oil pan removal help!

[thedevil1236]

I have a 2000 Jeep cherokee and am having a problem figuring out how to get the oil pan off. I believe my oil pump isnt working correctly and i am running low oil pressure. at idle, the oil pressure drops off completely at times once the engine is warmed up. if its the main bearings to blame, then ill still have to remove the oil pan anyways. I can get to all of the bolts/studs but two. I cannot seem to easily figure out how to get to the two rear most bolts next to the bell housing/inspection cover. I can get a 1/2 inch open end wrench around it from the side, but there isnt enough room to move the bolt enough to get it off. if i have to remove the inspection cover/bell housing, how do i do this? I have a pretty good understanding of mechanical stuff and have done almost all the work on my own on my jeep, however i really dont want to pay someone about 400 in labor to do this. especially when its two bolts i cant figure out!

my jeep is on a 3 inch lift kit and hopefully i wont need to do all the unbolting i have read about in other posts/forums since i have a little more clearance.

thanks!!

 

[1sickXJ]

I just use socket and long extension. Helped a buddy and had a issue with a side one, ended up it was stripped And instead of cork or rubber gasket it was rtv. Once seal was broken pan came right off.

 

[thedevil1236]

hmmm i couldnt get my socket to seat down on the bolt head...i might go and shave a tiny amount of the rubber part off to make some room...i saw you put that it came right off? from all that ive read, everyone seems to have the problem of the sump getting in the way of a baffle and it gets hung up on it. hopefully mine wont!! lol. thanks for the reply!

 

[1sickXJ]

On a TJ I couldn't get the socket to seat and the pan lip was pushed in some. I lightly tapped a socket to push the lip back out, it would be hard to do on the back though, maybe try a 1/4 drive for a thinner walled socket, shouldn't have much torque on them. I didn't have a problem with the baffle or pick up but did ease the pan down and towards the rear on my XJ. The TJ however the stock pan cleared everything (had to change due to bad dent) and the aftermarket pan he picked up would not fit at all due to the baffle hitting pick up. I took a Dremel and notched it.