M113 Lower Oil Pan Removal - Gilly?
 

Gilly,

I can't seem to break the sealant loose to remove the lower oil pan. I can get a pry bar in between the two external flanges on the left side of the pan, but can't get it to budge. I'm afraid that, if I pry too hard, I'll bend and distort the pan in that area.

Any ideas on how to break it free?

PS. Thanks for the earlier tip on looking carefully to be sure that all bolts were removed. I gave it one final inspection before trying to pry the lower pan off, and found one I missed.

113 oil pan
 

ther should be below the a/c compressor a little flange that is used to allow the pans to be seperated. here are some pictures regarding application of the sealant, it is critical to follow the pattern and use the correct sealant to avoid having the pan leak

Yes, the flat spots on the left side of the pan is the place to start. I've used a chisel in there, just pound it all the way in towards the rear of the car, just the right size to spread this gap open.

Gilly

And that "brute force" won't deform the pan? I levered on it pretty hard, but the sealant would not break loose.

Thanks for the pics. I have the WIS. Now, if I can just pop the pan off without bending it! :eek:

Putty Knife?
 

Gilly,

What do you think of the putty knife suggestion that someone made over on the Tech Forum?

Could you put a rigid plastic wedge in the space and gently tap it in the space to get the sealant to release?

That's a good question. In the pair of tabs on the side, there's about 1/16"-1/8" of open space to start a wedge, but the wedge can't be any wider than 1/2"-3/4". There's not a lot of space there.

Where would one find rigid plastic wedges?

As long as you are sure the bolts are all removed, no, the brute force won't damage the pan. It is a casting, it won't bend or deform, it will only break, and the sealant alone won't stick hard enough for the pan to break. I just use a chisel instead of plastic, just don't allow the chisel to damage the sealing surface, keep it between the tabs. I know it can be stubborn, as long as the bolts are all removed TRUST me it'll come off without damage.

Gilly

PS This kind of shows how good that Loctite 5900 is.

Maybe as a future cost cutting measure, they could eliminate all nuts and bolts in the engine? :rolleyes:

Thanks for the tip. Looks like this will be the weekend "finish up" project. The only obstacle that's left is to pop that pan.

THANKS Gilly!!
 

The cold chisel in there did the job. Since there wasn't enough room to really lay back and whack on it, I tapped it in as tight as I could. I then used the chisel as a lever to break it free. A 1" putty knife broke the rest of it free.

Lacquer thinner and industrial Scotch Brite got the old stuff off. Even after three days, there was still oil dripping and seeping down the sides and out onto the flange.

Let's hope I got the right amount of Loctite 5900 back on it before I reassembled. I'll find out tomorrow, as I'm going to let it cure over night before adding the oil.

Thanks again for your, as always, most excellent help!

P.S. If you ever have to do this on a G500, raise the front of the body by the frame so that the front axle drops down. Makes it a lot easier to take the pan out over the axle. Also, while not mandatory, removing the skid plate makes access a whole lot easier - especially when trying to reach the connector at the top of the oil level sensor.

You got that wire disconnected OK I take it?

Gilly

Yes. Press in on one side at the top to free the catch and pull the plug out to the side. Impossible to reach with fingers. I used a long flat bladed screw driver both to release the catch and to lever the connector out of the sensor.

Dutch, quick question about this ---> P.S. If you ever have to do this on a G500, raise the front of the body by the frame so that the front axle drops down. Makes it a lot easier to take the pan out over the axle.

Is this the same for a '99 ML430? I've tried removing the oil pan once before. I got all of the bolts removed, broke the seal, but was only able to slide the pan back and forth.... couldn't remove it because of the axle. Does your suggestion for the G500 work on the ML's as well?

Thanks!!!

That's a question I can't answer, as I've never owned or worked on an ML. Does the ML even have a rigid axle like the G?

If I remember correctly, Gilly indicated somewhere that raising the engine in an ML made the job a whole lot easier. I'll bet that he'll step in here to help with a definitive answer.

Sorry I can't be of more help to your situation.