Oil Pan Removal Blues!?!

[hill2]

I'm attempting to remove the oil pan on my '85 mk2 to replace the fipg gasket, but am having a heck of a time getting to the rear bolts on the oil pan. Do I have to remove the transmission stiffeners to get at these bolts? Is this recommended when jacking the engine at the trans bell housing?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. I've read much talk about jacking the engine being much easier than removing the eng x-member, but am wondering if anyone has had success with removing the x-member? Any tricks to doing this? I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the engine is raised sufficient to wiggle out the pan:")

Aaron

[Chrisfrom1986]

removing the crossmember would be way more labor intensive and still require that the engine mounts are undone to hold the engine up.

Do this.
Unbolt your engine mounts.
Unbolt your tranny stiffener mounts.
Unbolt bottom tranny bolts, slide out metal plate.
Securely lift the engine just until the top of the bellhousing touches the firewall.
Unbolt oil pan.

Ive done this 3 times, with the fastest from wheels coming off the ground to wheels lowering to the ground in under 45 minutes.

[hill2]

check check.

stiffeners off <insert curse against the dirty oil pan>

I'm still not able to remove the rear 4 bolts on the oil pan. There is a metal gasket which mates the bell housing to the engine, and the gasket gets in the way of getting the ratchet on the bolt head....arrrrrgh. anyone run into this and know some trick for getting around this?

Aaron

[Chrisfrom1986]

Yeah you just try to wiggle it out as best you can. Remove the bottom tranny bolts and you should be able to slide it out, I forgot to add that in. Oil pan is dirty as hell usually, dirty job, but you gotta do it.

[hill2]

Thanks Chris, got the pan out tonight...slid out like a glove

Aaron

[Chrisfrom1986]

Glad to hear I could help.