[Don Boc]

I am having a problem with my oil pressure on my 72 Chevelle with a big block and a 4 speed. The oil presure is at 60lbs until the rpms get up above 2000. As the revs go higher the pressure drops. A few people on this site advise I drop the pan and check the pickup tube and oil pump. My question is do I have to pull the motor or can I drop the pan by just jacking the motor and pulling the trans,bell housing and clutch/flywheel assembly? Thanks Don

 

[DJRisberg]

Depeding on your firewall room, you should be able to find enough space by taking the motor mounts loose and pull your motor up w/o taking the tranny loose...Take your time and don't crunch your distributor against the firewall, (may just have to take the cap off or remove distributor completely) ...Also, disconnect your exauhst from your headers(manifold) and loosen up you Z-bar. If you still need more room, take the driveshaft and crossmember loose, and let the tail of your tranny drop (keep the yoke in it though).

Be Carefull and Good Luck!

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68 El Camino...Slow, Much Work Required
98 Z28...Fast, No Work Required
Goodfellow AFB, San Angelo, TX -- Where? That's what I said..

 

[Wally]

The book says the bullet needs to come out to sevice the oil pan. I know that's not what you want to hear.

I tried to get the pan off my 67 small block car, ended up taking the motor out.

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Wally
Gold #67
67 Malibu "Small Block"
90 SS454
71 Malibu "Small Block"
93 torch red vette

 

[SSteve L]

I did it once with a big block, but I had to remove the distributor and and the shifter from the tranny. Also had to remove the cross member to be able to drop the tranny down a bit. A small block is a little easier. This all applies to FACTORY pans only, aftermarket pans usually don't clear as easy even if they are standard type with stock appearance. In my opinion it's almost as much work as removing the engine. If you have to spend much time repairing anything under there you'll probably wish you'd pulled the motor.

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Steve

72 Chevelle SS402/4sp

 

[Larry]

Yes, it can be done. About the only things you save having to remove are the hood and and radiator. You'll need to remove the top cover from the rad and slip a piece of cardboard between it and the fan.

 

[richr]

Don,

I have done it both on the small block and big block - 71 Chevelle. Believe it or not the big block pan came out easier. When I did the big block I had the heads off (probably why it was easier), the small block was complete.

Pull the distributer, starter, disconnect exhaust, fan shroud and fan. Loosen the trans mounts, and remove the bolts in the motor mounts. Set the timing mark on the balancer at 6:00. Lift the motor about 4 - 5 ". Pan should come off.

Some of my books say to pull the motor and some say to do above. I have done the above and it worked. Good luck and let us know how you do as this seems to be a common topic.

Rich



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70 SS - L34
Sea Mist Green
N.J.
Member # 442
www.chevelles.com/showroom/richr1

 

[pro454chev]

it all depends on how much work and time you have to do it, if you have the time pull the motor, and check the pick up while your at it maybe do a little house cleaning in the engine compartment, if not but still a lot of work lift the motor up off the mounts, the pan will come off, don't forget block motor with 4x4's and the crank must be turned so the front of the pan clears the crank, good luck

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[CFR]

Don i had the same problem on a 427 with a new pump with the pickup welded.I drained the oil and used a coat hanger in the drain hole. Sure enough it was laying on the bottom of the pan.Maybe try this before droping the pan.

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CFR.

 

[Don Boc]

Thanks for the advise. I probably won't get to it until next week but I will let you know what I find. Don

 

[Don Boc]

I think I found my problem with the oil pressure drop. I pulled the drain plug and drained the oil. Then I looked into the pan through the drain plug hole with a pen light. I can see the pickup tube resting on the bottom of the pan. I stuck a coat hanger into the pan and the pickup tube is still in the oil pump but its smack on the bottom. I can't even get the coat hanger under the pickup tube. The bottom of the pan looks like it is concaved like the pickup sucked the pan up to it. The oil pump must be starving for oil when the engine gets above 2000 rpm because the botom of the pan is restricting the flow into the pickup. I guess I will be pulling a motor during Christmas week.

 

[David Host]

Don,

I think I will have to pull my motor too. Are we the only two people that have this problem?. I never seen this happen to anybody before. This will give me something to do over the cold winter months. I just hope it doesn't happen again after I put it back in. What kind of oilpan do you have?

 

[Don Boc]

Dave, I have a stock oil pan. I think we set the pickup tubes to close to the bottom to start with. We are talking hydralic vacume or pressure. Something has to give so I guess our oil pans did. We could have snaped the pins in our distributors. I just hope there is no damage to the bottom end of our motors.