Trying to optimize car maintenance day tomorrow and wondering about how long the oil pan gasket will take to change. Hour? Two? Five?

Plan is to jack up front end by the differential, jack stands under frame rails, remove pan. Sounds quick? IDK. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

two hours or so. i did it just like you're planning. do remember that you'll probably want to take some time to clean it and you may also have to clean the mating surfaces of both the pan and the block.

 

Make sure to have plastic scraping tolls for the surface.

 

2-3 hrs is what it just took me. If you don't already have the two rubber plugs ordered, you might want too. Otherwise, don't pull them if you don't have too, you'll never get them back in the pan.

Also, take the torque requirements seriously. I managed to strip a bolt out.

If able, remove the cross member, it makes removing/reinstalling much more easy.

 

i didn't find it was that big of a deal to leave the crossmember in place. more hassle to remove it than it was to leave it alone.
i do have a slight lift (about 1") which might be giving me more room between the engine and the chassis components.

 

Yep, lift the engine, pan comes right out.

Also, if you use gasket sealer/maker make sure its compatible with motor oils. The cheap gasket makers arent.

 

How many miles? Leaking rear main seal? Usually it is the crucifix seals, you can replace them with the pan off - no more rear oil leak.

 

Oh cool! So I should replace the crucifix seals while I have the pan down? They're pretty easy to access with the pan off?

 

4 more bolts to get the rear cap off, then you can replace the crucifix seals. The Rover v8 has an interesting rear seal design that means the rear seal almost never leaks, but the crucifix seals can. Most rear seals are under pressure from bearing leakage from the main bearing, however the Rover v8 has a void between the rear seal and the rear main. They put a drain slot in the rear cap in that void, so the oil drains back in to the pan. However the side crucifix seals are under pressure and can leak, some were known to be installed incorrectly at the factory. Can't change the rear seal, but the crucifix seals are easy. Two main cap bolts, two side bolts.

 

You sir are a gentleman and a scholar. Thanks for posting those photos. I'll order those crucifix seals right now. Are these they? https://www.roverparts.com/Parts/LUN000010 They look different than what's in the photos.

Anything else I should know about their replacement? What are they referred to as in RAVE?