# Taking off Oil Pan on 1994 4 X 4



## slman (Jul 23, 2018)

I am going to be doing a cam chain replacement, and to be mindful of possible bits and pieces in the oil pan, I plan on taking it off.
i read rumors, of it being tough to get off. 

Anybody with experience doing this? Any short cuts if difficult?
I want to blow back the passages from the front cam chain area back, so thought it was a good idea to drop and clean the oil pan as part of the process.


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## jp2code (Jun 2, 2011)

Just use a little pry bar that you can gently tap, going around the oil pan.

Never tap it all the way in at one spot, though. Just enough to get the seal to crack a bit, then move around to another spot.

It isn't really that hard to get off. But then you have to get all the old RTV cleaned off of it. Then you have to reseal it.

The whole job is just a hassle because it's time consuming.


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## slman (Jul 23, 2018)

I heard a mechanical 'rumor' that with the 4 X 4,--- the front differential has to be dropped to get the oil pan OFF. There isn't enough room to totally remove it for an inside inspection and clean up.
So if one is just dropping it down to help get the front cam chain cover off, you are breaking the Silicone Seal. 

If this is true, it's a next to impossible mess, to scrape the old Silicone off, and try to reseal the oil pan back.
Looks like I'm going to get a lesson on how to get the front cam chain cover off---and this 'damaging' the head gasket issue.

Why is the head gasket in harm's way, with pulling the cam chain cover off as you pull it forward?


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## jp2code (Jun 2, 2011)

Um... maybe it's easy to damage it.

Or, maybe it's hard getting everything back on.

I dunno. I've got a V6.


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## slman (Jul 23, 2018)

From Jim on this Site...Thank you for sharing.


Gary,

In my experience, removing the cam chain cover does not damage head gasket.

Its installing the cam chain cover that the head gasket can sustain damage.

If precautions are taken to prevent head gasket damage you will have no problems.

The cam chain cover has two steel locating pins located at bottom of cover.

Pins are driven into the engine block and extend into cam chain cover about 1/2".

So cam chain cover must be pulled out about 1/2" on a horizontal plane before it can be moved on a vertical plane to drop it down from the head gasket.

This is no big problem to the head gasket when removing.

When installing, because of the locating pins the cam chain cover needs to be contacting the head gasket and moved about 1/2" before it contacts the face of the engine block.

Its during this step that the head gasket can get damaged.

Use some shim material, that's about .001" or even .004" will work, even some note book paper will work sometimes.

At the same time you mount the cam chain cover to the locating pins, lay your shim material between the head gasket and the cam chain cover mating surface and work the cover in so it gets started under the head gasket, then remove the shim material before it gets pinched in there and tap the cover in to place.

Dropping oil pan gives the cam chain cover the ability to drop on a vertical plane once it has cleared the 1/2" long locating pins.

Dropping the oil pan also helps break the adhesive bond between the front of the oil pan and the cam chain cover and makes the cover come off easier.

Its possible to loosen the oil pan slightly, just enough to break the adhesive bond between it and the cover and then remove the cover leaving the oil pan mostly in place and move forward from there.


Some guys cut the head gasket out completely in this area and fill with sealer, I have never done this but have seen it done to save time.

Jim


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