I am in the process of removing an oil pan for a fellow Brickboarder and it won't drop down after removing the bolts.Do I need to jack up the enginge or remove the front cross member? it's beer-thirty now!!
--
philvo '90 240 204k and a couple parts cars

Phil:

I just finished doing this today on a 1988 740 - what a PITA! I jacked the trans bell housing up (after taking the nut off motor mounts). I got the oil pump out by dropping it into the pan! I did the rod bearings the quick and dirty way while doing the pump.

But - the reverse was worse. Could not assemble the new pump in the pan and raise it! Agggg! I didn't want to hoist the engine or drop the crossmember. I saw in the IPD catalog under tech tips about cutting the windage plate (to a allow a bit more wiggle room) in the oil pan! Hmmmmm. I did a small cut and took off the rubber bumper under the pan. After a bit a moving the pan around and cursing I got the pan in place with a mallet tap.

More fun - how to get the pan gasket aligned under the car with the pan in place. I had a three piece gasket - used permatex and got in place. Used a punch to line up the holes - but it took almost two hours of messing with it to get all the bolts in the pan and buttoned up! Lots of cursing. Put everything back together - let down trans - tightened up the motor mounts, put distrib cap back on - new oil sender, filter and oil.

Just fired it up - light went out and it sounds great - whewwwww!! I will not do another oil pump and pan unless under threat of bodily harm! Rewarded myself with a Wendy's chili and biggie fry (rarely do that)!

Not a fun job, but the results so far were worth the effort. Was worried that I put the pump and bearings on correctly. But the bottom end of a B-230 is like a tractor?? How can you mess it up? I really cleaned a lot of sludge out of the pan and polished it up - the old oil pump was clogged (bunch of crap and debris in the pickup) and probably not bad.

Bob Weber
Hamilton, Ohio
59 Volvos since 1979

Bob is right. Lower the pan enough to release the pump and let it drop. Turn the pan through 90 degrees and remove it. Make two cuts in the oil baffle plate where you saw it was fouling the pump, and bend it upwards. Refit the pump - always worth doing to replace the oil seals. Put the pan back half on, and then bend the baffle plate down again by pressing the pan against a block of wood about 4" long. Then turn the pan through 90 degrees again and bolt up.
No need to drop the cross-member, just lift the engine as high as possible. Remove the LH mount for easier access.

Could be philvo is pulling the pan to give/sell it. Can you remove it (the pan) without lowering the crossmember? I may have to do this in the boneyard soon.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Philvo,

You have to drop the cross support a bit.....just before it comes off the bolts. Then jack up the engine to gain a bit more. Even then one has to twist and coax the pan out. Replacement is about equal fun. Often wondered why not just support the engine on a hoist, drop the support, pan, and then replace all ??

Should be after that door next week......in PA for the week.
--
84, 242GLTi, 167K, 4+OD, in rehab; 89, 245 DL, 261K, M 47, daily driver; 93, 245, auto, 167K ; and other toys.

Often wondered why not just support the engine on a hoist, drop the support, pan, and then replace all ??

Me too. About all remaining was a couple brake line clips and the control arms.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Do I need to jack up the enginge or remove the front cross member?

A little of both in my experience.

Here's the condensed version of the story, leaving out the obvious stuff, also practiced on an '84, with suspect parts in parentheses:

Support motor from top. Remove motor mount nuts from crossmember. Separate steering shaft at rack. Lift motor until motor mount bolts disappear from crossmember.

Disconnect left motor mount bracket from motor. Remove crossmember mounting bolts, pull crossmember down about two inches; watch PS return hose (tight). Drop pan; use rubber mallet.

Turn pan to right. (When it won't, find PS high pressure hose in the way; disconnect from rack and drop rack.) Then turn pan to right and maneuver pickup free of pan baffle.

Kindorff is an amazing tool ain't it?

I thought it was called uni-strut or strut for short. jp

Plumbers and Pipefitters call it Kindorff
Electricians and Cellular Builders call it Uni Strut
State DOT calls its Signpost Channel

What its calleddepends on where you are and what code you are following but the Patent/Original Manufacture is by Kindorff.

Found this example:



Mine was just $12 Superstrut from Lowes (home center store) - maybe Home Depot carries Unistrut (just not ours).
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore