1991 b2600i 4wd oil pan removal

[flourdude]

I am needing to remove the oil pan to put a new gasket on. Most of the books (as well as Alldata) say to remove the front axle etc to do it. Is it easier/faster to just pull the engine and do it that way?

I was going to do it by the book but I am stuck since I cannot get the freewheel hub bolts loose at all and they are getting rounded off

Any suggestions or words of wisdom would help since I am about to bang my head against the wall at this point!

Thanks,

Brad

[junior3382]

Welcome to the forum:
Simply..... No. Pulling the engine would require detaching the mounts, the tranny, draining the coolant,. the oil and so much more. Just to replace a seal? Nah, it is easier to remove the front drive components. Is it 4wd? If so it will be a bit more challanging, however the 2wd is simpler. And the good news is, if all you are doing is replacing the gasket, you do not need to take the pan 100% off, just frop it about six inches. Use a glass scraper to remove all the old gasket from the pan and the bottom of the block. Then u should be able to add the gasket and reatatch. Time wise, and risk wise, it is easier from underneath bud. Good luck.

[flourdude]

thanks! Is it necessary to remove the free wheel hub bolts at all since that is where I am stuck at this point or can I move on to other things? The metal on the bolts is very soft and the more I mess with them the worse it gets.

The bolts seem to be around 10mm (but just a little big) but not quite a 9mm.

It is 4wd which makes a pain in the butt. If it was 2wd it would be much easier, indeed.

[junior3382]

First, I think those nuts are not metric. So if I remember correctly, I think those are 9/16"...... or 7/16" darn, I forget. It has been a while.

And second, you do not want to break them.

I was curious, are you using a full one piece gasket, or silicone?

[flourdude]

well, the freewheel hub bolts are not 7/16" or 9/16". 10mm seems to be closest metric wise, and 3/8" is almost the right fit but a just a little small where I can barely get around it. It just seems to be an odd size. They have never been off (I am the original owner).

I am just going to use silicone since it originally did not come from the factory with a gasket and I figure I will just keep it the same. I just don't think I can drop it enough to do it.

[junior3382]

I am sorry, did you mean the Flywheel bolts? Or at least the ones behind the protective plate behind the Flywheel? I am sorry, I was a bit confused.

I still hold they are not metric. If the 3/8" did not work, do you have a 13/32? If not, and the 10mm is the closest, try a loosener like WD-40 and see if it does it.

And yeah, you will need to get those off.

[flourdude]

no, not the flywheel, but the freewheel hub bolts. My truck has Remote Free Wheel system so I can take it in and out of 4wd on the fly. There are 6 bolts that need to taken off so I can take off the freewheel hub.

You may be right about it not being metric (however most of the truck is) and I don't have a 13/32". The 10MM fits sorta but it is not completely snug. I may have to find a 13/32" and see if that works.

I have used PB Blaster (much better than 10wd)to help loosen but no luck.

[junior3382]

Try to find a twleve point instead of a six. they seem to work better. And the only reason i suggest standaard sizes is becuase it is a MAzda, and 1991 it was still foriegn, and foriegn vehicles seem to use standard size nuts, where as the American ones use metric. Thought it was weird, and I could be wrong. But I do not think they make a 9.5mm wrench... LOL.... anyways, I now know what six bolts you are talking about. And the PB blaster did not work? HUH..... Almost wish I was there to help

[flourdude]

well a 12 pt (as well as using an impact wrench) did not help and the bolt size still seems to be an odd one. No, Pb blaster does not help and I don't think much can get in inside the hub area anyway......

This really sucks and is frustrating. I wish I knew what the actual size of the bolt was, and I wish I could get these suckers off so I can continue on with getting my project done so I can drive rather than ride my bike...........*sigh*

[junior3382]

Worst case senario, you may have to drill them out, then replace them, but there are risks there. Depending on the room you have, can you try a set of vice grips, locked tight and use some leverage from a longer box wrench and see if that does the trick. Hopefully, with the impact wrench and the PB blaster you did not strip them to the point of having to drill them out. I wish I could help more. Not being there makes it tough.