Saturday, December 19, 2009

How do I remove the oil pan from a 1973 mustang, 351 cleveland?

I have raised the engine, dropped the oil pump, removed the stabilizer bar, but still won't come out.How do I remove the oil pan from a 1973 mustang, 351 cleveland?
You have to remove the two bolts retaining No. 2 crossmember and remove it. Rotate crankshaft too. I assume you have also removed dipstick and starter already.





Whoops, hold on!





Crosssmember is welded in from 1971 on. Here's the complete revised procedure;





1. Remove the oil level dipstick. Remove the bolts attaching the fan shroud to the radiator. Position the shroud over the fan.





2. Raise the vehicle.





3. Drain the crankcase.





4. Remove the stabilizer bar from the chassis.





5. It may be necessary to remove the engine front support thru-bolts.





6. Raise the engine and place wood blocks between the engine front supports and the chassis brackets.





7. If equipped with an automatic transmission, disconnect the oil cooler lines at the radiator.





8. Remove the oil pan retaining bolts and lower the oil pan onto the crossmember.





9. It may be necessary to remove the oil pump pick-up tube and screen from the oil pump. Rotate the crankshaft for clearance and remove the oil pan.





To install:





10. Clean the gasket surfaces of the block and oil pan. The oil pan has a two-piece gasket.





11. Clean the oil pump pick-up tube and screen.





12. Coat the block surface and the oil pan gasket with sealer. Position the oil pan gaskets on the cylinder block.





13. Position the oil pan front seal on the cylinder front cover. Be sure the tabs on the seal are over the oil pan gasket.





14. Position the oil pan rear seal on the rear main bearing cap. Be sure the tabs on the seal are over the oil pan gasket.





15. Position the oil pan on the crossmember. Install a new gasket on the oil pump and install the oil pump pick-up tube.





16. Position the oil pan against the block and install a bolt, finger-tight, on each side of the block. Install the remaining bolts. Tighten the bolts from the center outward in each direction to 9-11 ft. lbs.





17. If equipped with an automatic transmission, connect the oil cooler lines at the radiator.





18. Raise the engine and remove the wood blocks from between the engine supports and the chassis brackets. Lower the engine and install the engine support thru-bolts. Tighten the bolts to 20-30 ft. lbs.





19. Install the stabilizer bar to the chassis.





20. Lower the vehicle.





21. Install the fan shroud.





22. Install the oil level dipstick. Fill the crankcase with the proper grade and quantity of engine oil. Start the engine and check for oil leaks.





It must be the crankshaft holding it up. I changed the pump in the '67 Cougar with an FE big block I used to have while it was still in the car, and I'm pretty sure I didn't disconnect any crossmember. Wish I had known to though. LOLHow do I remove the oil pan from a 1973 mustang, 351 cleveland?
Don's suggestion should work.Do you have the motor lifted as far as it will go?I've had to lift them til they touched the firewall to get enough clearance.


To turn the engine over put a socket on a long ratchet or breaker bar on the crankshaft bolt.It's easier to turn over if the spark plugs are pulled but you may not have to turn it far to get clearance for the pan.Turn the crank clockwise so the bolt doesn't come loose.
Try rotating the crankshaft to clear the counterbalance weights.
Need to pull the whole engine. No way around it.

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