'68 Fury w/318 oil pan gasket- any easy way to do this??

Rosco

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I am planning to change a leaking oil pan gasket in my 68 Fury. My shop manual says:
-remove engine torque converter left housing
-remove steering and idle arm ball joints from steering linkage center link
-remove exhaust cross-over pipe from exhaust manifolds and leave it hanging without disconnecting it from muffler

Dang. I must admit I have no idea what the "engine torque converter left housing" is (without doing a ton of research). And, I don't have a ball joint removal tool or care to gorilla them off and have to replace any of them if necessary...
I have read in other posts talk of jacking the engine up at the balancer!?!? Whoa.
Is it possible to do this thing without doing all the steps mentioned in my manual? I need to plan accordingly as the car is not with me at the moment (it's in Mexico) and if I need to do the ball joints I'll have to bring a removal/installation tool with me, an expense I'd rather avoid if there is a reasonable way to MacGyver the operation. Any thoughts?
 
I am planning to change a leaking oil pan gasket in my 68 Fury. My shop manual says:
-remove engine torque converter left housing
-remove steering and idle arm ball joints from steering linkage center link
-remove exhaust cross-over pipe from exhaust manifolds and leave it hanging without disconnecting it from muffler

Dang. I must admit I have no idea what the "engine torque converter left housing" is (without doing a ton of research). And, I don't have a ball joint removal tool or care to gorilla them off and have to replace any of them if necessary...
I have read in other posts talk of jacking the engine up at the balancer!?!? Whoa.
Is it possible to do this thing without doing all the steps mentioned in my manual? I need to plan accordingly as the car is not with me at the moment (it's in Mexico) and if I need to do the ball joints I'll have to bring a removal/installation tool with me, an expense I'd rather avoid if there is a reasonable way to MacGyver the operation. Any thoughts?

The torque convertor left housing brace is a small brace that needs to be gotten out of the way to clear the pan. You do not need to remove the ball joints from the spindles. Remove the tie rod ends and the connectors at the pitman arm and the idler arm, that will drop the steering linkage. You can use a pickle fork for this operation but that will usually destroy the rubber parts on the steering joints. There is also a tie rod end puller that clamps on and pushers the stud for the tie rods and other joints out of the linkage without damage. If your tie rods and other joints are in good shape this tool is what you should use. Down load the FSM at www.mymopar.com, its free and gives detailed photos of the front end and explains how it comes apart. Read the section in the FSM on the oil pan. If the car has a cross over pipe, it will need to be unbolted from the exhaust manifolds to get the pan off. Most of the time the 318 pan can be removed without having to jack up the engine on a C-Body, but on some models raising the engine can be necessary. Remove all the pan bolts after you have drained the oil and see if it will clear the cross member after you pop it loose from the block. 318 oil pan seals are a major pain in the butt as they tend to want to fall out as the pan is reinstalled. I suggest getting some Hi-Tack Sealer and gluing them in place before trying to reinstall the pan.

Are you sure it is the pan that is leaking, a lot of the time bad valve cover gaskets will mimic a bad pan gasket. The other thing to check is the front hub seal as if that is bad it will leach oil down both sides of the engine. Before pulling the pan, be sure that is where the oil is coming from.

Good Luck.

Dave
 
G'Day Fellas, Many years ago I had a leaking Oil Pressure Switch fool me into thinking I had a leaking Rear Main Seal in a 383CI. Thankfully a Fellow Club member had had the same thing happen to Him. Saved me a Lot of Work. Have a really good look before you start pulling things apart. Regards Tony.M
 
