Please Help before I torch this thing

Searched the forum but didn't really see anything exactly like this. 1990 XJ 4.0 engine. Rear main seal leak so figured today would be the day to attack it. Got all the bolts out of the oil pan, after draining the oil. Can't get the pan to release. Tried prying in a few areas but it appears I'm bending the edges of the oil pan. Am I missing something? FSM just says remove the oil pan. Think there might be a lot of RTV along the whole pan. Any suggestions? I know this is a rinky dink question but getting frustrated.

TIA

azdesertrhino said:

Searched the forum but didn't really see anything exactly like this. 1990 XJ 4.0 engine. Rear main seal leak so figured today would be the day to attack it. Got all the bolts out of the oil pan, after draining the oil. Can't get the pan to release. Tried prying in a few areas but it appears I'm bending the edges of the oil pan. Am I missing something? FSM just says remove the oil pan. Think there might be a lot of RTV along the whole pan. Any suggestions? I know this is a rinky dink question but getting frustrated.

TIA

Click to expand...

no its not. I did mine at 100k. Pan was a MOFO to get off. I ended up using a screw driver (carefully) and a hammer. Ended up just bringing home a used pan from work because I didn't want to fix the old one. Odds are you'll have to beat the lip of it flat again once you get it off.

Thanks, kind of what I figured. Just wanted to get some confimation. :wave: Will update later!


Thanks again,

If you can get a sharp xacto knife or very thin flat gauge started in there you can work it around to cut the seal. It is a major PIA even on a lift.

I use a wide thin wood chisel and a hammer. The x-acto knife idea works pretty good but a scribing cutter used to score plastic sheet to cut it works even better. It has a very thin hooked shaped cutter.

Well, got the pan down, had a real bad time getting the upper rear seal out but finally got it. Put the new upper seal in place and it went in pretty easy. Has me worried I might have put it in backwards or something. The nice Arizona sun reached the west side of the house so this project will be finished tomorrow. first thing is to make sure I have the upper seal in the right direction. The old one that came out was colored yellow on the rear side (closest to the tranny). How do I make absolutely sure I have the upper seal facing the proper way? I don't really see any indicators but by that time I was way greasy and sweaty.

Tia,

Open side of seal goes toward pressure. In other words the contact lip should be on the inner side.

front > rear

The lower section of the rear main only goes in one way, and you'll notice it's got the same sort of profile. Make sure the upper half matches it.

Thanks for all the help. Appears job is done except the clean up. Will post more later. Just finished up. :wave: