I need to check my oil pickup screen. Am I going to have to drop my front differential to remove the oil pan? Is there a better way? I have no lift.

Thanks

You don't have to go through that much trouble. The easiest way I found was to remove the bellhousing plate, and gently raise the tranny a bit, and it pops out pretty good. The reason for removing the bellhousing plate is because the lip on the oil pan hits it just enough so the pan gets jammed in between the plate and the axle.

Could be that this is an IFS truck, in whch case I think that lowering the front differential housing is pretty much required.

I was going to ask that question but edited my original reply because I didn't know IFS had a front differential or not, my trucks not that modern.

Yeah- IFS.
How big a PIA is lowering the housing? I was hoping to knock this out in a few hours this weekend.

I pulled my oil pan when I changed my chain and guide, there were pieces of the old guide down in there everywhere. I didn't drop the diff, I simply undid the engine mount bolts (4 of them) and then lifted the engine up by the front of the tranny. If you lift the motor up until the head touches the firewall, there will be enough room to remove the pan. You will also need to remove the steering stabilzer, and the oil pickup while the pan is partially removed, but if your diff bolt look anything like mine (Ohio..lots of salt) they might be impossible to remove.

If I jack the engine up should I disconnect anything other than the four mount bolts (and the steering stablizer)?

You might have some clearence issues with the fan and the shroud, mine was off at the time, the shroud might be an issue, but then again, when I look at mine, I think it will still clear. I don't know of anything else that might give you problems. My accessories were off, so getting to the engine mount bolts seem easy, it might be harder with them in place.

When I removed my oilpan I did it by lifting the motor and
tranny up. It took three tries to get it lifted at just
the right angle so the pan would clear, but it worked.
Good Luck.

Indy

You know all of this jack the engine up at the righ angle, hold your month in a certain way while your sister removes the oil pickup sounds like a lot more work then doing it the right way!!!! Five bolts and the diff drops down and then it is smooth sailing. You do not have to remove the diff, just drop it down. Do it the way it is meant to be done!!! You do need a floor jack to support and drop th diff down!!!! Good luck!!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />