• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

360 (engine swap) oil pan removal on a 74 charger...not happening

jogirob

jogirob

Well-Known Member
Local time
8:49 PM
Joined
Aug 16, 2018
Messages
247
Reaction score
87
Location
California
I'm throwing in the towel. From what I've read on this forum and a *73* manual I tried the following:
  • Dropped the center linkage
  • Turned the engine crank with a 1.25" socket
  • Disconnected the nearest exhaust pipe, even though the pan hits on the K member far before the exhaust pipe when trying to rotate the pan.
  • BFHammer
  • Removed the torque converter dust shield (which involved removing the starter)
  • Put the floor jack under the transmission housing to slightly lift the entire assembly
No matter what the K member and the front of the transmission housing is the limiting factor. I'm thinking of cleaning the mating surfaces as best I can and applying gasket maker and driving it to the shop but so much crap fell in already...
20180823_183946.jpg
 
Did you try raising the engine up a little? Might have to lower the tail of transmission
 
Yea I read that people were having problems finding a good jack location for the engine and some members suggested jacking from the transmission.
 
If you have a hoist, it's not an issue. If not, you can raise the engine by jacking up on the oil pan IF you put log enough boards to bridge width of oil pan. Do not raise the engine by jacking straight on pan. You'll crush the pan. Pull your motor mount bolts. Watch clearance your radiator and fan. Maybe necessary to remove your fan. Watch hoses and wires. Once you get your engine raised, support the engine either across the top of inner fender wells with chain and sturdy square tubing, or from underneath with blocks, but not where it would prohibit your removal of oil pan. Hopefully, this will give you enough room to pull pan. If not, pull the engine, because you'll practically have it disconnected anyway.
 
JB400 said:
... If not, pull the engine, because you'll practically have it disconnected anyway.
Click to expand...
I know right!? Thanks for the tips. I'll see if I can regenerate the enthusiasm again tomorrow or I'm willing to throw money at it to have someone else deal with it...though if it does require a damn near engine pull it's going to cost a pretty penny I bet.
 
Don't forget to watch your distributor clearance as well. You could bust the top off if your not careful
 
Although not the best idea but i have used a 4x4 and jack on the crank pulley to raise an engine before.
 
Pull the distributor out and unbolt any ground wires from the head/intake to the firewall. loosen/unbolt the mount bolts from the K frame. Use a block of wood under the pan's sump. Jack engine up until the bellhousing touches the firewall. Remove idler arm allowing steering linkage to drop.
You should be able to drop the pan at that point. Without raising the engine you won't get the pan off.
 
OK, take a deep breath, step back & take another look at it. I'm not there to see the problem (or your frustration), but just looking at your one picture, and reading your description, and hearing your frustration..... I would be inclined to take a Dremel cutoff wheel and cut the corner off the oil pan (with a big magnet, like a dial indicator magnetic base nearby to catch shavings)
 
PurpleBeeper said:
OK, take a deep breath, step back & take another look at it. I'm not there to see the problem (or your frustration), but just looking at your one picture, and reading your description, and hearing your frustration..... I would be inclined to take a Dremel cutoff wheel and cut the corner off the oil pan (with a big magnet, like a dial indicator magnetic base nearby to catch shavings)
Click to expand...
Yes those corners are just catching by about 1/4". I'm fighting every temptation to jam a flat head to pry it down but that would seriously warp it. There's so much stuff I already disconnected/removed I think I'll try the Dremel approach. I have a magnetic hardware bowl that will fit the bill.
 
If you can support the engine then pull the motor mount nuts and then back out the 4 k-member bolts until you have clearance. 1/4 inch shouldn't take but a few turns.
 
Your hung up on the oil pivk up probably , as mentioned take the dis cap off so not to brake it the rest can stay . Jack up on trans bell undo motor mounts you should get just enough clearance !
 
