|
Rear Oil Seal Replacement - 73 351W |
Post Reply 
|
| Author | |
Greg73Oregon 
Senior Member 
Joined: 23-February-2021 Location: Roseville, CA Status: Offline Points: 222 |
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote Reply
 Topic: Rear Oil Seal Replacement - 73 351WPosted: 04-July-2021 at 3:12PM |
|
With the engine in the car, can the oil pan be removed without jacking up the engine?
Examining; looks like the transmission cooler lines and maybe the front sway bar have to be removed in order to push the pan forward. But, I'm wondering if manually cranking the engine until the rear pistons are up, that there might be enough clearance to slide the pan forward. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
|
|
|
GKF
|
|
 |
|
|
72 RS 351
Senior Member
Joined: 04-September-2014 Location: Knoxville TN Status: Offline Points: 2445 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 04-July-2021 at 5:48PM |
|
Typically no, the engine would have to go up more than is possible with the trans attached. It hits the firewall before there could be enough clearance for the oil pan. To change the rear seal, basically you have to remove either the engine or the transmission.
|
|
|
Don
73 Ranchero "Sport 72 front end", floor shift/console, planning EFI 7000+ rpm 351-4V &4R70W 73 Ranchero GT 351C-4V &4R70W for sale later. 92 Lincoln Mark VII SE GTC, OBDII 347/4R70W |
|
|
|
|
Greg73Oregon
Senior Member
Joined: 23-February-2021 Location: Roseville, CA Status: Offline Points: 222 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 04-July-2021 at 5:55PM |
|
The '73 has a two piece oil seal. Not the one piece as in later years. So I'm thinking that it still might be possible to replace.
|
|
|
GKF
|
|
|
|
|
Big Bird
Senior Member
Joined: 25-August-2013 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 4194 |
Post Options
Thanks(1)
Quote Reply
Posted: 05-July-2021 at 2:26AM |
|
You would need to lift the engine to drop the pan. It's not got enough room to drop/move forward enough to work on the seal. The engine is too close to the crossmember.
Pulling the bolt that goes thru the mount and frame, jacking the engine up and putting blocks under the mounts to hold it all against the trans tunnel, you can weasel the pan off, but you are still trying to work up thru the steering and all that crap. Then Scope creep kicks in: Pull the engine, less frustration. Also allows you to clean out the oil pan/screen, realize there are timing gear nylon bits in the pan, strip the entire engine down, performance rebuild. Detail the engine bay while it's apart. This helps you realize that the car really needs a paint job. When that's done, it's interior time. Oh, and all that old chrome really looks bad against the new paint... Suddenly it's seven years years and $  * later. That's what happened with my brother's Cutlass. (* $ amount censored to keep it from his wife, who still doesn't know how much...
 ) |
|
|
"What we do in full frontal view, is more honest than your cleaned-up mind."
Randy 1979 T-Bird 2005 F-150 STX RCSB 4.6, 3.55 LSD How the Heck does a REGULAR CAB SHORTBED weigh over 5200 pounds? |
|
|
|
|
Greg73Oregon
Senior Member
Joined: 23-February-2021 Location: Roseville, CA Status: Offline Points: 222 |
Post Options
Thanks(1)
Quote Reply
Posted: 19-July-2021 at 9:27AM |
|
Myth Buster!
 I jacked up one-by-one each side of the engine, to remove the frame bolts, and then continued to jack until I could fit a block of 2x4 underneath each motor mount. I also disconnected the transmission cooling lines from the radiator, to be able to move them out of the way (Slide the pan underneath). Unbolted the pan bolts, and removed the pan - replaced the rear seal, installed a one-piece oil pan gasket (Fel Pro). Piece of cake - a walk in the park.
|
|
|
GKF
|
|
|
|
|
piper62j
Member 
Joined: 21-July-2018 Location: 34613 Status: Offline Points: 96 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 19-July-2021 at 10:12AM |
|
I had to drop the front sway bar for clearance.. Easy Peasy
|
|
|
|
|
Big Bird
Senior Member
Joined: 25-August-2013 Location: New York Status: Offline Points: 4194 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 19-July-2021 at 10:52AM |
Myth NOT busted. You asked about doing it without jacking up the engine...
Glad it worked for ya!
|
|
|
"What we do in full frontal view, is more honest than your cleaned-up mind."
Randy 1979 T-Bird 2005 F-150 STX RCSB 4.6, 3.55 LSD How the Heck does a REGULAR CAB SHORTBED weigh over 5200 pounds? |
|
|
|
|
Greg73Oregon
Senior Member
Joined: 23-February-2021 Location: Roseville, CA Status: Offline Points: 222 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 13-November-2021 at 12:09PM |
|
FYI: Only had to disconnect the transmission cooler lines at the radiator, and the fuel line from the pump to the carb.
Then, unbolt the engine mounts on the frame side, jack-up the engine enough to place a piece of 2x4 (maybe 6" or so long), under the engine mounts. Although either style of pan gasket (one piece or three piece), save yourself a LOT of time, and install the one piece!
|
|
|
GKF
|
|
|
|
|
Post Reply
|
|
| Tweet |
| Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
Topic Options
Greg73Oregon wrote: