Oil Pan+Pump Replacment in a 95 (56K Warrning!)

As many of us FSB owners know the oil pan has a tendency to rust out, and what a wonderful thing because of how much work it takes to change. It took me seven hours of lying on my back in the drive way, getting dirtier than I ever have been before. This is a walk through of with I did.



First, acquire all the parts you need. I chose to spray a couple generous coats of truck bead coating on the pan the day before, to maybe avoid the problem again. I also decided sine I was down there I would replace my oil pump.



This is the stock pan, notice the rust bubbles, they are way worse on the other side, I just couldn’t get a picture.



Step 1: Drain oil and you can see the oil on my front axle from the filter.


Next I removed the fan from the clutch so it would not hit the shroud or radiator when I moved the engine.


With lots of heat I removed t he nuts holding the crossover pipes on the exhaust manifolds.


This one took the whole stud out, well poo. The nuts were 2 different sizes, a 15mm and 16mm. I thought that was weird?!?


Then I unbolted the motor mounts from below, that was easy as pie.



Now that the engine mounts are un-bolted I can jack up the engine, make sure to use a piece of wood between where ever it is you jack it up from, I just used the oil pan. And as you can see there was a little spill.



Jacked it up until the upper intake hit the fire wall.



Next I jammed a piece of wood between the motor mounts and the cross member, I had to “custom” make the wood, cause it was not a normal size.



With the engine jacked up you can un-bolt the oil pan, and the oil pump. The oil pump has two bolts in it, one of them visible in this picture; it’s the small bolt right near the harmonic balancer in this picture. Once the oil pump is un-bolted, just let it fall into the pan. You also have to remove a nut the holds the pick-up tube to the engine, it’s about midway back.



Too get the pan out I had to disconnect my exhaust where the muffler meets the cat, not hard since I put a new cat back on 2 years ago.



I also had to remove the muffler from its hangers.



I also have to remove the inspection plate on the tranny, yes it was that close, but by disconnecting the exhaust and removing this piece; I did not have to take the upper intake off. YAY!



With the pan off you can inspect the bottom end of the motor, everything looked ship shape to me. You can see where the oil pick-up attaches, it is the main bolt which is also a stud. (If that makes sense.)



The pump and the pick-up will still be attached when the pan come off, I thought it was easier to do it this way. Make sure you clean the pick-up tube, mine did not have anything in it, but I cleaned it anyway.



The old pump on the left and the new one on the right. I decided to get a Melling high flow pump to replace the stocker; I figure you can’t have too much oil. It was twice as heavy and quite a bit bigger, will suck later.



Bolted the pick-up to the new pump, the little rod sticking out of the pump is the drive shaft for it, which runs off the distributor. If there is one tip I can offer, it is to make sure and look at where the stock one connects to the distributor, because I didn’t and it was a MAJOR PAIN IN THE ASS to find where to put it back in. Also make sure you clean off the old gaskets, mine were really on there.



I set it all in the pan and ran the pump backwards by hand to prime it, don’t want to start up dry.



With the pump and pick-up in the pan, along with the gasket set in place throw it back up in place, it was a really tight fit, I guess because the old pan kinda broke apart upon removal.



Now you have to bolt in the oil pump and pick-up. Easier said than done, because the oil pump was heavier it was a PAIN to hold it in place with one finger and try to get a bolt in, and this was also when I played around with the pump shaft for frickin’ ever. But once you get the pump on just bolt the pan on. Making sure the gasket made a good seal.



All bolted in, looks good. Now all left to do is reconnect everything and test run it. I ran it for a ½ hour in the driveway, not leaks accept for a little one from the drain plug I didn’t quite tighten up.



I have never been dirtier in my life, not to mention really sore the next day.



With a sticker on the inside of the hood, I mark the project off my list.