As simple as these motors are to pull why wouldn't you just yank the damn thing?? Laying on your back having **** fall in your eyes sucks. You would have been done by now if you had done it that way.
As i said before, get someone over there to help you that knows what they are doing. Cutting the oil pan is a hackjob. You can do better than that.
 
PP1RT said:
As simple as these motors are to pull why wouldn't you just yank the damn thing?? Laying on your back having **** fall in your eyes sucks. You would have been done by now if you had done it that way.
As i said before, get someone over there to help you that knows what they are doing. Cutting the oil pan is a hackjob. You can do better than that.
Click to expand...
Then you sir may call me a partisan hack. If I cut the pan now all I'll have to do to drop it in the future is undo the center link. Plus I've got a personal vendetta with that oil pan and cant wait to cut it up :mad:
 
Well I dun did it now... I got pissed off and chewed up the rear of the pan something fierce and was still unable to drop the pan. Ended up cleaning the mating surfaces as best I could and sticking 2 fresh new cork gaskets and reusing the rubber gaskets from the front and rear just so I can close things up and take the car to a pro with engine lifting capabilities. Got a brand new pan on the way
.
By the way, the engine needs to be lifted far enough to clear the K member completely. Anything less only tips the entire assembly and actually reduces the clearance between the K member and the front of the oil pan.
 
jogirob said:
Well I dun did it now... I got pissed off and chewed up the rear of the pan something fierce and was still unable to drop the pan. Ended up cleaning the mating surfaces as best I could and sticking 2 fresh new cork gaskets and reusing the rubber gaskets from the front and rear just so I can close things up and take the car to a pro with engine lifting capabilities. Got a brand new pan on the way
.
By the way, the engine needs to be lifted far enough to clear the K member completely. Anything less only tips the entire assembly and actually reduces the clearance between the K member and the front of the oil pan.
Click to expand...
Get to know some car guys in the area and find out who the handy guy is. Maybe they can help you out in trade for you helping them out. Good car guys help each other.
 
What type of charger? Hard top car or coupe? Wanna sell???? Figured your mad at it enough !
 
Bb70charger500 said:
What type of charger? Hard top car or coupe? Wanna sell???? Figured your mad at it enough !
Click to expand...
SE Hardtop and with the opera windows molded on and debadged. My anger and frustration with it faded away after I buttoned it back up and finally got to drive it around town.
--------------
@PP1RT Yes I need to make more car guy friends. I"m so used to creating funky contraptions just so I can 1 man 2 man jobs.
 
HAPPENED!

Here's the solution just in case a 74 b-body 360 user is lurking the forum for a fix:

Removal:
Remove one transmission support bolt on the tail of the transmission. Jack up tail end 1.5"-2". This creates a slightly larger gap between the static K member and the bottom of the transmission lip. I used a 2x4 and a jack on the mount itself. The 2x4 dimension is small enough to be able to jack up between the mount bracket without the woodblock getting in the way. This is a world of difference from jacking from the front of the transmission housing.

Centerlink needs to be disconnected from the pittman and idler arm and dropped.

I removed the transmission dust shield and for that I had to remove the starter.

Installation:
While the transmission is still tipped up,

don't bother pre-adhering the gasket to the pan, it will get chewed up as you try to wrangle the thing back up. In fact, don't even install the front rubber gasket as this was the trouble spot for the install. You need all the clearance up there you can get. What you should do is adhere the mating corners of the cork gaskets with the rubber middle gasket with super black RTV sealant the night before while on the pan so you can get the perfect form then remove before installation.

Rotate the engine by hand at the crank pulley bolt until you have enough space to clear the lower guts of the engine, then slide the pan forward into position.

Once the pan is up in place you have enough up & down clearance to feed your gasket assembly through as one linked gasket.

This will not work for baffled pans. (HP motors)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
  • Locked
SOLD Parting Out a 1979 Plymouth Arrow Race Car
Replies
0
Views
2K
Cody Crotty
C
C
Building a mopar
Replies
4
Views
7K
Budnicks
Budnicks
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top