Hi everyone,

I'm installing a new front cover on my 2003 D2 and I've read a bit about people who have modified the front cover rods with bolts, so it can be removed without removing the crossmember, lifting the vehicle, dropping the oil pan, etc.

Can anyone advise me in how you'd do this and which size nuts and bolts to use? I haven't looked at the front cover rods yet to see if they simply unscrew on the one I've got (or if they typically do) or if I'd need to cut them off and drill through to put bolts in.

Thank you

 

You have to drop the oil pan regardless on a Bosch engine. The pickup tube attaches to the Front Cover from the back via 2 bolts. GEMS 4.0/4.6L had the pickup tube attach to the block. Replacing the studs with bolts is fine as long as you verify they don't go to far or you just simply match the stud length.

 

Thank you, I’ll just leave the rods in that case. I was thinking it would be best to use bolts, but if it’s still not possible without removing the oil pan, I guess I must have read something that applied only to the GEMS engine.

With the Bosch motor, is there a way that makes it possible to do this more easily in the future - that is, without lifting the front end? If you have a 2” lift and bigger tires would that give enough clearance?

 

if you are talking about dropping the oil pan when you have a 2” lift then yes there is plenty of clearance. It can be done at stock height as well.

 

Thank you - just to clarify what I was asking, from what I understand, the front end has to be lifted in order to remove the oil pan with stock suspension and the stock tire size. Will a 2" lift and maybe 32" tires allow the oil pan to be removed without lifting the front end?

 

The studs really help placing the gasket and having it stay put while you reinstall the front cover.

 

Thanks, I'm glad to know that as well - I could use all the help I can get with this.

 

When you say "without lifting the front end," do you mean without putting the truck on jack stands or something like that? My truck is not lifted, but I do have uprated springs and larger tyres that give me a little more elevation up front, and I was able to get the pan off without removing the crossmember or jacking up the engine separate from the chassis.
A 2" lift should give you plenty of clearance to be able to get the oil pan out, but you might still want to drive the thing up on ramps so that you have enough room to get under the truck to work on it.

 

Yep, I also was able to do it with a 2" lift no problem. I had to spin the pan around and meander it through the bottom driver side. A little tricky. I put the gasket on after getting it back in and used a few zip ties to hold in place till I had a few bolts in.

I did replace the studs on the front cover with bolts. The new front cover I bought did not come with studs, and I had extra oil pan bolts, all the same SAE thread.

 

Thank you - I think I might've misread something another time about being able to remove the front cover without removing the oil pan if the studs are replaced with rods, but since the pickup pipe has to be unbolted as well, it seems the pan has to be removed to do this and I'm not exactly sure what the benefit of using bolts would be.

As much as I want to install bigger tires, I'd probably replace the wheels (currently on the stock 18" wheels and would probably go with 16" steel wheels so they're less to worry about with all the rock out here) and I don't think I can spring for all that right now. I've been nervous about lifting the front of the vehicle to get more clearance between the sump and the axle in order to remove the sump, so I can replace the front cover, but I think I need to just buck up and do it. I'm on gravel/mulch and it's fairly level, but still worries me as I haven't done this before. I built pads with two sheets of plywood and two layers of Simpson tie straps that'll go under the floor jack and the jack stands to prevent the from sinking into the ground, but I'm a little unclear about where the stands will wedge into the frame to allow it to rest safely. I'm also planning to pull the front wheels off and put them under just in case.