oil pan gasket

[rangermike5353]

I have a 1995 2.3l do you need to raise the engine & tranny to remove the pan also the molded gasket is that all you need or do you have to use rtv sealant on each end of the pan as well. Thanks Mike

 

[tomw]

I have read that the engine must be raised to replace the pan gasket.

I do not have access to the question about the need for RTV silicone sealer.

If there are 'corners' where the main bearing caps extend below the bottom of the block sealing area, RTV is usually recommended. If the caps 'blend' with a curve, RTV is generally not recommended. Where engines have a separate front cover for belt or chains, and there is a gasket between cover & block, in many cases RTV is recommended to be blobbed onto the spot where the cover meets the block, taking up any void that the pan gasket(O-ring) would potentially not conform to and fill.
It may be possible to snake out an O-ring type gasket, going around the oil pump pickup, but the gasket would likely end up being oiled, and thus might not seal properly, and have more tendency to squeeze out than a completely dry gasket/surface would have.
tom

 

[rangermike5353]

thanks tom for responding.On my vehicle it doesnt have the pickup tube for the oil pump . i replaced the old one when i replaced the timing belt . The pump comes straight out from the front of engine . the only way to prime it is to turn over the engine a few times. I guess the way to tell if there is any place to put the silicone is to drop the pan and look . I just bought this 95 ranger and he tells me its never been repalced before

 

[pat julian]

Well this clears up a question...got my oil changed last week at NTB...and the techs always come out with a list of "things' ther want to do...one of which was replace the oil pan gasket because it was leaking...I keep an eye on fluids every day since I drive 300 miles per day in my '93 2.3 five speed..and I haven't noticed any loss of oil...but when I read on their print out.."ENGINE MUST BE REMOVED'" TO REPLACE THE GASKET...I figured they were nuts...I've never seen an engine that needed removing to replace an oil pan gasket...is this correct??? have to remove motor mounts and other parts to replace the gasket ??? I have another question unrelated..so I'll post that above..thanks for any insight into this obvious piss poor design...pj