97 Dakota oil pan removal

Posted By: moparmarks

97 Dakota oil pan removal - 01/14/15 01:13 AM

97 Dakota 2wd 5.2
Wanting to change the rear main seal. Can I remove the oil pan by just lifting the motor a bit without removing the motor?

Posted By: moparmarks

Re: 97 Dakota oil pan removal - 01/31/15 01:30 AM

Nobody here had done this?

According to Chiltons it can be done but I've learned not to trust them too much.

Posted By: 79powerwagon

Re: 97 Dakota oil pan removal - 01/31/15 11:51 AM

I've done it a couple of times on my D/W trucks, but haven't had any reason to on my Dakota.

Here's a bump for you!

Posted By: Golden-Arm

Re: 97 Dakota oil pan removal - 02/01/15 04:02 AM

in the two weeks between the time you asked, then asked again, you could have tried it and told the rest of us how it went....

Posted By: moparmarks

Re: 97 Dakota oil pan removal - 02/01/15 07:15 AM

Quote:

in the two weeks between the time you asked, then asked again, you could have tried it and told the rest of us how it went....

I did not want to get the pan loose only to find out that I need to pull the motor. Didn't have that much time to deal with it. Just wondering if any of the 23000 members on here have ever had any first hand experience.

Posted By: Wicked49670dart

Re: 97 Dakota oil pan removal - 02/01/15 07:07 PM

This engine uses a two piece seal so that means you should not have to remove the transmission, however you will have to remove the oil pan as well as the rear main bearing cap to expose the the seal. The bottom piece comes out easy, however I have known the upper half to stick and put up a fight. I just did one at work and the engine had to be raised about 3" to get the pan out. The upper part of the seal was a pain to get out, engine 170,000 miles on it.

Posted By: moparmarks

Re: 97 Dakota oil pan removal - 02/01/15 11:44 PM

Quote:

This engine uses a two piece seal so that means you should not have to remove the transmission, however you will have to remove the oil pan as well as the rear main bearing cap to expose the the seal. The bottom piece comes out easy, however I have known the upper half to stick and put up a fight. I just did one at work and the engine had to be raised about 3" to get the pan out. The upper part of the seal was a pain to get out, engine 170,000 miles on it.

Yep I know how to change the seal. Have done many over the decades. You just did it to a Dakota at work? Just had to lift the motor?
I just did a seal change on my friends 67 Chevelle 396. Got the pan loose and raised the motor only to have to pull the motor to get the pan off.