Help - oil pan glued on

[Praxiss454]

Hi guys, I took the day off today to work on the truck. I've removed all the oil pan bolts but it won't budge. All around the edge there is what appears to be construction adhesive from a previous idiot owner.

Any ideas? I've tried using a putty knife to slide between the pan and block but with the engine in place it's not really helping. I'm afraid if I pry with a screwdriver I will dent the pan.

[vin63]

Sometimes the silicone can be stubborn to release. I have had to use one of my wider gasket scrapers and tap it with a plastic dead blow mallet to break the seal on a few oil pans in the past. Try a little spray penetrating lubricant in the area you're trying to pry apart, and tapping your putty knife with a mallet to see if it breaks the seal.

[Praxiss454]

I guess it might just be copper colored RTV silicone, but the way it is bubbled/balled in a few places it really almost looks like construction adhesive or some other kind of glue. In any case, I've tried some paint and epoxy remover to no avail, and now I'm letting some pb blaster soak in. I'm going to go buy a narrower putty knife as well.

Would heat help? I don't care about the oil pan paint, I'm planning to strip it and repaint it anyway, unless I mangle it trying to remove it.

[Cris]

Praxis454:

Try a single edge razor blade (see image below). You can buy them in bulk at the hardware store. We use them to break thin glue lines at work. Use a small hammer to (gently) tap them in through the sealant, just keep working around the seam. You can follow it with a thin, sharp paint scraper to break it completely loose.

I am following your efforts. I also have an inline 6 and need to remove the oil pan to strip and paint it. Like you, I can't tell if it will slide off without raising the motor.

[Praxiss454]

It took about 2 hours and a trip to the hardware store for a new putty knife, but I finally got it. Tapped / forced it in around the edge all the way around and finally it broke free. Never want to do that again.

Originally Posted by Cris

Praxis454:
I am following your efforts. I also have an inline 6 and need to remove the oil pan to strip and paint it. Like you, I can't tell if it will slide off without raising the motor.

Bad news. I can't slide it off. Tried propping up back wheels too and turning the crank, but it still gets hung up. Going to have to jack the motor up. Wonder if I need to completely unscrew the motor mounts or just loosen them, and also wonder if I need to do front and back, or just front.

[geezer#99]

Originally Posted by Praxiss454

It took about 2 hours and a trip to the hardware store for a new putty knife, but I finally got it. Tapped / forced it in around the edge all the way around and finally it broke free. Never want to do that again.



Bad news. I can't slide it off. Tried propping up back wheels too and turning the crank, but it still gets hung up. Going to have to jack the motor up. Wonder if I need to completely unscrew the motor mounts or just loosen them, and also wonder if I need to do front and back, or just front.

Last one I did I unbolted both mounts, jacked up the front enough to slide a short piece of 2x2 between the mount and the tower.
Also unbolted the rad so it could move freely with the motor. Left the bellhousing bolted in place. The motor will move upwards without hurting the mounts on the bell.
Pan slide out easily then.

[Praxiss454]

This is what I was referring to that I thought might be something like construction adhesive, or maybe some kind of slightly expanding foam product. It ain't pretty and it sure was hard to get the pan off.

[Praxiss454]

Oh haha, you can also see I have 3 or 4 big washers between my pulley and alternator because the aftermarket alternator and pulley don't line up with the L6 230 belt channel. I'm surprised that hasn't fallen off yet. Still trying to find a comparable repop.

[Cris]

Wow that really does look ugly. I am guessing it is a contact cement adhesive like Gasgacinch, unless the PO really went off the reservation and used a non-automotive adhesive.

For re-assembly, the best flexible (RTV like) sealer I have found is the Right Stuff. Don't be too liberal with it as it can also make disassembly difficult.

Too bad you have to raise the motor. Turning into a PITA.

[Praxiss454]

Originally Posted by Cris

Wow that really does look ugly. I am guessing it is a contact cement adhesive like Gasgacinch, unless the PO really went off the reservation and used a non-automotive adhesive.

For re-assembly, the best flexible (RTV like) sealer I have found is the Right Stuff. Don't be too liberal with it as it can also make disassembly difficult.

Too bad you have to raise the motor. Turning into a PITA.

Raising the motor was surprisingly easy. 2 bolts, stick a piece of wood btwn jack and engine, raise it up, and then slide in a few scraps to hold it up.

Scraping off this crap is a PITA. Also, I can't get the top half of the bearing seal to budge.

[andyh1956]

Ha! That's Yellow 3M! Commonly referred to as "Elephant Snot"!

[Praxiss454]

Well I just ordered the sneaky pete style rear main gasket removal tool. (napa #BK 7769205), hopefully that will help. I tried tapping it out and its not budging, my tool just gets embedded in the old seal. Just as well, gonna have the pan off for a bit to clean/strip/treat/paint it.

[WOLFMANmike]

heya brother to do a proper Oil pan Gasket reseal the engine should be out of the truck . reason is in the truck you are almost always gonna have to fight getting it back on .. aka sliding it into place usually because of the oil pump pickup tube . and im not gonna say that its never been done and worked in the truck .. BUT i can say that chances of it being a failure and a leaking monster is in the upper 90% the pan should be put on just like a intake manifold in a 1 motion flat process any having to move it is a recipe of a oil leak .. just a heads up .. i hope it all works out for you ill keep my fingers crossed for ya