Replacing oil pan and rear main seal, any pointers?

[detroitdiesel]

Hello, I am going to be replacing the engine oil pan and rear main seal on my 1988 safari, and was wondering of there is anything you guys think I should know that would make my job easier? I plan on removing the starter, and the tranny inspection plate and that's about it. I'll take some pictures and maybe a video of the procces, if anyone wants them...

[Big_kid]

Doesn't this engine have a 1 piece rear main seal? Advance auto shows a 1 piece for it on their site, but the pics could be wrong. I know the V8 cars went to a 1 piece rear main seal starting in '86.

If you're willing and able to take the time to document the process, by all means- please do! Post it up here for all to see. It will be for others either a shining example or a horrible warning. Either way, it will be appreciated by all. (Just kidding about the warning part!) Kidding aside, good writeups quite often become stickies in their forums.

[detroitdiesel]

I think your right. Anyways, i started pulling the tranny tonight. Just got all the engine and tranny fluids drained as well as the drive shaft and doghouse off. Tomorrow after work i think i will be able to get the tranny out for sure and get the seal removed and the oil pan unbolted. Im also doing the front tranny seal while its out as its a little leaky as well. I think i might turn this into the secondary vehicle i drive while i put a new engine into my olds diesel (its getting tired at the moment after 31 years.)

[Big_kid]

Good call on the torque converter seal while it's out anyway. I ALWAYS replace it whenever it's accessible. Give the flexplate a once over for bad teeth or cracks so long as it's out.

Something else I started doing on cars some time ago is cutting the transmission lines where they're accessible, and using compression fittings to reconnect them. I got tired of squeezing my hands up to the fittings trying to get them in straight when I could barely move. I've not looked at the underside of an Astro to see how much room is up there though.

[detroitdiesel]

Well the tranny is out. I'll post some pictures and make a list of order in which I took things off. Everything was really easy to get at compared to my olds or a half ton, especially the bolts holding the tranny to the engine. I now just have to Order the parts which as of now include oil pan and rear main seal, trans filter, and front and rear tranny seal. The local napa was closed today so I will have to wait until around Tuesday until I have everything.

[cowboydan]

why didn't you just order the parts before? you could have saved this from happening. the seal is the same for many models not just 4.3. unlikely that you would have gotten the wrong parts.

[detroitdiesel]

I wasn't in any rush I guess. I planned on ordering them today, but didn't know the owner and only worker had the flu.lol. Still, it's no big deal, I am patient at the moment as I have lots to do on the farm at the moment. Also, here's a video I took with regards to where I am as of now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR-WFEPg9rY

[cowboydan]

nice video. you did mention that you are going to be working on an oldsmobile? it wouldn't happen to be a 1982 grey olds cutlas supreme would it? if so, it was stolen from me and i would like it back


just kidding. mine, i donated it to my high school and we swapped out the 6.2 or 6.5... what ever, for a buick 350 then they sold it and bought a broken 66 porshe. but that was like ..... man.... 94? i think it was 94 anyway, be careful putting the tranny back in. those torque converters hurt like hell when they slip off.