Heya folks!

It's oil pan replacement time, and I am trying to figure out how best to access the forward bolts on the front engine mounting bracket. There's lots of good information out on the Internets about the later 2.8L models, but this is a 1984 2.5L, and I haven't found much in the way of advice on this job's specifics. Even the Haynes manual kind of glossed over this bit!

How do you actually get at these bolts? Coming in front the wheel well doesn't seem feasible with the bolts facing forwards, and there's a metal plate below the compressor bracket. Are you supposed to remove the entire compressor bracket as well? Not that it would help this particular issue since both brackets are bolted to the block... I'm stuck here; any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much!

Exhibit A) The offending bolts (and the yucky oil pan not long for this world)


Exhibit B) The bolts I'm mostly sure I'm looking at. Interestingly, Autozone's oil pan removal diagrams don't even seem accurate. This is their compressor diagram.


Total unrelated aside, but I'm fairly certain I'm not the first person to do this job, despite the pan's old appearance. Someone drilled out a couple points on the edge of the flange above the bracket to give their RTV more of a place to adhere. Why they did this, I have no idea, but the pan is now hanging on those points. I'll be glad to have the replacement installed.

Loosen top pivot bolts
Remove bottom pivot bolts
Then Should swing compressor to access the 2 bolts.
If Standard "short" sockets won't clear...
find low clearance sockets, Often sold w/ serpent belt wrench kits.
Close head wrench
Ratchet head wrench like https://www.harborfreight.c...rench-set-95552.html but maybe too thick and won't fit between head and bracket.

Otherwise remove top pivot bolts and support the compressor w/o yanking the hoses.

If won't turn easy, spray w/ PB Baster etc and wait hours to days to work.
Not WD40.

------------------
Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave

I just did mine twice. Loosen the alternator belt and AC belt. Remove the engine mount as follows: Make or get an engine support fixture to hold the engine up.. remove the nuts retaining the mount to the cradle. Remove the rear cradle bolts. Drop the cradle a couple inches. There's two bolts on the alternator side of the engine mount bracket and two on the AC compressor side. A universal joint, ratchet and 15mm socket get's all four bolts. You can then get the mount out without removing anything else. It's kind of a pain to get it back in, but it's not awful. I can have the oil pan out and in with the car on jacks stands in about an hour. After doing it twice....

Thank you both! We're in business now, slowly scraping away ancient RTV!

Engine support fixture also helped a ton - floor jack alone was not yielding good results lifting off the cradle.

Nearly there!

quote Originally posted by SpeedyBark: Thank you both! We're in business now, slowly scraping away ancient RTV! Engine support fixture also helped a ton - floor jack alone was not yielding good results lifting off the cradle. Nearly there!

Nice work! If you got the FelPro gasket set, DO NOT USE the rubber seal they provide for the rear of the oil pan. It is wrong. Just lay a fat bead of Ultra black there instead!!!

I hope I'm not too late!