Hey guys,

Working on getting the front cover off to change the oil gears. The Rave says I need to drop the cross member to get the sump cover off, but the nuts holding the cross member on are pretty well frozen, and I'm sure I'll round them getting them off. I'd like to avoid that

So, do I need to drop the cross member? It looked to me like I could get to the forward facing bolts around the thing, but I don't know if I can clear it when I drop the sump.

thoughts?

 

If you are speaking of a DII the crossmember needs to come off. They will break before they round off (if you are using the right sized socket). If you take it slow with a breaker bar they should come out. If you break a couple don't sweat it.

 

I jacked it up, jackstands under frame, dropped the axle and pulled my pan.

I made a strap wrench from an old serp belt & a 2' piece of 1-1/2" pipe.
Slid the belt thru' the pipe, slipped it over the crank pulley, pulled the slack and vicegripped it.

Allows you to break/re-tighten the 200ft/lb bolt.

Why are you replacing the pump gears?
Do you have the pump rebuild tolerances?
Do you know what your oil press is? /should be?

I applaud pulling the pan, allows you to clean pan & pickup tube.
but I'm curious about the pump gears

luck,greg

 

PB Blaster.

 

You have a DI, I'm thinking he is talking about a DII.

 

it is a DII, sorry, left that important fact out.

This is the beginning of a head gasket and rocker/lifter exploration/rebuild. I don't know if the pump gears are f-ed up or not, but I have low oil pressure when it was checked last, lots of what I think is lifter noise, and it needs a head gasket.

I'm going with the oil gears first, because I think they are the source of the low pressure, but I really don't know - it could be bearings and all of this work will be just, well, educational

At the very least I'll clean the gunk out of there, clean the pickup and get a good look at the pump. If it's fine, then it's bearings and I may just stop and call it a day, but if the gears look worn or cracked, then I soldier on to breaking down the engine to replace the head gaskets and whatever is making that god awful ticking noise....

 

Got it - the score was me 7, cross member 1.
Used a MAPP gas torch and an impact driver. Had to heat every bolt to red hot, hit it with the impact, heat it again, hit it with the impact again and they came loose.

hope this is not a harnbinger of things to come on the rest of the job...

 

I just got a 2004 DII and half the bolts have been sheared off on the front and all 8 on the back one. I had to get another croos member for the back and its been sitting in my garage. I am in the process of drilling and trying to screw extract and if not just retap and go to home depot and get some good stainless or grade 8 and put back on. Tapping ids much quicker i think as i have PB blasted mine and have only got 1 out so far. Another retard design decision saving a penny...

Good Luck, Chris

 

Just drill them out and us a nut and bolt if you can, if not retap them. Don't bother with the extractor they always snap on me and then you are screwed because they are so hard drilling is a bitch.

 

For God's sake, can't they leave a good thing alone?

Why would they do that? - never mind.

luck,greg