anyone know how to take off the oil pan from a 2003 ford mustang 3.8l v6 engine? I took off all the bolts that hold the oil pan to the engine but it doesnt want to come off...I triple checked to make sure all the bolts were off... I dont quite understand why its not coming off. I even wacked it a few times with a small rubber mallet and it doesnt budge. Is there something (besides removing the many bolts on the sides of the pan) that I have to do? Am I missing a step in removing it?
1 Answer
It's likely just sealant keeping it together. Some blocks and pans have tabs on the side to allow for a prybar to be inserted without the potential to compromise the seal when it's put back together.
A wood or plastic wedge also works well with a mallet and has less of a chance of scoring the sealing edges. I've also used large screwdrivers carefully at the outer edge to get some wiggle room.
A lot of Factory Service Manuals specify using a glorified wedge as well: