back of the engine.  You need chains on the front of course, but use a set of holes further forward for the back chains. Otherwise the angle of the chain rubs against the cowl, and restricts your ability to get the motor back  far enough into the hole to mate with the tranny.

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Use the leveler above, one bolt in the back of one head, one bolt in the front of opposite head.

However, it is really easy to use a piece of wood under the pan for what you want to do, and you won't damage the pan or pickup. Speaking from experience.

You can use a couple of tie down straps or old seatbelts around the front ends of the exhaust manifolds. Attach them to the engine lift, or use a chain hoist around a stout tree limb to lift it. You may have to remove the hood for the chain hoist technique, but you will be in the shade.