How hard its it to drop the oil pan once the head and timing cover are off? It looks like I will have to drop the front axle to get clearance or can I jack the engine up enough to get the pan out? The timing chain tensioner failed the chain than ate through the steel guide and then into the timing chain cover into the water pump housing dumping coolant into the engine. So I'm thinking it might be a good idea to remove the pan and clean it out before putting the new timing cover on. I just don't know how much room I need before the pan will slide out without getting caught on the strainer or anything. The truck is a 89 pickup 4x4 with a 22re.

 

Hate to tell you but you have to drop the front differential. =( And yes you should drop the pan at least get the debri's out that inevitably fall into it when you remove the head/timing cover. ie silicone scraps, gasket pieces etc.

And when you reinstall everything, install timing cover, head, then pan. fyi

Dropping the dif is just time consuming and tedious. I suppose you might be able to undo the engine mounts and lift the motor but with the head off theres no really easy way to do that. I recently pulled a headless 22R out by using old head bolts (2) and carabeaners, it worked but lil sketch =) I also wrapped the motor with a strap for safety but ya... might be possible if you had a body lift, dunno, never actually tried it.

 

no it isnt, dropping the diff took me 30-40 mins by myself..
its pretty easy, only 3 bolts... get a jack under it and lower it down slowly while using a prybar to get the diff off/out of its position..

 

w/o the valve cover on, I undid the motor mounts and the tranny crossmember and jacked the engine/tranny up by the bellhousing. Then I pulled the pan.

 

doing it that way, is that enough clearance to get the oil pickup unbolted and stuff?
i wonder witch way takes longer.

 

Yes sir, its easy that way and I used air tools to take the bolts out for the xmember and the motormount bolts. It took about ten minutes or so if I recall correctly. Also it helps to have a high lift floor jack.

 

oh wow, hmm
high lift floor jack?
like, the 4x4 jacks...? or just a floor jack that goes pretty high lol.

 

Haha, its a arcan "high lift" floor jack from costco!

 

ooo
i got a michelin( big puffy white guy tires thing) jack, its really good. It has this thing called speedy lift, about 4 pumps and it already has my truck up and whatnot.

 

I got it out by unbolting the motor mounts and jacking it up. I had enough room to reach into the oil pan and unbolt the pickup tube then it came out from the front. There was just barely enough room but with the radiator and accessorys already out of the way it came out.

 

I'm glad it worked out okay!

 

I tried to get the pan out from under my 92 22re 5 speed. Took the cross member out, jacked the engine up, no luck. There is not enough clearence because of what I think is the sway bar. It will not come out. I droped it enough to get my hand in there and blindly scoop the crap out of the oil pan. But that was as far as I could go. Did get the pick up tube unbolted so that I can clean off the screen.

 

Thats good, you shoulda dropped the diff like how i did it.

 

It's 2wd?

 

I hate to beat a dead horse...but can you or can you not get the friggin oil pan out without dropping the entire front differential and steering elements? I jacked up my 89 4WD 4 cyl with a 15" floor jack and a 4x4 block and still couldn't get the pan out. I mean come on it's an oil pan for freak's sake! it should be easy...(oh yah, I did loosen the engine mount nuts...just in case)

I am taking the oil pan out because when I went to replace the timing chain (along with cylinder head, rocker arm/assembly, water pump) I couldn't get the timing case off without taking out oil pan. also wonder why my rocker arms got all messed up in the first place, thinking maybe it's an oil supply issue. so it make sense to get in there and take a look but what a pain!

btw, I have seen the very long post (AllCammedUp) with the super awesome instructions for mega process oil pan removal...I'm just looking for confirmation, that YES I really have to go there.

thanks in advance.