My pan gasket was leaking a little so I bought a new one and when I attempted to drop my pan, BAM, WTF? The pan does not come out, gasket can't get in, heh, lets go to "The Google". Google's reply; unbolt your motor mounts and jack up the engine, remove pan, replace gasket. NOT SO FAST my friends, the story doesn't end happily. The 390 only moves up about two or three inches, not enough room to remove the pan. What's holding up the engine from raising any more, you ask? The tranny hits the top of the tranny tunnel and stops everything from going any higher. The oil pump and crank keep the pan from sliding out down below. Someone, please give me an answer that I can live with. do I really have to unbolt the engine from the tranny or engine and tranny to get a new gasket on my oil pan. This SUCKS.
Fret not, there is a procedure. Remove the starter. If equipped with stabilizer bar, disconnect ends at connecting links and pull ends down. Remove fan shroud and hang on fan; remove oil filter. Undo engine mount nuts, jack up engine to clear enough room to insert wood blocks between mounts and crossmember to hold engine in the UP position, and remove jack. Remove oil pan screws and drop oil pan to cross member. Rotate crankshaft until the counterweights are inside block skirt. Unbolt oil pump and drop into pan, then slide pan forward and down to remove. Protip: removing the pan gives you access to the timing chain behind the timing cover; take up slack on driver's side of chain, and press on passenger side to determine if chain is deflected 1/4 to 1/2". If more than 1/2", it also needs replacing and should be done before installing oil pan and gaskets to make a good seal. Protip 2: it's also the perfect time to replace the rear main seal, since it requires the pan's removal. This procedure does not require loosening all the main caps, just removing the rear main one. Follow the mfgr's instructions for installation.
Do you have to rotate the crank so the whatever journal is in the way of the pan is up? They always specify it in the service manual but I'm no Ford guy so which one I don't know. Sometimes you have to do it a couple of times as the pan slides out.
Most, if not all, engines are designed to disappear all the counterweights into the block or at least get them above the bottom of the main caps. You may have to rotate a little bit to clear the rod ends, but otherwise it's straightforward.
Oil pan gaskets are generally not very much fun to change out with the engine in the car. Make sure you get a good quality gasket.
Just because a car is old doesn't mean everything's easy to work on it. To remove and replace the engine is only, say, 4+ hours with air tools and a cherry picker. To do the gasket, with the correct tools and procedure, should be around half that, assuming you have the means to jack the car up and hold it stable (jack stands, wood blocks, drive-up ramps) and lift the engine (jack with wood blocks).
Job is done. Had to call in reinforcements to help. Looks like I have a small drip from the back of the block. It's too much work to pull the engine, the leak could be coming from a number of places. Off on a vacation. Not looking forward to room temp beer and unknown food in England, but still feel very fortunate to have the health and funds to go.
