roberer

Does anyone out there know whether the oil pan gasket can be replaced without removing the engine? 1948 Olds 78 4-door L8 with Hydramatic.

Also Can the engine rear seal be changed without removing the engine. I have a leak in one or the other.

A video would be good-I have a big floor jack and access to a car lift.

Help?!

oldcutlass

I moved your thread to the Vintage Olds section for some good feed back to your question.

roberer

I appreciate that, thanks!

twintracks

The oil pan can be removed on a '37 257 Eight. I've done mine twice in the last two years, with the engine in place. The oil pan on them has to be removed to remove the front cover, and front motor mount. The pan is bolted to the bottom of the front cover. I put a new timing chain in mine last fall. Pan comes off first, then support the engine, then remove the front motor mount, then the front cover. Mine ran infinitely better with a new timing chain. If it looks like your pan will clear your cross member, it should be removable with the engine in place.
I've heard it's possible to slip a new rear main seal in with the engine in place, but I've never tried it. Every time I mess with a rear main, I make the leak worse than it was before. I guess it's over my pay grade.
Remember too, oil leaks run down hill. Make sure your valve train access side covers are not the original source of the leak.

Russ Golesh

First, drain oil completely. Then remove the 2 bolts from bottom of front motor mount. Then, place a piece of 4x4 on a floor jack CAREFULLY placed under center of manifolds, and raise front of engine roughly 2 to 3 inches. Remove all 34 hex head bolts from oil pan & remove pan. Completely clean old gasket material from pan & block.
Buy a one piece pan gasket from Egge Machine (made by Best Gaskets). Use RTV or equivalent sparingly & reinstall oil pan. Do yourself a favor & replace both valve cover gaskets at same time, but replace factory wing nuts with hex nuts and lock washers that don't loosen like the wing nuts do. You'll be glad you did so!

Tedd Thompson

This is a 4 year old post but I found it interesting and I learned a thing or two.... Tedd