Hey Guys

I was under my 86 last night changing the oil and I noticed the oil pan is smashed up towards the rear I had noticed this in the past but never paid real close attention to it. The oil pressure is fine but it makes it extremely difficult to remove the oil plug. My question is: can the pan be replaced with the engine in the car, and if I proceed with this should I change the oil pump and pickup, since I am there anyway? Car has 140K on it. GM wants $184 for the pan are there any other cost alternatives. Pure stock, just weekend use. Thanks in advance.

Bob

 

Summit is a good place for the pan. Yes you can replace it in the car...and a royal pain it is too.
Small outline of what is needed to do it.
Remove the distributor cap.
Clear everything from between the firewall and engine that you can.
Put the car on jack stands.
Place a jack under the harmonic balancer and apply light pressure to it.
Remove the engine mount bolts.
Remove the transmission inspection cover (makes more room under there)
Jack the engine a little (for now)
Remove the oil pan bolts and nuts from the studs
Gently pry the pan down until it pops free.
Now comes the fun...
With the pan down against the cross member, look up in there at the crank. The front counter weight and rod can't be pointing down or the pan won't come off. You may have to let the engine down and rotate it by hand to get the counter weight /rod out of the way. Once you have it rotated to clean, jack the engine back up high enough to wiggle the pan out. Remove all traces of the old gasket from the engine's pan rails. throughly clean the rails. Take the new gasket and spread a thin layer of Permatex ultra black RTV on the side that is going against the block. Place the gasket up against the engine's pan rails so it sticks there. For the front and rear seals..make sure you use enough RTV on the ends to seal it up good...Install new pan and reassemble the engine.
Yes, replacing the pump would be a good idea, Also replace the pump drive rod, get one with a metal coupler to hook it to the pump. The factory ones were plastic. A good Melling pump will be all you need, not high volume (high pressure is ok).

 

I picked up a good used gm pan at Carlisle for $35. A good used pan is an option.

 

86 should have had the one piece pan gasket and even if not it may be available. No end seals to worry about sealing up with the rails. The FelPro gasket kit for my 86 had the one piece in it and that is what came off.

 

Must have been a very late 86, the 1 piece RMS didn't appear until 87, along with the hydraulic roller cams. And you can't use a 1 piece seal on a 2 piece seal block without an expensive adaptor.

 

Early- late '86 engines had lots off differences.