pan gasket 124

[clint77002]

I need to replace the pan gasket in my wife's 87 300D but wasn't too keen on having to pull the pan completely out so I wanted to pose this question to all of you. I have read many of the posts concerning this but wanted to ask if it would it be possible and advisable to do this:
1. drain the oil
2. lift the engine (support it under the motor mounts w/ wood blocks) just enough to drop the pan down an inch or so
3. remove the old gasket w/ the pan resting on the crossmember
4. install the new gasket
5. bolt the pan back
6. lower the engine.

I was hoping to lift the engine as little as possible so as to reduce the possibility of damaging an oil cooler line, etc with the engine lifted higher.

clint