removing oil pan ?

[aptacek]

First Time user

'90 3/4 ton reg cab 4wd "beater truck"

~200,000 miles on truck

My oil pan has been leaking over for 4+ years (it took a hard hit from previous owner and they used marine tech to patch)

The marine tech epoxy is letting go. I decided it was time to fix it.

Put truck on lift and started to pull bolts out, realized it won't come out this way, I am giving serious thought to drilling out cross member rivits (replace rivits w/ grade 8 bolts) will probably have to remove the AC compressor

bracket slide front member forward so there is enough angle for

pan to drop down. I do realize I will have to use the engine hoist

to take the weight off of the motor mounts. While it is open I have been noticing low oil pressure, when idiling(sp?) and it has been worked alot (driving fast, pulling etc). A cummins service tech told me the one of the reasons for this is rod main bearings.

Figured while I have this apart to replace these as well.



So 2 questions I have is: has anybody pulled the pan off while in

the truck? and, Is the rod bearings replacement a realistic repair for the low oil pressure problem?



Any feedback would be appreciated



Thanks

 

[DCTECH]

It is possible to remove pan in vehicle, have to remove fan and shroud, unhook motor mounts and jack engine up, lower pan to unbolt pick up tube and may have to unbolt trans mount if rubbers are beat up and have let settle lower. Can check bearings while pan is off but usually low oil pressure on these trucks is caused by bad sending unit and/or connections at sending unit. I have had to replace a couple of oil pans on plow trucks due to rusting out.

 

[CDegner]

If the low oil pressure is measured on the factory gauge, more than likely the culprit has nothing to do with main bearings. The oil pressure sensor (left side of engine behind the vacuum/PS pump) is more than likely the cause. It is a cheap fix at about $35. Certainly a lot less of a pain than tearing into the bottom end.



I would not expect problems from the main bearings until 350-400K. Then again, I have been wrong once or twice before.



Carl

 

[JLEONARD]

Yes these engines are notorious for short-lived oil pressure sending units and lower end longevity.

Beg buy,borrow or steal a mechanical guage and check the real pressure with that for documentation purposes before the new sending unit is in.

Jay

 

[Greenleaf]

My factory sending unit began to read low. Not zero. But rather a steady low reading. I replaced it with a new sending unit and the new reads a bit lower than the original which read on the high side of the guage.



-S

 

[aptacek]

Hi DCTECH



this may sound like a dumb question, Where can I jack from, it looks like once I take out the trans bolts I can start with jacking on that portion however I do not see any where on the front of the motor that looks safe to put all of the motors' weight on

please advise

Originally posted by DCTECH

It is possible to remove pan in vehicle, have to remove fan and shroud, unhook motor mounts and jack engine up, lower pan to unbolt pick up tube and may have to unbolt trans mount if rubbers are beat up and have let settle lower. Can check bearings while pan is off but usually low oil pressure on these trucks is caused by bad sending unit and/or connections at sending unit. I have had to replace a couple of oil pans on plow trucks due to rusting out.

 

[dpuckett]

I'll confer on the longevity. A guy at the local Freightliner dealer took his engine apart at 350K, and it was still all within new specs. It has been used to haul parts, pallets of batteries, and haul horses, hay, etc. I still had the cross hatches in the cylinders in my pickup @255K- 200K with the pump turned up, puling a 35ft GN flatbed with tractors on it all over.



Some Cummins techs seem insulted that you come in with your little pickup and expect them to waste their time on it, when there are Peterbilts and KWs waiting. Almost as if to tell you to take it to a Dodge dealer. I'm not saying it ISNT your rod bearings, but I'd get a $7 oil pressure gauge at WalMart, and install it in the plug on top of the oil filter housing. Mine has 40psi at warm idle.



Daniel

 

[RGT]

if you have a hoist you can lift from above, keeping the underneath clear for access... .

 

[Timebomb]

Just finished my oil pan yesterday. Get a bottle jack. Take off the two 3/4 nuts that hold the engine mounts to the cross member. You will have to jack up pretty far youll need a concrete block to place the bottle jack on. Place the head of the jack on the A/C mount as close to the engine as possible. Jack up until the head runs into the fire wall (It will). Then drop the oil pan down you will see the oil pick up tube it must be droped into the pan. two bots on the right side and the two were the pickup seals on the left front. All bolts are 10mm. Then tourqe everything to 25ft. lbs. Also its a good thing to use Locktite 515 gasket eliminator. It gets smeard on the gasket were it meets the block put that on after block is clean. and the gasket will stay in place on the block wile you put the oil pan back on. Make sure the pick up tube is in the pan when you put the pan back on. You cant fit it in one pan has gone acrossed the crossmember. Good luck