Small Block & Big Block Chevy Specific - Nova oil pan removal

Got an issue. A friend just bought a 72 nova ss clone with a 350/350 combo on it. We are trying to change the oil pan gasket and can't get the pan off. It is an oversided pan to complicate things as well. Any ideas on how we can get this damn thing off with out dropping the tranny or jacking up the motor if possible. TIA

Your gonna have to jack the engine up, if you can get it that high. Your best bet is to just pull it and put it on a stand and do it the right way. The only oil pan I have pulled of with the engine in was my old 66 1/2 ton Chevy.

Since none of us can see what it looks like you need to make that decision. On my 73 w/454 it would be a real challenge. Took me about an hour to get the transmission dip stick out!

On my 62 it comes right off. Takes about 15 minutes to pull the pan.

Al 86 Mustang, blown 393 Windsor, C4 w/brake, all Aluminum 9" Not out of the tens yet:(

Well last night we jacked up the engine as far as we could and the pan was still catching the flywheel and the tie rod. It only needs about a 1/4 to a 1/2 inch to cler the fly wheel, but it is pushing the distributor against the firewall, and we don't want to fuck that up. i'll get a couple pics if i can tonight to show the issues.

You can't forget the counter weights on the crank. They will get in you way.

Well last night we jacked up the engine as far as we could and the pan was still catching the flywheel and the tie rod. It only needs about a 1/4 to a 1/2 inch to cler the fly wheel, but it is pushing the distributor against the firewall, and we don't want to fuck that up. i'll get a couple pics if i can tonight to show the issues.

Sometimes you can just remove the cap and go up a little more. You may need to unbolt the rear transmission mount.

Al 73 Nova 454, TH350, narrowed 9" w/spool and 4.89's

we removed the cap too and got another couple inches out of it. I will try unbolting the rear transmission mount tomorrow when we can get back to it. I guess if this doesn't work then the general concensus is that we are going to have to pull the motor. I'm up for any other suggestions as well. thanks for the help so far.

knock the steering linkage out and you'll have enough room. just take out the center bar ;)

knock the steering linkage out and you'll have enough room. just take out the center bar ;)

Tried that too. couldn't get it remove for a various number of reasons. i'm sure if we had a pickle fork it would have been easier, but it was late when we got that far with it

yep its gotta come out. just remove the inner tie rod ends by pulling the castle nut to the end of the threads. that way you can hit it with a hammer to get it out (and not damage the threads so you can get it back in) then do the same thing on the bolt that attatches it to the idler arm.

If you manage to screw up the threads autozone has replacement inners for $10 each so its not too bad


That will give you enough clearence to get it out. And dont go cheap on the gasket, get the felpro 1-piece blue gasket. That way you wont be doing ti a 2nd time.

Dirty