[lrscott]

I decided to change the oil about 1500 miles into the change after having added some seafoam to the mix for 25 miles or so. I got underneath it and decided I want to drop the engine oil pan. I have all of the bolts and nuts off but, its stuck! I have a feeling it is the seal and I am in for lots of prying and having to put a new sealer on it. I am not sure what to do, and any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[vmystikilv]

Thinking big flat head and mallet.


DONT DO THIS, lol, unless of course someone else agrees with me. But I would try it on my own

 

[lrscott]

I'm thinking about buttoning it up here in 30 min or so. I really don't want to rip it off but, I want to see if there is any sludge.

 

[diff]

I believe your vintage uses gasket maker [silicone] so you have to pry, cut, slice the joint untill it lets go. A stiff bladed putty knife ground to a sharp edge can be tapped carefully into the joint on an angle until it starts to open and then cut along the joint. I've never double checked to see how many bolts front and rear may also hold it on. Good luck.

 

[lrscott]

Well I didn't want to come all that way and give up, but I did lol! Took me 45 min to get the bolts off and another 30min to put them back on. I didn't have the proper equipment to do it and it was not necessary. Seems to run better after that seafoam treatment. I can't believe how black that oil is. I only used a little seafoam and for 25 miles instead of 100, that is specified in the directions. Didn't want to shock the old thing :wink:

 

[shupack]

I did a head-gasket on a 2000, dropped the oil pan to do the front cover/cam/timing chain and there was atleast 1/2" of sludge in the bottom of the pan, I was amazed at how much gunk there was in there.

I put 1qt of transmission fluid in Darcy 200 miles before the change (ended up 500 last change because I got busy ..), it comes out black/nasty, but the oil is starting to look good right before I put in the trans fluid. after about 5 cycles of ATF before the change.

Darcy leaks enough I just use the ATF to top up, but if it's full you can drain 1/2 qt by removing and draining the filter. Let it idle a bit for pressure to stabilize, Amzoil synthetic all the way 'round.

 

[lrscott]

I did a head-gasket on a 2000, dropped the oil pan to do the front cover/cam/timing chain and there was atleast 1/2" of sludge in the bottom of the pan, I was amazed at how much gunk there was in there.

I put 1qt of transmission fluid in Darcy 200 miles before the change (ended up 500 last change because I got busy ..), it comes out black/nasty, but the oil is starting to look good right before I put in the trans fluid. after about 5 cycles of ATF before the change.

Darcy leaks enough I just use the ATF to top up, but if it's full you can drain 1/2 qt by removing and draining the filter. Let it idle a bit for pressure to stabilize, Amzoil synthetic all the way 'round.

I put 10W-40 Castrol GTX Highmileage in it this time. I kinda want to do synthetic but, I have been told the leaks it already has will be worse and that on older engines like mine are designed more for mineral anyways. I think I will prepare and get some silicon next time and then actually drop the pan. I feel bad I did not do it but, I was running out of time and I knew I didn't have any silicon around and was too busy to get any at the time. That is interesting that a 2000 had that much sludge in it, I'll bet mine has twice that lol. Awhile back I took the valve covers off and I did not see any sludge. The metal was varnished and was pretty brown but, it looked like everything was getting lubricated.

I want to put ATF in it or do a more aggressive seafoam treatment, but I am concerned that I will cause other problems that I can't afford to pay for lol.

 

[shupack]

....designed more for mineral ........

as I understand it, engines are designed for oil of a certain viscosity etc. mineral just happened to be the main thing around then. Synthetic has the same properties at normal operations as mineral, but lasts longer AND if you get hot, the synthetic will not break down as quickly. for each revolution of the engine, oil is oil BUT after 100's of 1000's of revolutions, the synthetic will hold up better (and I get better milage on synthetic..)


My leaks are about the same as when I bought her 5 years ago, one of these days I'll take care of some of them...

175,000 miles, it's time for a rebuild methinks.