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Oil pan removal: my how-to, my hell

Impala should have the aluminum cradle. The oil pan and mount setup is completely different. The impala will be a breeze in comparison.



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Twas not a breeze in my Impala. The U shaped engine bracket is the same as other 3800 pictures I've seen. Glendayle: Are you talking about the aluminum cradle shown in the middle posts of: Learn me about aluminum engine cradles - TCG Yes that's what I've got in my Imp. The passenger engine mount went into the oval hole on the right side of the picture where the cradle was standing up. How would the Al cradle make the job easier? Plus when searching for possible oil pan replacement, it appeared that Impala/GPs both use the same oil pan.
 
Not familiar with that thread. I guess I don't exactly know what all of the oil pan setups were. I switched to an AL cradle from an 03 Impala. I got an AL oil pan from an 08 Lacrosse(3800). It's got different motor mount bracket that just bolts to the bottom of the oil pan. I just assumed that the Impala's with the aluminum cradle had this new oil pan and mount setup. Maybe that change came later.
 
QUICKSILVER462 said:
I also have a leaking pan gasket, and the steel oil pan has some rust on it, so instead of buying a replacement steel pan and gaskets, I went ahead and aquired the parts for an aluminum pan since I have to replace the pan anyways. For the price of the aluminum pan was not much more than a steel pan and gasket, althouth the extra cost of the bracket and oil pickup tube was not too bad. I also get the benifit of the ease as installation by not having to reinstall the "U" bracket and the 4 hard to get too bolts.
Also, thanks to those who posted the part numbers for the conversion to the aluminum oil pan!
Just waiting for some cooler weather to do the swap!
aluminumpanparts.jpg
Click to expand...


So there is no gasket for this pan only the sealant or RTV? Why does it look like there is a gasket in this picture?
 
In this segment of "getting to know your aluminum oil pan" we will educate the locals on the details of the aluminum pans.

Some of the other body's that got the pan in 2000 had a gasket. Most are like the above and GM as a whole from what I've seen on the W body never used a gasket. Below is a pic of a 2000 H body pan, it takes a nice inlaid rubber gasket and like the engine sealant they use on the non gasket pan, it works great.


Here's what you can do with your oil pan when you launch the bearings and check out the cool gasket.
 


or untell you:

A. rust your pan out

B. Damage it/hitting low curbs

C. have one huge hole punched in it.

D. Didn't tighten it up correctly
 
Yup, here I go again. Now its time for a new oil gasket this time for the LS. Hopefully it goes much smoother this time, but its not really that bad to begin with. When you take in the consideration that you can save $300-$600 or possibly more, the job becomes relatively easy.....for the most part anyway LOL.

So you guys think a offset wrench would be better than using a regular 15mm wrench? I think I used a reg wrench last time which now im thinking is why it gave me a lil trouble.
 
Good thing I have Ratcheting wrenches, Makes it a lil easier. Just ordered some double box indexing ratcheting wrenches for future jobs like this which will work much better for me and maybe you to.
 


Ok one more question.

Other than physically looking different how are the L36 motor mounts different than the L26 mounts?

I am thinking about just using a L26 mount but noticed that the L26/L36 motor mounts have different part numbers.
 
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