Oil Pan Gasket Change

[swexlin]

I want to put a big "thank you" out there to my buddy Steve (Mopar Steve) for hosting my 03 in his garage today. He and I (well, mostly him!) dropped the oil pan, and changed out my gasket today. As I have posted here before, I've had a slight drip for a couple years (not the oil cooler lines, they were done) and we think it was the gasket, based on my symptoms, and those of others here.

Not a bad job, the hardest part was holding that heavy pan in place over my head (really pushing and fighting gravity) while Steve bolted things back in. Fill with fresh oil, and we're good to go. I'll monitor it for a while, and see if that does it. After a few heat cycles (which with the amount I've been able to drive this recently will by August, LOL), we'll put her back on the lift, and have a look-see, and check and re-torque those bolts if any of them need it.

Total time was about 2 hours, and that was with us taking our time, and BSing with a couple of others in his garage. Trickiest part was getting the Viper the 25 miles to his house in freezing temps, with ICE all over the road. I took it easy, and only fishtailed once, which I pulled right out of. Give those PS2s credit, they weren't too bad.

Thanks again, Steve!

[Detroit Muscle]

Did you guys put the car on jack stands or did you use a lift?

[swexlin]

Steve has a lift, thankfully. I know guys do this kind of stuff on jackstands, but honestly, I don't know how. Especially when fitting the pan back in place, and torqueing up all the bolts. What was 2 hours with a lift, would have been all day, or longer, with jackstands.

[Sonoman]

I dunno, with a nice padded creeper I am pretty comfortable working under the car without a lift. Less distance for things to drop as well. Key is having a rolling tray of all your tools and stuff to go under there with you. My oil line change to AN braided hoses went pretty quickly using just a creeper. Another tip: if your girlfriend decides to help out, DON'T say "Hey, you do some of your best work on your back!" Really! :t0122:


Steve has a lift, thankfully. I know guys do this kind of stuff on jackstands, but honestly, I don't know how. Especially when fitting the pan back in place, and torqueing up all the bolts. What was 2 hours with a lift, would have been all day, or longer, with jackstands.

[swexlin]

I dunno, with a nice padded creeper I am pretty comfortable working under the car without a lift. Less distance for things to drop as well. Key is having a rolling tray of all your tools and stuff to go under there with you. My oil line change to AN braided hoses went pretty quickly using just a creeper. Another tip: if your girlfriend decides to help out, DON'T say "Hey, you do some of your best work on your back!" Really! :t0122:

Now that's funny right there. The problem with doing the pan is you need a little maneuvering room to clear the oil pickup, and I think on stands that would be a real b@#&$!