vettenoir

I was removing the oil pan today and couldn't separate the relay rod and idler arm using pickle forks. I did a forum search on the issue, and from reading the posts built up enough confidence to use a little more 'force'. Three more whacks with the hammer and they were separated. I'm really glad to have a resource like this at my fingertips

Extra note on oil pan removal:
After draining the oil from the pan, PUT THE PLUG BACK IN! If you don't, when you tip the pan back to ease it out from under the motor, you may get a bit of an oil flood on yourself

Ask me why I know

rosslato

i be doing that tommorrow but i already put the drain plug in. i'm putting in the felpro 1 pc rubber gasket, you too?

flood

I think if you just unbolt the idler arm from the frame, it drops far enough to get the pan out. On my 75 its a PITA because the exhaust crosses over just uner the pan. So you have to cut the exhaust at the Y-pipe. Sucks.

Felpro 1 piece rules all

Edzred72

YES...good tip..and if you have pwr steering, just unbolt the ram from the frame. Steeing assembly will swing down far enough to remove pan.
Eddie

vettenoir

I'm planning on going with the 1 piece Fel-pro gasket. I understand they make one that snaps in place so you don't need 5 hands to do the job under the car. I'm also replacing the oil pan. When I bought the motor parts I learned the hard way that a standard 350 oil pan won't clear a stroker crank without some 'massaging' with a hammer & torch. It never did seal properly afterward. I wonder why...

Now on to the intake & heads and finally #6 piston, which is about 70psi lower than the other 7 cylinders, unless I give it a squirt of oil. Then it's only 30psi lower

I'm hoping to get away with a 1-piston ring job and maybe a hone on the cylinder, without pulling the motor.

Of course, the motor will NEED new heads & a new intake, while I'm at it (Dart Pro 1's & RPM Air Gap)

I'm sure I'll be searching the archives over the next couple of weeks