Raising engine to remove oil pan

[kaliona]

1967 F100 with 352.  I'm getting ready to tackle the leaking rear main seal and have read that I'll need to slightly raise the engine in order to remove the oil pan.  I plan on using a hoist to lift the engine either with my manifold lift plate or maybe just use a chain connected to a couple engine bolts somewhere.  Do I need to remove the bell housing bolts?  Or do I just lift the engine and tranny together as far as it will go?
Any other pointers on replacing the rear main with the engine installed are welcomed.
Thanks

[evan_flatt69]

When I had my oil pan off the engine was out of the truck so I don't have true experience with this method but I would try removing the bolt that holds the transmission to the rear transmission crossmember (just to keep it from stressing), possibly take the crossmember out all together, and removing the outermost and forward cylinder head bolts and switch them for some much longer ones to hoist by. And of course you'll need to remove the bolts holding the engine to it's stand. Once that is done you should be able to get enough clearance to remove the oil pan all together or unbolt the oil pump, drop it in the pan, and then pull the pan off.

But if I were you and had any type of access to a shop crane, I'd pull the engine and transmission. This will give you much more room to work around the engine and tackle any other issues that might come up or need to be addressed. Not to mention it probably wouldn't take as long.

[elgemcdlf]

Take the motor mounts loose & pick it up as high as you can get it to go. I guess I should have said drain the oil 1st. Take out the pan bolts. Now you will need to reach up inside & drop the oil pump into the pan. The pan should come out the front. You may need to rotate the crank little by little as you work the pan forward. Now that you have the pan out you can pull main caps 1 by 1. Pull 1, inspect the bearing, put it back. Repeat until you have checked them all. The main reason a main seal leaks is bad bearings. You will find it easier to leave the caps loose so the crank can drop a bit to put the seal in. Every little bit helps. Be sure to lube the new seal very well. You don't want to burn it up on the 1st crank of the engine. Since you have the pan off you might as well replace the oil pump. It is inexpensive & you are right there. Torque your main caps working from the center out to each end. Lace the pan back in & bolt her up. Set the engine back in place & finalize the motor mounts. You may want to replace them as well right now. After all you are right there & they are most likely old. Fill her with oil, pull the distributor & prime the new oil pump, replace the distributor & fire the beast up. Set your timing & hope the seal holds.

[kaliona]

I just had the engine out a couple months ago and changed the rear main seal at that time, but apparently I didn't do it right and it's leaking   .  That's why I'm changing it again.  No leaks or drips from anywhere else on the engine (intake, oil pan, t/c cover, water pump, etc).  I really don't want to pull the engine again just to change the rear main seal, so I'm going to try it with you guys' suggestions.  I was real careful when I changed it last time so I don't know what I did wrong.  Now I have to try and get it right while laying under the truck  

[Donnie]

Follow the process noted by Elge...He has the process NAILED....do what he said & you will be rollin' again...   ......Donnie

[elgemcdlf]

I just had the engine out a couple months ago and changed the rear main seal at that time, but apparently I didn't do it right and it's leaking   .  That's why I'm changing it again.  No leaks or drips from anywhere else on the engine (intake, oil pan, t/c cover, water pump, etc).  I really don't want to pull the engine again just to change the rear main seal, so I'm going to try it with you guys' suggestions.  I was real careful when I changed it last time so I don't know what I did wrong.  Now I have to try and get it right while laying under the truck  

Did you check/replace the main bearings at that time? If all is good it is most likely a dry seal when you put it in. Is it a rubber or cloth type seal? If cloth (original style) you will need a sneaky pete to put the new seal in. If rubber & it was lubed very well you may have it in backwards. You want it installed so any oil against it will force it tighter to the crankshaft.

[Kurt Combs]

I pulled the pan on a 360 and damaged the C-6 coolant lines when lifting the engine. Just a FYI if you have an automatic trans.

[kaliona]

Elgem, if I'm reading you pic correctly, then I put the seal in the wrong way.  I could have sworn the instructions that came with the rubber seal said to intall it with the lip "towards" the engine.  Attached is a pic of the type I installed.  So as I look at the pic, the surface of that seal I'm looking at would be installed away from the engine (towards the flex plate), right?  The back side of that seal is the flat side and would be facing the engine?  And I did lube it up well when I installed it.  I installed it so the seal ends were offset about 3/8" past the bearing mating surfaces.  The only thing I didn't do was put any rtv on the ends of the seal nor on the bearing mating surfaces.  Should I have used rtv too?

[elgemcdlf]

When you look at the seal you should be able to figure out if oil pressure will push past the seal or force the seal down against the crank. You want it to force itself against the crank.