I have someone who wants me to replace their oil pan. It is a 1997 town car with the V8 4.6.
The other mechanic told them that the pan is rotting through and it’s not just a weeping gasket.
I have not had the chance to get this car to my shop, so I have not gotten a look at it.
I’d just like to know what I will get involved with before I see the owners and the car.
Do any of you know how extensive this will be to get the engine up high enough to pull the old pan out.
I’m hoping that I can just unbolt the motor mounts and jack the motor up a bit if need be.
My information says to remove/disconnect a list of items including, but not limited to fan shroud and fan, Upper radiator hose, disconnect AC discharge line, heater hose and bolt/stud retaining it to cylinder head, 42-pin connector, fuel lines, w/wiper governor & support bracket, Right engine support insulator, both cats at manifold, heater blower resistor switch…
Raise engine approximately 4" and block with 2.5" - 2.75" thick wood at each front engine support insulators.
My Rivieras with the 3800 were easy with no obstructions but with the list CSA gave, thats a major pain with stuff that can go wrong like the fuel line, cats, etc. Bad way to spend a Saturday but I guess you just have to crawl under and have a look.
I just skimmed the steps in a Lincoln manual I have and it shows about 14 steps to remove it and about 20 to put it back on. It even refers to discharging the A/C system.
I can’t say that I’ve ever had to do one of these but I would hope the A/C steps could be omitted.
It might not be a bad idea to look that thing over carefully before committing yourself.
My Lincoln has a 4.6 and I’m going to be very busy tomorrow but I might have a chance this weekend to take a look underneath, see what’s up with it, and post back maybe on Sunday evening.
"I just skimmed the steps in a Lincoln manual I have and it shows about 14 steps to remove it and about 20 to put it back on. It even refers to discharging the A/C system.
I can’t say that I’ve ever had to do one of these but I would hope the A/C steps could be omitted.
It might not be a bad idea to look that thing over carefully before committing yourself."
That’s what my directions showed, too, but I agree there could be a work-around for that AC discharge. I have omitted that “required” step on certain repairs and gotten by in the past. CSA
"You really want to do this job without a car lift? Yikes… "
Yikes is right, but LOL, (laughing out loud) some of us non-professionals, know just enough to be dangerous, back-yard “mechanic” types do our best work that way… it’s what we’re accustomed to, PITA (pain in the alley) jobs.
When I got my first job at a car dealer years ago I was allowed to use a hoist and work on my own car. I was like a fish out of water. It was a whole different ball game, too easy I guess.
It was almost more difficult because it was so strange. :neutral:
Thanks everyone for your input. I hope you get a chance @ok4450 to take a look and post back.
I do have a scissors lift, so that saves a lot of time, as I can raise and lower it as needed.
I’m hoping that I can at least get a look at the car early next week.
I too have worked around purging the AC on a few and I hope I can do that with this one.
My retired BIL had just gotten delivery of a lift from Northern Tool last I was there. He paid about $2000 for one of those four post jobs and it was very nice. Even had one of those center bars that could track front and back. I guess that’s what I’d want and no chance its going to come down on you.
@Yosemite, I jacked up my Lincoln and looked it over this even. Assuming mine is similar, sort of, to the one in question I don’t see that the A/C is an issue at all.
There are a few tubes and wire harnesses that may need to be nudge out of the way but generally speaking it looks like a matter of removing the engine mount bolts and raising the engine as high as possible.
On mine the exhaust does not even have to be dropped.
The only potential issue I saw is whether or not the engine can be forced high enough to slide the pan back and to gain enough drop to where it will clear the bell housing.
That’s something that is hard to eyeball and surely the K member does not have to be dropped bit.
Just from the impromptu eyeballing I did I’ve seen a lot worse. Hope that helps.
@Yosemite
"The other mechanic told them that the pan is rotting through and it’s not just a weeping gasket."
I realize that you are a better car mechanic than I am. I wondered if you’ve ever worked on this car or if you’re familiar with it.
I’m sure it’s crossed your mind that if the pan is “rotting out” that doesn’t bode well for the overall condition of the rest of the car unless it was defective somehow. Is it rotting from the outside? Inside? Neither one is good.
Yikes, I keep my cars forever and many have been very rusty, but I’ve never rotted out an oil pan!
At any rate, and I could be way off base here, I know you’ll get a chance to look it over and give an estimate and perhaps a recommendation. My money is on either winding up not repairing it (cost/benefit) or “fixing” the pan with some JB-Weld or some such thing so it lasts as long as the rest of the vehicle does.
Please let us know what happens when you have a look. CSA
Rotted oil pans are common around here and gas tanks used to be too until they starred making them out of plastic. Now the plate where the lines go into the tank rot out and destroy the plastic threads in the tank when you try to get them out.
I’m keeping an open mind with this. As I said I have not had the chance to look the car over.
It has only been in my shop once…6 months ago. I’m unclear what that was for, but whatever it was I told them not to worry about the repair that the dealer listed. It was something that with the age of the car it was not worth the time and money. Also it would have no effect on drive ability or performance. Some panel near the front tires was rotting through…thats all I can recall.
I’ll get a good look and let you all know where we are headed with this car.
You have a point @db4690. I really don’t recall the part, but I whatever piece it was…I felt that they would be happy not messing with it. I’m sure it was something small. I’ll check that out when I get a look at the car.
