Oil pan removal for a 302

[MJs71Bronc]

Hi all,

What should be an easy process is turning into a 2 day ordeal.  I  bought a 1971 Bronco with the original 302 this year and decided to replace the beat up oil pan.  How hard could it be?  Well, a lot harder than I expected.

I had several muscle cars growing up and know my way around cars.   Granted a Bronco is not a car but why is it so hard to remove the stock oil pan?

I removed all the bolts and broke it free from the gasket and have tried every angle I can think of to remove the pan and it seems to be getting caught up on something inside the pan itself.

I looked all around the pan with a flashlight and it's not getting caught on anything.

Could it really be caught on something inside the pan?  Like the oil pump pickup tube? 

Any and all help is greatly appreciated!!

Mike

 

[Bully Bob]

Hi MJ.., welcome..! 

The pump sets in the front sump. The tube runs to the back sump, with the round screen on it.

I  don't know of anything that could catch/hang-up.

Guessing you have a "lift" & it's clearing the Diff.

Seems lowering the front first will clear the pump.., then drop the rear, to clear the tube/screen.

Also guessing you got it loose from the timing chain cover..?

Is it (pan) badly damaged..?

ALSO.., the dipstick tube extends down into the pan a couple inches. 

You may have to lower the pan slightly, then move it toward the pass. side to clear the  

pick-up tube.

 

[MJs71Bronc]

Thanks Bully Bob.  

 
It does have a 3 inch lift, I did get it free from the timing chain cover and thankfully it's not damaged.  My feeling is that the dipstick tube is the culprit.  I'll try working it off with this in mind.

Thank you again for the help.

This an awesome website and I'm happy to be part of the Bronco crowd..!

MJ

 

[MJs71Bronc]

That should be Bronco crowd

     (fixed it...!) ^_^ /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> 

 

[Rons beast]

Hey MJ......I have found on occasion a crank counterweights is at dead bottom and the pan can't be slid out.  Turning the crank 180 or so  and then try slipping the pan out.

Good luck and welcome.

 

[MJs71Bronc]

Thank you.  I'll try rotating the crank to see if that works.

 

[Jake69Bronco]

Not sure if it'll help but i have a 2" lift and had to drop the track bar to get mine out (after beating and cursing it for a day), i then had to rotate it towards the passenger side to clear the dipstick and pickup.  First time bronco owner and first time doing a lot of this stuff, fortunately it was in need of replacing anyway so my pounding on it didn't matter.