I jacked it up until it hit the firewall. It was enough to get the old gasket out and a new one in. It is not enough to remove or replace the oil pump, at least that I remember.

 

Wolf, I want to remove the oil pan to clean it up really good. That is why I was asking about the pump, I didn't know if there was enough clearance to remove the pan without removing the oil pump?

 

I was going to try to do this job and ended up not doing it after getting under the truck and seeing how little clearance I would have even with the engine jacked up.

Next time I ever have to do gaskets, I’m pulling the engine out of the truck.

 

The pan gasket can be done without lifting the engine . I have done as others have . If you use a blue fel pro gasket and fish it up around the outside of the pan, it will work .

I was lucky in The fact that my old gasket came out in big chunks , I was worried about gasket material dropping inwards into the pan , but I went slow and that was not really a concern after I got started.

 

I tried last year on my 89 and couldn't get enough room to properly get the old cork gasket out, specially if your gasket is brittle, it just breaks apart and falls in the pan anyway.
Pulled engine!

 

I removed upper plenum, fan, radiator and jacked motor up until it hit firewall. I was able to pull oil pan out and pull oil pump and pickup in one shot. Be very wary of the direction the oil pump to distributor drive shaft is oriented because if you have the collar upside down, it will drop into oil pan next time you pull distributor. Biggest nightmare was mounting oil pump again with minimal space and keeping the oil pump drive shaft installed and aligned into distributor but some patience and it’s no problem.

 

Let me clarify actually, you drop oil pan and then unbolt oil pump and let it drop into the pan and then pull it out in one shot.