The torque convertor left housing brace is a small brace that needs to be gotten out of the way to clear the pan. You do not need to remove the ball joints from the spindles. Remove the tie rod ends and the connectors at the pitman arm and the idler arm, that will drop the steering linkage. You can use a pickle fork for this operation but that will usually destroy the rubber parts on the steering joints. There is also a tie rod end puller that clamps on and pushers the stud for the tie rods and other joints out of the linkage without damage. If your tie rods and other joints are in good shape this tool is what you should use. Down load the FSM at www.mymopar.com, its free and gives detailed photos of the front end and explains how it comes apart. Read the section in the FSM on the oil pan. If the car has a cross over pipe, it will need to be unbolted from the exhaust manifolds to get the pan off. Most of the time the 318 pan can be removed without having to jack up the engine on a C-Body, but on some models raising the engine can be necessary. Remove all the pan bolts after you have drained the oil and see if it will clear the cross member after you pop it loose from the block. 318 oil pan seals are a major pain in the butt as they tend to want to fall out as the pan is reinstalled. I suggest getting some Hi-Tack Sealer and gluing them in place before trying to reinstall the pan.

Are you sure it is the pan that is leaking, a lot of the time bad valve cover gaskets will mimic a bad pan gasket. The other thing to check is the front hub seal as if that is bad it will leach oil down both sides of the engine. Before pulling the pan, be sure that is where the oil is coming from.

Good Luck.

Dave
DAve,
Thanks for the excellent response and guidance. I will study the photos and look at my book to better understand the components. Could be the leak(s) are coming from somewhere else.
 
G'Day Fellas, Many years ago I had a leaking Oil Pressure Switch fool me into thinking I had a leaking Rear Main Seal in a 383CI. Thankfully a Fellow Club member had had the same thing happen to Him. Saved me a Lot of Work. Have a really good look before you start pulling things apart. Regards Tony.M
Hey, I appreciate the thought. I will have a close look but I have a feeling the pan is the culprit.
 
Everyone wants to make a problem bigger than it is.
Unless someone already cranked the crap out of the pan bolts, or the car has 950,000 miles on it. My guess would be the pan is loose.
 
have you tried snugging up the pan bolts if it is in fact the pan gasket. just a thought

Regardless of whether the pan bolts are loose or not, have the engine steam cleaned or pressure washed on the under side. It is probably a mess under there anyway. That way you can start clean to see where the oil is coming from and cuss a lot less from greasy crud falling in your face if you do need to pull the pan.

Dave
 
Everyone wants to make a problem bigger than it is.
Unless someone already cranked the crap out of the pan bolts, or the car has 950,000 miles on it. My guess would be the pan is loose.
Let's hope as much!! First thing I will check.
 
Regardless of whether the pan bolts are loose or not, have the engine steam cleaned or pressure washed on the under side. It is probably a mess under there anyway. That way you can start clean to see where the oil is coming from and cuss a lot less from greasy crud falling in your face if you do need to pull the pan.

Dave
Haaaa! I'm anticipating some cussing. I did have a question for you regarding the "FSM". What is this? Sorry, I took a look at the link you sent but am not sure where to go from there. "Fury Service Manual"?
 
Haaaa! I'm anticipating some cussing. I did have a question for you regarding the "FSM". What is this? Sorry, I took a look at the link you sent but am not sure where to go from there. "Fury Service Manual"?
I have the factory Plymouth service manual (~500 pgs.)
 
Haaaa! I'm anticipating some cussing. I did have a question for you regarding the "FSM". What is this? Sorry, I took a look at the link you sent but am not sure where to go from there. "Fury Service Manual"?

FSM is short for "Field Service Manual", tools/reference section, '68 Plymouth Service Manual

Dave
 
Same thing.

Dave
The service manual is great. I only wish there was an index...
My manual mentions the steering gear arm and idler arm and shows the "tie rod end assembly(s)" attached to these. Is this the pitman arm/idler arm you were referring to as needing to remove in order to "drop the steering linkage"?
I may not be jumping into this operation. All the front suspension parts are new territory for me. I've been busy googling steering and suspension parts just to try and get to know the parts and operation. The more I look into it the less I realize I know...
But, if I can understand this right it may not be beyond my pay grade.
I did find this tool: Tie Rod and Pitman Arm Puller. Is that what you were referring to? Do I need a reinstall tool to put the tie rod ends back together or does the nut pull the stud back into the housing?
So, if i can remove the tie rod ends from the pitman and idler arm and lower the steering linkage then the remove the torque converter left housing brace and exhaust crossover piece the pan may be ready to come out? Would I need to support the steering linkage? I still can't find the TCLHB in my manual but I assume it will be obviously in my way. If I need to jack up the engine in order for the pan to clear the cross member I assume that means remove the attachment at the motor mounts?
Three steps. I'm feeling better about this operation. And, who know, after a close inspection it may not be necessary.
 
