1987 Chevy R10 p/u with sb 350 TBI
 

Hello gents. I am in the process of doing some work and need help from anyone with knowledge on these old square bodies. My grandest mistake so far on this vehicle was scrimping on the installation cost of my reman'd engine about 3 years ago. Ive been chasing leaks and performance issues ever since! Lesson learned, note to self: Pay to have it done right, or pay to have it redone.

Currently, the process of changing a bad harmonic dampener has turned into a bunch of new parts, and tools, that I didn't know I needed and this job has quickly grown and I am into it for a new oil pan gasket, timing cover and water pump. My question is this, if I TDC number 1, Is it possible to get the oil pan off without lifting the engine?

It seems the basic rule of thumb is to lift the engine but the cross brace on the R10 looks very nicely shaped to facilitate clearance of the pan. My fear is takin gout the bolts then realizing it wont come off and having to put it back on just to lift the engine. Thanks!

1987 Chevy R10 p/u with sb 350 TBI
 

Scott wrote:
> Hello gents. I am in the process of doing some work and need help
> from anyone with knowledge on these old square bodies. My grandest
> mistake so far on this vehicle was scrimping on the installation cost
> of my reman'd engine about 3 years ago. Ive been chasing leaks and
> performance issues ever since! Lesson learned, note to self: Pay to
> have it done right, or pay to have it redone.
>
> Currently, the process of changing a bad harmonic dampener has turned
> into a bunch of new parts, and tools, that I didn't know I needed and
> this job has quickly grown and I am into it for a new oil pan gasket,
> timing cover and water pump. My question is this, if I TDC number 1,
> Is it possible to get the oil pan off without lifting the engine?
>
> It seems the basic rule of thumb is to lift the engine but the cross
> brace on the R10 looks very nicely shaped to facilitate clearance of
> the pan. My fear is takin gout the bolts then realizing it wont come
> off and having to put it back on just to lift the engine. Thanks!

Has to be lifted because you need to drop it low enough that the pump
pick-up will clear as the pan moves back.


--
Steve W.

1987 Chevy R10 p/u with sb 350 TBI
 

On Monday, September 10, 2018 at 8:09:37 PM UTC-5, Steve W. wrote:
> Scott wrote:
> > Hello gents. I am in the process of doing some work and need help
> > from anyone with knowledge on these old square bodies. My grandest
> > mistake so far on this vehicle was scrimping on the installation cost
> > of my reman'd engine about 3 years ago. Ive been chasing leaks and
> > performance issues ever since! Lesson learned, note to self: Pay to
> > have it done right, or pay to have it redone.
> >
> > Currently, the process of changing a bad harmonic dampener has turned
> > into a bunch of new parts, and tools, that I didn't know I needed and
> > this job has quickly grown and I am into it for a new oil pan gasket,
> > timing cover and water pump. My question is this, if I TDC number 1,
> > Is it possible to get the oil pan off without lifting the engine?
> >
> > It seems the basic rule of thumb is to lift the engine but the cross
> > brace on the R10 looks very nicely shaped to facilitate clearance of
> > the pan. My fear is takin gout the bolts then realizing it wont come
> > off and having to put it back on just to lift the engine. Thanks!
>
> Has to be lifted because you need to drop it low enough that the pump
> pick-up will clear as the pan moves back.
>
>
> --
> Steve W.

Thanks Steve, I reckon I will be lifting it!Best regards!

1987 Chevy R10 p/u with sb 350 TBI
 

On Monday, September 10, 2018 at 5:54:44 PM UTC-5, Scott wrote:
> Hello gents. I am in the process of doing some work and need help from anyone with knowledge on these old square bodies. My grandest mistake so far on this vehicle was scrimping on the installation cost of my reman'd engine about 3 years ago. Ive been chasing leaks and performance issues ever since! Lesson learned, note to self: Pay to have it done right, or pay to have it redone.
>
> Currently, the process of changing a bad harmonic dampener has turned into a bunch of new parts, and tools, that I didn't know I needed and this job has quickly grown and I am into it for a new oil pan gasket, timing cover and water pump. My question is this, if I TDC number 1, Is it possible to get the oil pan off without lifting the engine?
>
> It seems the basic rule of thumb is to lift the engine but the cross brace on the R10 looks very nicely shaped to facilitate clearance of the pan. My fear is takin gout the bolts then realizing it wont come off and having to put it back on just to lift the engine. Thanks!

FRESH OFF OF THE PRESS!! YOU CAN REMOVE THE OIL PAN WITHOUT LIFTING THE ENGINE ON THE TRUCK IN QUESTION.

A guy on youtube (young chevy truck) has a video of himself pulling a pan on an 86 c-10. I just did mine yesterday with no problems at all taking it out or putting it back it. I installed pan studs and they were a major help holding the one piece gasket on install. I did not remove the starter but I did remove the oil cooler adapter. I had to push the lip of the pan under the starter which took little effort and was the hardest part of the whole job! I hope this helps someone else! It's miller time! ....somewhere!

1987 Chevy R10 p/u with sb 350 TBI
 

FOR THE DIY MECHANIC - WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

TDC - Top Dead Center can be confusing. There are TWO points of TDC for every cylinder. One on compression when the gasses are compressed, and on exhaust when the spent gas is pushed out of the cylinder.

TIMING SETS - are installed on EXHAUST TDC where the top gear indentation is down and the bottom gear indentation is up. So that they are facing each other.

DISTRIBUTOR - is installed on COMPRESSION TDC where both indentations are pointed straight up at 12 o'clock.

OIL PAN and GASKET - The oil pan CAN be removed without touching the engine mounts. However, the engine must be on EXHAUST TDC. In this position, the journals are out of the way, the pan will slide right out.