# Question About Replacing Oil Pan Gasket



## shimelhoch (Dec 9, 2009)

Hello,

I have a 69 Lemans with a stock 350 5.7L. Does anyone know if the engine needs to be lifted in order to remove the oil pan to replace the oil pan gasket? Thanks!!!


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## 1968gto421 (Mar 28, 2014)

Hopefully someone can give you a simpler solution, but everything I have heard is that the relationship of the engine to the frame necessitates pulling the engine to remove the oil pan for gasket changing, oli pump change, rear (and front) oil seal replacement, etc.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

You need to pull the engine. Much easier and a much better end result. The snag is the oil pump pickup.....you can get the engine up way off the mounts and the pan loose, but it won't clear the pump pickup easily. BTDT, and it's quicker and better to yank the engine. And while you're at it, install a quality new rear main seal, too.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

shimelhoch said:


> Hello,
> 
> I have a 69 Lemans with a stock 350 5.7L. Does anyone know if the engine needs to be lifted in order to remove the oil pan to replace the oil pan gasket? Thanks!!!



Yes. You will have to raise the engine as you cannot drop the pan low enough. Even with lifting the engine, it will be difficult to scrape the old gasket material off the pan & block surfaces. It can be done, I've done it. 

As I recall, unbolt the engine mounts. Remove the distributor cap as it may hit the firewall and break. Depending on the clearance between the fan/radiator (fan shroud if you have one) you may have to remove your fan as you tilt the engine upward - it may strike the radiator. Mine had a 3speed on the floor so no issues, but if you have a column shift, you may have linkages that need to come off. Again look for everything that is fixed that could bend/break when you lift up on the engine.

Use an engine lift to lift the front of the engine up as high as it will safely go - which should be when the bellhousing hits the firewall. Watch all things around the engine to ensure you don't damage/hit something that should come off like hoses, wires, or ground straps. Your exhaust may also become a "stop" depending on how close it is to the floorboard - so go slow on all of this and check often.

Once the engine is up, you want to make sure you put something between the engine mount on the block and engine mount on the frame - like a block of wood. Your fingers/hand/arm will be between the dropped pan and block. If it were to drop, you will be pinned, or worse, lose a part of your body. If something should happen, then the engine will be "caught" by the supporting block of wood. If you do this alone, keep your cell phone in the shirt pocket just in case you have to make a call right then and there. It does you no good when it is on the bench 3 feet away and you are pinned. 

The key here is that you will be scraping the gasket off. I used a razor blade. Not much room and you will want a light of some kind. You have to do this very carefully and you don't want any large pieces falling into the pan to clog up the screen on your oil pump, starve the engine of oil, and spin a rod/main bearing due to lack of oil.

Now, the best way to do this would be to pull the engine to replace the gasket. At the same time, you would be able to clean the pan inside and install a new oil pump & screen. To go a step further, you could check the condition of your rod/main bearings and install a new rear main seal. But, if expenses don't allow for this, as was my case when I did mine, then just do the oil pan gasket and be very careful in doing it. Safety First, and use your head. :thumbsup:


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

I am in the pull the engine camp and you may want to check out BOP Engineering for the one piece oil pan gasket and one piece Viton RM seal.

https://www.bopengineering.com/pontiac_replacement_parts4.shtml


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## shimelhoch (Dec 9, 2009)

Thanks for the insight everyone. Looks like it will be a bit more of a project than I thought but that's part of the fun!


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

shimelhoch said:


> Thanks for the insight everyone. Looks like it will be a bit more of a project than I thought but that's part of the fun!


Yes it is, my Goat is up on stands now replacing the axle bearings.
Of course after tearing it down not only are the bearings shot but so are the axles.
New ones are coming from Summit on Tuesday.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Eric, in driving these old cars over the decades, I don't think I've EVER been able to re-use an axle after a rear bearing failed/got loose. Every single one of them spun the inner race and ruined the axle. Customer cars, too. MOPAR used to have off-set replacement bearings that had the inner race sit on a fresh part of the axle surface. Always thought that was a great idea. Shimeloch, you are making the right call. Last time I did a pan gasket in-car on a GTO, I was trying to get grease and gasket chunks out of my eyes and hair for a week. That, and the job is sloppy at best, because there is no room to work. Take your time, yank the engine, replace the core plugs, paint the block, clean the engine compartment, etc. You'll be glad you did. Good luck.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

These axles came with 2 press on spacers for the two different bearings.

https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/spz-35060/overview

This was the last thing I needed to do to make it roadworthy, I plan on driving it to Williams, Az. for the Route 66 Car Show.

Historical Route 66 Car Show in Williams ? Visit Williams Arizona ? Things to do in Williams, Hotels, Route 66, Grand Canyon


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