[pontiacmark]

couple buddies need to remove and replace oil pans. One 65 GTO and one 67. Is it possible without pulling engine completely out? Remove motor mounts and lift slightly?

[AG]

I've done it with a '65 like you said but would never do it like that again, I would just pull the motor. Getting the pan back on properly is really difficult.

[428goat]

No.

[sdbob]

I've done it many yrs ago on my 65 lemans. I would never do it again as others have said. You have a lift on engine just remove it,place on stand , seal pan.

[Sirrotica]

Being I've spent most of my adult life as a service tech, and specialized in Pontiacs, I've done it more than once, and on early A bodies. Believe me, from experience it will be not only quicker to pull the engine, you'll have room to do a better job re-installing the pan out of the chassis, rather than in it.

Even if you have a lift to work on it will still be much easier to do it with the engine out of the chassis. If you tried to do it without a lift, after trying to wiggle the pan out from under the engine, you would end up pulling the engine anyway. Almost impossible to do it lying under the car, on a creeper. You'll also be swearing a blue streak because of the oil running off the engine parts giving you constant petroleum shower.

I've done many olds, chevy, and buicks, in A bodies and it's perfectly legitimate to do any of these oil pan removals with engine in chassis. Pontiac has a much wider pan than any of the others, and the crankshaft and main bearing caps are massive, compared to the other brands. Those two items are what happen to be the stumbling blocks to removing the Pontiac pan in chassis. Take it from my experience, it is possible, but when you get halfway through the job you'll swear it's not, and end up pulling the engine anyway. By that time you'll have almost everything, either loosened up, or removed anyway required to pull the engine.

Yes it's possible, no, don't do it.................

[Tom Vaught]

I have only done 3 or 4 of these Oil Pan in the A-Body vehicles.
This was at my Uncle's Pontiac Dealership. He had two post lifts
designed for this work. I am talking about a lift that has two Hydraulic
Rams (one at 12:00 and one at 6:00 in relation to the GTO.

You also need HEAVY DUTY Vehicle Support Stands that are capable of holding
1/2 of the weight of the vehicle (The Front Half).

So once you raise the vehicle on the two lifts and install the front HEAVY DUTY
Vehicle Support Stands, you need the GM (Kent-Moore) special engine lifting tool.

This tool bolts on to the engine timing cover at the bottom where the two "ears"
are located. One reason why the timing cover has that "ear" design.

Then you remove the engine frame bolts, disconnect the exhaust system, etc and lower the vehicle which raises the engine in the front enough that you can get the oil pan off the A-Body vehicle. ROYAL PIA.

But you can do it as others have mentioned.

When you have already removed the exhaust head pipes, the engine to frame bolts, etc
you really are only talking taking some accessories off the engine to get the engine out.

AND AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER IT WILL BE A MUCH BETTER JOB.

JMTs on the subject

Tom Vaught

[pontiacmark]

Thanks all. I tend to agree with all of you. If you are doing it, do it right. Also a good chance to check out other potential issues while you are at it.

[77 TRASHCAN]

I'd rather have R.D. Mercer, whoop my ass, than do an in car oil pan gasket swap!!!

[Formulajones]

I've done them in the car, but only do it if a 1 piece gasket is going back on to make life easier.
If I have a choice, I much rather prefer to pull the engine.

[Ben M.]

Perfectly doable... with 85% of the work involved to just pull the engine and it'll probably still leak once you're done ;-)

I always pull the engine now to do it.

[grandam1979]

I did it once when I had a 67 gto I wished after getting started I had pulled it out it’s a pita.

[Formulas]

Hey Trashcan How Big A Boy are you ??
Didn't Sara Jean do most of the whoopin.

[geeteeohguy]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

Being I've spent most of my adult life as a service tech, and specialized in Pontiacs, I've done it more than once, and on early A bodies. Believe me, from experience it will be not only quicker to pull the engine, you'll have room to do a better job re-installing the pan out of the chassis, rather than in it.

Even if you have a lift to work on it will still be much easier to do it with the engine out of the chassis. If you tried to do it without a lift, after trying to wiggle the pan out from under the engine, you would end up pulling the engine anyway. Almost impossible to do it lying under the car, on a creeper. You'll also be swearing a blue streak because of the oil running off the engine parts giving you constant petroleum shower.

I've done many olds, chevy, and buicks, in A bodies and it's perfectly legitimate to do any of these oil pan removals with engine in chassis. Pontiac has a much wider pan than any of the others, and the crankshaft and main bearing caps are massive, compared to the other brands. Those two items are what happen to be the stumbling blocks to removing the Pontiac pan in chassis. Take it from my experience, it is possible, but when you get halfway through the job you'll swear it's not, and end up pulling the engine anyway. By that time you'll have almost everything, either loosened up, or removed anyway required to pull the engine.

Yes it's possible, no, don't do it.................

This^^^. BTDT, ONCE. Since then, I always pull the engine. The job is much cleaner, easier, and always turns out well. And I don't have to wipe oil out of my eyes.

[Old Man Taylor]

I did it once in 1969. Never again.

[stevep]

Pull the engine. It will be quicker and better.

[Dynoking]

Back in ‘78 I did a rear seal on a ‘67 389 GTO. Engine in the car, on my back in sub “30 temperatures. The windage tray gave me fits! It’s possible but in-hind sight big mistake! Learned my lesson. Pull the engine, clean and paint it and the engine compartment. You will look at a nicer job with less headache.

[taff2]

I did it once over an inspection pit on a '72 Firebird to change the oil pump, didn't seem too bad as I remember -but I was just 23 and still very enthusiastic.