Removing oil pan for oil return - pull trans, or K?
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Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Bowling Green KY
Removing oil pan for oil return - pull trans, or K? I've searched many threads and found information both ways. My questions is, if I pull the trans, will the oil pan slide out the back leaving the K member, and motor mounts alone? Has anyone done it this way? I understand I'll probably need to rotate the engine while pulling the pan back to clear the throws of the crank, but is there anything else for it to catch on that will prevent me from pulling it out the back? If so, that is probably the easiest way for me to do it, since I have a lift, and a trans jack. I have swapped a trans in 90 minutes before. I doubt I can do the K-member drop method in less than that. For me, it is probably faster to do the trans, than removing motor mounts, jacking up my engine by the crank and bell housing, and lowering the K down, then getting it all lined back up again. I have a cherry picker, but i can't use it with the car on the lift.
My concern would be pulling the trans and then still needing to mess with the K-member, basically doing both. Has anyone removed the pan by doing the "trans only" method? If the K member must still be dropped, I'll probably just leave the trans attached and do it that way.
My concern would be pulling the trans and then still needing to mess with the K-member, basically doing both. Has anyone removed the pan by doing the "trans only" method? If the K member must still be dropped, I'll probably just leave the trans attached and do it that way.
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I don't have personal experience with 4 gen camaro so not real clear how far back the K member is and clearance below the pan. In general from my experience, you'l need at least 4" below pan to remove it. (sometimes you'll need to disconnect the oil pickup tube from the pump to clear)
To suspend the engine you may consider
http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb...bar-96524.html
I use it often on FWD trans repairs when the subframe has to be dropped.
Hopefully raising and suspending the engine from above will allow the K member to be lowered enough to remove the pan without complete disconnect and dropping K member. HTH
To suspend the engine you may consider
http://www.harborfreight.com/1000-lb...bar-96524.html
I use it often on FWD trans repairs when the subframe has to be dropped.
Hopefully raising and suspending the engine from above will allow the K member to be lowered enough to remove the pan without complete disconnect and dropping K member. HTH
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Bowling Green KY
Thanks, that worked well. Bought one today and got it done.
I think I found a great way to do the pan in the future, never really seen it done like this. I only dropped one side of the strut, and swing down the right side of the K member while hanging from the strut on the drivers side. That way the brake lines, or the power steering lines, didn't get stretched or stressed, since they are on that side of the car.
I used a trans jack under the cross member to let it down in a controlled manner, and just swung it open.
I think I found a great way to do the pan in the future, never really seen it done like this. I only dropped one side of the strut, and swing down the right side of the K member while hanging from the strut on the drivers side. That way the brake lines, or the power steering lines, didn't get stretched or stressed, since they are on that side of the car.
I used a trans jack under the cross member to let it down in a controlled manner, and just swung it open.
Last edited by ScottyBG; Oct 24, 2016 at 02:52 PM.
I can't imagine why anyone would ever drop the pan just to plumb an oil return. All of the possible downsides of not dropping the pan pretty much only cost about the same as the mods that you SHOULD do if you drop the pan anyway. If you want budget, don't add in extra labor, and if you want all-out, don't skimp on parts.
