L98 Oil Pan Removal?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,408
Likes: 13
From: Dayton, Ohio
L98 Oil Pan Removal?
I currently have my car (see sig) up in the air for a header install. I have a minor oil leak and I believe it's from around the pan. The leak is only troublesome to me because it's a leak. Maybe half a dozen drops a year.
Here's the question;
How difficult is it to remove the oil pan from my L98? It looks to me as if
I'll have to raise the engine to do so. Any advice from you guys?
Here's the question;
How difficult is it to remove the oil pan from my L98? It looks to me as if
I'll have to raise the engine to do so. Any advice from you guys?
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,470
Likes: 765
i replaced the oil pan gasket on my 85 w/o raising the engine, or rotating the crank. it's pretty straight forward. you will need to get the starter out of the way, but again, there shouldn't be any issues. get a one-piece gasket (felpro's one-piece 
). before you start, take note of all the brackets, screws, mounting studs, etc. hope this helps... 
). before you start, take note of all the brackets, screws, mounting studs, etc. hope this helps...
Pro
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 526
Likes: 1
From: San Angelo Texas
My Dad actually just did this. He didn't have to raise the motor or anything crazy. He had to pull the starter, pull some dust shield for the clutch, and remove two diagonal braces under the front of the pan. It turned into an all day affair with him, but he wasn't rushing and hadn't done it before. Sounds like just a lot of little steps to take but none too difficult. Happy oil-leak hunting
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 16,839
Likes: 341
From: Database Error Indiana
Its an easy job, 1/2 hour on my car, but I would not do it. Better to find the leak than fix the wrong thing. I would look at the oil sender/switch under the distributor. They are famous for leaking a drip that runs down the wire loom and leaving a drip under the oil filter. Rear of the intake does it too. The pan gasket on these cars is pretty good.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,408
Likes: 13
From: Dayton, Ohio
Thanks guys. As some have suggested, I did kind of wonder about the oil sender leaking. The intake was sealed pretty good when I changed the intake, but that's no guarantee it's still leakproof. I'm pretty sure it's the pan because of the pattern of oil I see around the bottom of the engine, along with the light scrape on the bottom of the pan. A few years ago I mis-judged an intersection as I blasted thru a yellow/orange/red light and, consequently, joined the mile-hi club. Incidentally, it was at that same time I experienced the sensation of having my brain stem pressed into my tail bone as the car made its descent before I did.
I guess to be sure of the problem I'm gonna hafta get some more quality time under the Vette to find the exact cause of the leak.
I guess to be sure of the problem I'm gonna hafta get some more quality time under the Vette to find the exact cause of the leak.
