Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) oil pan removal

[RVPILOT]

Can the pan be removed in the truck without removing the motor ? I read some earlier threads there seems to be different opinions about this from just raising the motor several inches to removing the trans and to removing the whole motor. I have an oil leak that is getting worse and I have repalced the front seal, rear seal, power steering pump and vaccum pump. the only thing left is that the gaskets are brittle after 650,000 miles and like all good cummins they outlast anything Dodge makes including gaskets by cummins. And as long as the pan is off I will replace the main and rod bearings. Stormy

 

[PUMPERDUDE]

Are you sure the leak is along the pan?

 

[Andy Redmond]

Drain engine oil.



Loosen the "horizontal" motor mount bolt on each side.



Remove the fan.



Jack up motor with bottle jack or raise by lift hook near thermostat housing with a chain and engine hoist/cherry picker. Support the engine secondarily should your hoist or jack fail.



Remove all pan bolts, pan will drop. On DS of engine locate two oil pick up mounting bolts to engine block (10mm head). Near right front of engine locate and removed two more capscrews that hold the pick up tube to the oil inlet. Wiggle tube out or let it fall in the pan, pan should come out if you hold your mouth right.



You might just let it rest on the cross member,and wipe the sealing surface of the pan and block down with lacquer thinner etc.



If the gasket is really stuck the pan may need to come out for a through cleaning. I like to tack the gasket with a smear of RTV in a few areas with assist in holding it in place while wrestling the pickup tube back on and its hold down bolts. 18ft. lbs on everything we discussed. Assure that the pickup tube to block gasket aligns with the bolts or you may block the oil flow, then you'll have to pull the motor. After all you want to make it to a million miles anyhow, right?



Plan on killing a half a day if your really fast with a wrench, longer if not. Oh, I also like to clean the bottom of the gear housing and put a dab of rtv in the groove where it aligns/joins with the block. Take your time and you should seal it up. I also like the Cummins (or Dodge) gasket over the National/Fel-Pro/Fel-Pro Diesel gasket etc.



Good luck

Andy

 

[WDaniels]

RVPILOT,

Have you checked the back corner of your tappet cover that is behind the pump? The cover is some kind of special cardboard crap with a gasket and a metal backing. They blow out sometimes and leak oil there. Mine is leaking there and I'm too lazy to remove my pump and filter assy to do it just yet.

WD

 

[RVPILOT]

At this time I am not sure where the leak is, looking at the motor from the top everything is clean, all the valve covers are o k, no oil around front or around power steering area. oil collects on the front crossmember, the tie rods and all the way back along the frame, it also spots oil along the side and tailgate and probabley anyone following to close. I will investigate further before taking on this task. Stormy

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

The tappet cover is stamped steel with an integral breather assembly (12 valves). The "cardboard) is a plastic coated dense foam sound insulator that is held to the cover in several places. The steel cover has a rubber gasket around its perimeter.

 

[WDaniels]

Works for me Mr. Donnelly. Just looked like some kind of fiberboard to me.

WD