Classic/Antique Car Repair: oil pan, plymouth fury iii, pan gasket

Question
I have a 65 Plymouth Fury III with  a 318. The oil pan gasket is leaking, and i would like to change it. Can you tell me if it is a straightforward pan removal or do other things have to be removed to get the pan down? Thanks. Bill

Answer
This is a pretty simple job - just follow your nose and have a good light.  

You will have to take off the dust shield that covers the flywheel front (or flex plate cover if you have an automatic transmission,) but that is just 4 small cap screws.  You may have to drop the starter to get that cover off - some models have an opening in the dust shield so that it will slip off without removing the starter, some you can just loosen the starter bolts a little bit, and some you have to take it completly down - I just don't recall on this engine.

The other thing you may run into is the crankshaft throws for the front two cylinders - if the engine happens to stop with the crank throw all the way down to the bottom, you will have to use a large screwdriver, prying against the teeth on the ring gear to slowly, tooth by tooth, rotate the engine so the crank throw moves up out of the way so the pan can slide all the way back to clear the frame crossmember.   

If you have power steering, you might have to drop the steering link that runs under the pan - but usually, you can move the steering wheel to a position where there is adequate clearance.

You probably know this, but before you put the new gasket on the pan, make sure the flange is not dished around the holes from overtightening the bolts. If it has been overtightened, use a flat backing surface and a small hammer to tap the sheet metal back to the original position before you install the gasket.  Do not exceed 15 Ft Lbs of torque on the bolts.  

If you use any kind of gasket goop, take it really easy with that stuff - you don't want it to ooze into the crankcase when you tighten the bolts.  

You can use some soft cotton kite string through some of the bolt holes in the gasket to keep it from scooting out of position while you install it - just snip the string and pull it out after you install most of the bolts.  That way you don't need to use any goop at all.

Dick