I'll be changing my oil pan gasket today with an oil change, just wondering if anyone's done this and if it's a simple job. Any tips would be appreciated!

 

I've never changed the oil pan gasket before but from what I hear you have to either lift the engine (and seperate it from the tranny), or drop the cradle. The reason is because there isn't enough clearance for the oil pan to get over the cradle.

Not an easy job.

 

Oh boy, I'm getting ready to jump into this task. I'm not looking forward to getting the forward mount bolts out (and back in for that matter). Otherwise, it looks like a pretty straightforward job.

 

It would be simple if the passenger side motor mount was in a better position. You need to lift the engine or drop the cradle. It's not easy. I had to do mine, I just paid somebody to do it, was $450 and they dropped the cradle.

 

You are correct. I paid $400 to have mine done.

 

AND... it's leaking again.... grrrr.

I finished the engine oil pan gasket replacement a few daze ago. It took me two days and about 10 hours. I watched a couple videos and picked the methods that seemed to involve the least effort.
I removed the engine mount hardware first. Then I built a wooden block setup to hold the engine up ( they make an attachment specifically for this job, but I'm a shade tree mechanic). The front upper mount bolts needed to be removed (I just loosened the front ones, and removed the ones on the engine). I used a floor jack to lift the engine up as high as I could get it to go, then strapped it up with a chain. I struggled mightily with the cradle mount bolts from underneath the car. Getting the cradle bolts out was not particularly difficult, it was just time consuming and sometimes frustrating (only being able to get an 1/8th turn at a time!). Once the cradle was off, I spilled a bunch of oil out of the mount! The pan came off very easy, just pay attention to how you maneuver the pan past the oil pickup (I didn't, and I couldn't get the pan back around it). I ended up taking the low oil level sensor out (and replaced the o-ring), the pan went right into place. I also had to remove the oil pickup tube (my kit came with a new gasket). I quit for the day once the pan and gasket were removed. Putting the pan back was frustrating because the pickup tube is in the way. Make sure that one of the pan bolts is not hiding under the jack stands, it will leak! Getting the cradle bolts started was a challenge since I have medium sized hands. I got a couple of the "easy" bolts started, then a not so easy bolt. I saved the "hard to get to bolt" for last, and it went right into place with minimal wiggling. Then tightened it all up, reinstalled the motor mounts and filling it with oil. Now to address the "red oil" leak!.

 

Well done. You are a better man than me. I paid a bunch to have that done, but the intake needed resealing also. Probably should have just pulled the motor and refreshed it. Did you take a look at your rod bearings while you had the pan off? Would have been a good time to change them. My shop forget to do it, and when I remembered it was too late. Good luck on the tranny leak.

 

GG, I follow the "sloppy mech's" rules about looking at stuff that no need to be looky'd at.. ie. cam bearings and anything else that isn't making noises. So, No, I did NOT inspect the bearings, so they are sure to fail asap.