I need to change on my oil pan gasket on my Explorer. Does anyone know whether I need to lift my engine or can I just remove the oil pan without having to get an engine hoist?:allears:
I would be really surprised if it would just come off without lifting motor... vehicles these days don't have the room to maneuver like the old days... You may get lucky though...
You won't have to lift the motor, but it still won't be easy. You'll need to remove the axle and the stabilizer bar. Also, be sure not to use metal blade scrapers or roloc discs to clean the sealing surfaces before installing the new gasket as that will just lead to more leaks down the road. Use a metal polish or plastic scraper. If you are doing this at home without a lift or air tools then be prepared for it to take about a day to complete. If you are also servicing the oil pump then I suggest you take it to your trusted mechanic as it will get more difficult. Hope that helps.
I've got air at the shop. I just need to verify that it is the oil pan and not the oil filter adapter.
You can buy a small bottle of oil dye in most parts stores, just pour it in and drive for an hour or so. A black light will show your leak very clearly. It might help to clean the undercarriage before you do this just to make it easier on you when you are looking. Then again if it is a major leak it may be obvious without all the above hassle.
