[mabt]

What is all involved in changing the oil pan while the engine is still in the car. It will be on a 71 chevelle SS with a 454. Thanks in advance.

 

[Bill T SS70]

At a minimum you must loosen the motor mounts, trans mounts, & exhaust pipes and raise the engine high enonugh to get the pan off. You will most likely have to remove the dist. to get the lift you need.

This topic has been raised many times before. Some will tell you the best way to do the job correctly is to remove the engine. Others will tell you what I stated above.

Not a quick and easy job.

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Bill Taylor
TC Gold Member #73
December 1999 Feature Car
www.chevelles.com/feature/december99.htm
www.chevelles.com/showroom/BillTSS70-2
www.chevelles.com/showroom/leaves2
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/65vette.jpg

[This message has been edited by Bill T SS70 (edited 05-31-2001).]

 

[chev64]

I did an inframe overhaul of an engine in a 79 Malibu and it was a real pain in the neck and I will NEVER do anything to the bottom of the engine without pulling the engine. My 0.02.

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Leo Paugh
Maryland Chevelle Club #017
A.C.E.S.#3731
there is only one way to fail, and thats to quit.
Maryland Chevelle Club
MCC-ACES NORTHEAST REGIONALS

 

[bulb122]

I too have tried a few times, it's a BIG pain. Every one of them still leaked after. I decided that I actually liked the sight of oily goo all over my pan, and have been much happier since!

chris

 

[richr]

Mabt,

Many years ago I remember doing this on my 71 396. The car was for sale - no one would buy it with the blower on it so I had to remove the blower and replace the 7:1 Venolia pistons back to the original pistons. I did this with the motor in the car, I don't recall if the trans was out or not this was 20 years ago. Last year I tried to remove the pan on my 70 396 with the motor in, I raised the motor to the highest I could get but could not clear the fly wheel, it was impossible, I wound up pulling the block. Recently I had to remove the pan again, I brought it to my friends shop. He dropped the trans and the pan came off with ease.

It may be easier to drop the trans or just pull the motor out completely.

Rich

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70 SS - L34
Member # 442
www.chevelles.com/showroom/richr1

http://www.my70ss.com

 

[ratlover]

I dont know about a Velle but I helped a buddy swap to a chrome pan on his truck. PITA to get it on

trying not to mess up the gasket and line up the bolts to get em started

what a pain! It wouldnt have been bad if he had bought pan studs I think....you might try them...think ARP makes them. I think they would make getting the pan on much easier. But it might be pretty hard getting the pan on and off in a car.

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Philip Blackburn
Primer black 69 velle (far from done)
my motors done...
454-60 over
iron merlin rec port heads
Compcams promagnum rockers roller cam
.646int.653exst 280/286 w/110separation
10.25 compression
RPM airgap eagal rods
ARP bolts and studs
will run an auto
ACES # 04287

 

[SS_Dave]

Pull the motor.
Put it on an engine stand.
Roll it over.
Change pan while drinking beer.

My .02.

 

[Xtreme70SS396]

I just finished putting a chrome pan on in place of my original, leaking pan. I have a 396 in a '70, and it was a real pain. The manual has specific instructions on how to do this, and only in the 396 (as I remember) did they have some special instructions, I am not sure what would be different for a 454. Anyway, I spent a week trying everything, and once I gave up and disconnected the trans, it was a piece of cake. The distributor, fan/fan clutch and radiator shroud will need to come off, as well as the starter and headers. The manual said to remove the radiator cover so the radiator can "move" a little, and that helped too. Then I pulled the engine up a few inches and the pan dropped right out. But the transmission has to get out of the way or you will never succeed.