Oil pan

[stewielax8]

1990 Ranger V6 4.0L, 4x4. Is it possible to replace the oil pan gasket with the engine still in the truck? The Chilton manual is telling me I have to remove the engine from the truck, but I really don't feel like doing that. And if you can do it engine still in the truck, how hard is it for a not professional at all who taught himself auto repair from YouTube?

 

[Mark_88]

I'd say it may be possible on a 2wd vehicle but less likely on 4wd. problem is clearance and getting the gasket to stay in place while you get the pan lined up...much easier to do wth the engine out...even with a 4 banger...

 

[tbunch]

is it possible? Sure, more possible than it would be on a 7.3 turbo diesel, but your problem(s) are that the oil pickup tube goes deep into the pan so you would have to fish the gasket beneath the pickup tube and back up again, all the while trying to keep the gasket dry. On top of that, the 90 model has a worm gasket which means it has a groove on the ridge of the pan that the gasket sits in and both ends of the pan will have silicon in that groove where it forms around the crank, cleaning that silicon off, without dropping any in the pan to clog the pickup screen, all with only about 2 inches of room while lying on your back and fighting that huge crossmember...

It has been done before, but personally I wouldn't do it, if you can borrow a decent engine hoist and know how to turn a wrench the 4.0 OHV is easy to take out and put back in and you have a chance while its out to do other gaskets like the timing cover with clear access and the ability to keep everything nice and clean. Just did this last weekend.