Need some help with preparing to replace oil pan gasket

[palacekeeper]

I've been working on chasing down leaks the last few months and have made a lot of progress. At the moment, I only have one leak left, as far as mechanical fluids (back window seal leaks, but that is another story). I have a drip coming down the bell housing. I've already replaced valve cover gaskets and intake manifold gaskets. The best I can tell is that it is coming from either the oil pan gasket, rear main seal, or both.

 

I want to try replacing the oil pan gasket first, since I think I can actually manage to do that myself. I have the car on a lift in my garage, and I'm following the factory service manual instructions, which read as follows:

 

1. Remove the oil level dipstick.

2. Raise the vehicle.

3. Drain the crankcase.

4. Disconnect the starter cable and remove the starter.

5. Remove the bolts retaining the sway bar to the chassis.

6. Remove the two bolts retaining the number two crossmember to the chassis (Under the engine).

7. Remove the oil pan attaching bolts.

8. Turn the crankshaft for maximum clearance and remove the oil pan.

 

I have a question about what actually needs to be moved out of the way, and was wondering if someone could help clarify. I've attached a picture of the underneath of the car in this area. If I've identified things correctly,

 

#1 - "number two crossmember"

#2 - steering center link

#3 - factory sway bar

 

For step number 5 above, do they really mean remove the sway bar as shown in arrow #3? It doesn't seem to be in the way of the oil pan. The "steering center link" bar does run underneath the pan, though. Do they really mean the "steering center link" (arrow #2) when they are referring to the "sway bar" in step number 5?

 

 

Still learning as I try more things, so my apologies if these questions are somewhat elementary. Thanks for any help and suggestions!

[Hawkeye O'Saben]

Wish I could help,but I've never done that before. I would recommend the Vintage Mustang Forums as a great source of info and knowledgeable people for the first generation. I've gotten lots of good info about my '64 1/2 there.

[shel-b001]

I've been working on chasing down leaks the last few months and have made a lot of progress. At the moment, I only have one leak left, as far as mechanical fluids (back window seal leaks, but that is another story). I have a drip coming down the bell housing. I've already replaced valve cover gaskets and intake manifold gaskets. The best I can tell is that it is coming from either the oil pan gasket, rear main seal, or both.

 

I want to try replacing the oil pan gasket first, since I think I can actually manage to do that myself. I have the car on a lift in my garage, and I'm following the factory service manual instructions, which read as follows:

 

1. Remove the oil level dipstick.

2. Raise the vehicle.

3. Drain the crankcase.

4. Disconnect the starter cable and remove the starter.

5. Remove the bolts retaining the sway bar to the chassis.

6. Remove the two bolts retaining the number two crossmember to the chassis (Under the engine).

7. Remove the oil pan attaching bolts.

8. Turn the crankshaft for maximum clearance and remove the oil pan.

 

I have a question about what actually needs to be moved out of the way, and was wondering if someone could help clarify. I've attached a picture of the underneath of the car in this area. If I've identified things correctly,

 

#1 - "number two crossmember"

#2 - steering center link

#3 - factory sway bar

 

For step number 5 above, do they really mean remove the sway bar as shown in arrow #3? It doesn't seem to be in the way of the oil pan. The "steering center link" bar does run underneath the pan, though. Do they really mean the "steering center link" (arrow #2) when they are referring to the "sway bar" in step number 5?

 

 

Still learning as I try more things, so my apologies if these questions are somewhat elementary. Thanks for any help and suggestions!

 

I would say remove the crossmember, & center link that should give you enough room to tilt the pan down to clear the oil pump sump screen.I done my GT which didn`t have the power steer .

[palacekeeper]

 

I would say remove the crossmember, & center link that should give you enough room to tilt the pan down to clear the oil pump sump screen.I done my GT which didn`t have the power steer .

Ok, so I guess the next quest will be to determine what is involved with the center link removal. Is it just removing a few bolts or is steering fluid and other considerations involved? I don't want to mess it up by removing something that I can't put back correctly, you know?

[palacekeeper]

Wish I could help,but I've never done that before. I would recommend the Vintage Mustang Forums as a great source of info and knowledgeable people for the first generation. I've gotten lots of good info about my '64 1/2 there.

Thanks, I think I did have a thread going over there a few months ago, but I never got a totally clear idea of what exactly needs removing and more importantly - how to remove them. Specifically, the steering parts are the issue. The other parts are easy to remove. Maybe I'll post the same pic on the other forum at the risk of looking pretty dense at this point.

[shel-b001]

Ok, so I guess the next quest will be to determine what is involved with the center link removal. Is it just removing a few bolts or is steering fluid and other considerations involved? I don't want to mess it up by removing something that I can't put back correctly, you know?

 

I don`t thing you need to but if you have to just remove the center link & it should pivot enough to get the pan off without disconnecting the hoses

[paul burgess]

if I remember I did my 67 years ago,removed crossmember bar,plus other small stuff starter and removed motor mount bolts,losened trans mount, jacked up engine just enuff and I could wiggle pan out

[Don Johnston]

You are on the right track.  Rear seals are usually a leak problem, especially with the switch to synthetic oils in classic Mustangs.  I always have a few drop from 65 Mustang GT and 66 GT350.  I just make sure I have an oil drip pan in place in the garage and at indoor car shows.  

Edited February 15, 2018 by 66GT350PS

[palacekeeper]

Thanks all. I ended up doing this over the holidays and it turned out really well. Moving the center link was easy and only required removing the two bolts that secure it to the frame on the one side. The pan now has no leaks, but I'm not yet sure if the rear main is leaking or not - mainly because the weather has not been good enough to take it on for a decent run. There are minor traces of oil that appeared around the bottom of the bell housing after I took it for a short ride last week, but I can't tell whether that was residual oil left over inside from before, so I'll have to drive it more to find out.

If it turns out that the rear main is leaking, what do you all think about whether it's worth it to have that seal replaced? I don't have the expertise so I'd have to get it done at a shop, which also most likely means removing the transmission and replacing the pan seal again. The trans has zero leaks because I had it refurbished at a transmission shop. Bottom line is that the only mechanical leak the car may have at this point is the rear main. Is it worth it to have it replaced and potentially reintroduce other leaks, or is it just completely unrealistic to expect to get the car to the point where it doesn't leak? I can't help but think that when the car was new it wouldn't have been acceptable to have leaks, but maybe small drips were acceptable at that time?!