They also show this tool:
Inner Tie Rod Removal Set
Listed as an "inner tie rod removal tool".
Would this be better?

You do not need to remove the pitman arm from the steering gear, just pop the stud at the base of it out of the linkage. the tie rod removal tool can be used for this. Remove the two outer tie rod ends from their sockets and unbolt the idler arm from the frame, the linkage is now free and can be removed and gotten out of the way. Once it is loose and out of the way there is no reason for any support of the rest of the steering. The studs that hold the steering linkage together are tapered so no other tools are needed to reinstall, the nut will pull things back together. Most of the time the pan will come out of a C-Body without having to jack up the engine. If you need to jack it up, take the motor mounts loose and put a block of wood under the front hub and jack the engine carefully up about 1", you need to be careful not to break the fan shroud if the car has one.

Dave
 
You do not need to remove the pitman arm from the steering gear, just pop the stud at the base of it out of the linkage. the tie rod removal tool can be used for this. Remove the two outer tie rod ends from their sockets and unbolt the idler arm from the frame, the linkage is now free and can be removed and gotten out of the way. Once it is loose and out of the way there is no reason for any support of the rest of the steering. The studs that hold the steering linkage together are tapered so no other tools are needed to reinstall, the nut will pull things back together. Most of the time the pan will come out of a C-Body without having to jack up the engine. If you need to jack it up, take the motor mounts loose and put a block of wood under the front hub and jack the engine carefully up about 1", you need to be careful not to break the fan shroud if the car has one.

Dave
thanks Dave.
So, it sounds like both tie rod end tools would be helpful; the tie rod removal tool you quoted and the outer tie rod tool as well. I don't have a fan shroud and the radiator will be removed. You say jack the engine at the hub? Is this where the engine mounts to the trani?
I may be figuring a lot of this out once I'm under the car- not having a good image of the steering linkage/front suspension. As long as I have the right tools.
 
thanks Dave.
So, it sounds like both tie rod end tools would be helpful; the tie rod removal tool you quoted and the outer tie rod tool as well. I don't have a fan shroud and the radiator will be removed. You say jack the engine at the hub? Is this where the engine mounts to the trani?
I may be figuring a lot of this out once I'm under the car- not having a good image of the steering linkage/front suspension. As long as I have the right tools.

The front hub/front pulley. Do not ever jack an engine from anyplace on the transmission. Put a block of wood under the front pulley to protect it and use a hydraulic jack to raise the engine if necessary.

Dave
 
You do not need to remove the pitman arm from the steering gear, just pop the stud at the base of it out of the linkage. the tie rod removal tool can be used for this. Remove the two outer tie rod ends from their sockets and unbolt the idler arm from the frame, the linkage is now free and can be removed and gotten out of the way. Once it is loose and out of the way there is no reason for any support of the rest of the steering. The studs that hold the steering linkage together are tapered so no other tools are needed to reinstall, the nut will pull things back together. Most of the time the pan will come out of a C-Body without having to jack up the engine. If you need to jack it up, take the motor mounts loose and put a block of wood under the front hub and jack the engine carefully up about 1", you need to be careful not to break the fan shroud if the car has one.

Dave
Hey Dave,
Is there any danger associated with the torsion bars with removing the steering linkage outlined here? Too, is removing the idler arm from the frame easier than just removing it from the center link (as suggested w/ the pitman arm)
thanks.
 
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