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'98 Grand Prix 3800 Oil Pan Removal Help

WoR

WoR

New member
I haven't even looked yet, i wanted to ask from people who have been there done it before i bothered.

It's developed a rod knock :( and i was just curious if dropping the pan is as simple as take out a bunch of bolts or if its a total pain in the ars.. I googled it and found one source that said you have to unbolt all the motor mounts, i stopped reading there and wanted to ask here lol..
 


you have two options

a) pull the motor and do it outside of the car

b) drop the cradle and do it from underneath the car.


if i were to do it i would pull the motor.
 
it's not that bad, quicker than pulling the engine, IMO.

He's gonna have to pull the engine anyway, the reason he was wanting to take the pan off was because he wanted to replace the bearings because he has rod knock. :(
 
Scimmia said:
it's not that bad, quicker than pulling the engine, IMO.

He's gonna have to pull the engine anyway, the reason he was wanting to take the pan off was because he wanted to replace the bearings because he has rod knock. :(
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Oh well hell...if you gotta pull the motor anyways might as well do it then :D
 
Pull the motor and put it on an Engine stand to work on it better. You will be able to turn it up side down.
Good luck.
 


I got to the point last night that i'm 99% sure i can get the pan off, and i didn't drop the cradle or pull the motor, im getting ready to see if thats fact lol.. I removed the motor mount bracket that bolts to either side of the engine (man them bolts are a pain in the ass), removed the upper mounts, and lifted up on the front of the motor about 3 inches(as in the passenger side). I'll have to come up another inch but i think it will work. I'm assuming this is where somone tells me why it won't work this way and i get angry lol :) so lets hear it

Even if this does work for getting the pan off, I may be pulling the motor anyways if these bearings don't shut it up. Found a short block local for $200. Car had under hood fire.
 
im 99 percent sure that pan isnt coming off... tried it multiple times and that damn engine mount gets in the way.
 


my brother (a mechanic) said he can take it off from the bottom without pulling the motor or dropping the cradle, but i have no idea how its possible. i still say it is easiest to just pull the motor.
 
got it off. the only problem is I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to get it back on. The pickup tube was in the way so i had to reach into the 5" of clearance i had between the pan and the block and remove the two bolts holding it in, then the pan maneuver right out without much trouble at all. Getting it back on with that little bit of clearance is going to be a pain but i think its doable, definitely better than removing all the wires/hoses to remove the engine...

I don't see how it could possibly be easier than removing the engine. You have to disconnect so much crap and not mess anything up in he process. This was a pain in the rear, but I've done worse and really can't see pulling the engine completely out of the car just to remove the pan.
 
WoR said:
I don't see how it could possibly be easier than removing the engine. You have to disconnect so much crap and not mess anything up in he process. This was a pain in the rear, but I've done worse and really can't see pulling the engine completely out of the car just to remove the pan.
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maybe it just gets easier and easier after you do it more than once til you have a process?
 
there really isnt all that much to remove or move around and once you take your motor out once then you leave a bunch of crap off it that doesnt need to be there anymore.
 
Disconnect the power steering pump, disconnect the ac compressor, take off the DP, take off the air cleaner, disconnect fuel lines and maybe a vacuum line, disconnect electrical connectors, remove bolts on bell housing and flex plate, and pull.

Sounds like a lot, but it isn't.
 


The crank looked fine, but, got it put back together, and guess what (you prob. already know) it still has a knock :( Its not near as bad but its still there. Guess it will have to come out anyway. I'm prob. gona drive it till its about to let loose, maby it will last long enough to get the money to fix it. I found a short block for $200 but after all the other crap i'll need (water pump, gasket set, timing set, etc...) i prob. need to save about $500... Would my short block be worth anything as re-build able?
 
I'm sure it's salvageable. If i had the funds, I'd want to dismantle the engine completely and see what needs to be replaced. :)
 
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