CaJLMetalHead
Well-Known Member
Hey!!!... my engine is a 3.6L .. so these tips only apply to the 3.6L.. if yours is another engine type then I hope is similar enough to help you
If yours is a 3.6L (no idea if the other engines are the same way) then you need to remove these
bolts before removing the upper pan (these bolts are hidden behing two rubber grommets)
the upper oil pan has two pry points on the driver side to dislodge the pan from the engine block.. here:
Space is limited and I quickly realized that I didn't have enough leverage because I had a belly pan bracket blocking one of the pry points, I was not too excited about removing that bracket so I had to resort to some backyard mechanic engineering.. LOL
I found a hole in the upper pan that was not in use (I imagine is for another type of engine or perhaps as support for components my Sport does not have)... so I decided to whack the upper pan downwards this way (threaded rod, nuts, washers and the biggest socket I had around) this method is similar to those tools used to remove bearings
After whacking it quite a few times (use gloves)... the upper pan finally separated enough to be able to carefully remove it by hand.. The threaded rod's thread will most likely get damaged from the whacking... I used a Wise grip tool to hold the threaded rod and forcibly undo the nuts.. another option would be to cut the threaded rod below the pan while being careful not to introduce metal shavings in the engine
TIPS:
- Get the Rtv Gray Sealer - Mopar (68082860AB) from a reputable place.. if possible the dealer
as the RTV has an expiration date
- Don't insert screwdrivers while trying to pry the upper pan open after you dislodge it .. there are many internal components and cables quite close to the wall of the upper pan
-Allow the engine oil to drip overnight.. if possible longer... I will explain why later
- Leave the lower pan attached to the upper pan and then remove the lower pan on a bench
as removing the lower pan is a pain in the aZZ (I used a small kitchen knife and a small hammer to go around and slowly cut the RTV gasket, you could also try with a metal putty knife.. a thin and strong tool.. the key is to be patient otherwise you could damage the surface of the pans) I tried the RTV removal tools that are basically picking tools.. no joy with those
- Removing the RTV stuck to the mating surface of the engine block and oil pans will give you PTSD, diarrhea, and Restless Leg Syndrome.. LOL... what I did was to carefully remove as much as possible with a mini razor blade scraper, and the savior idea to remove the last RTV bits was to use a Dremel tool with a flexible shaft and a small rotary Stainless Wheel brush (I imagine a Brass wheel brush would work equally well).. It works fantastic in quickly removing the last bits of RTV without damaging the mating surfaces (use a microfiber towel to cover the areas close to the tool while working on the engine block's mating surface to avoid getting RTV bits stuck inside the engine)
- For reinstalling the upper engine block, practice several dry runs (no RTV applied) so you have a good idea of how to reinstall the pan... if you start wiggling around you will smear the RTV all over the place, compromising a proper RTV seal... pay particular attention to mating the rear area (transmission) ..also.. the slightest movement of the engine or the JL's body will cause oil that is still trapped inside the engine to start dripping down through the engine block's walls... and it will drip around the mating surface... and as you know the mating surface has to be super clean... and that is why it is important to practice the dry runs several times.. to avoid smearing the fleshly applied RTV all over the place.. and to beat the oil that will unequivocally drip down and compromise the RTV seal ( I mean.. you have seconds.. LOL.. so it is important that once you are ready to reinstall the upper pan, nobody leans against the JL or touches the engine... you only have 10 minutes after you apply the RTV to mate the pan to the engine).. the best way to reinstall the upper pan would be for someone to reinstall it.. and someone else to secure a couple of bolts around all the way in so the pan does not separate and ruin the job..
This is not a complete description of the procedure, so If you are planning on doing this yourself I highly recommend (if you have not already done so) subscribing to https://my.alldata.com/ and buying the yearly subscription to the user manual they offer, it is BY FAR the best service manual around ( I also have the MOPAR USB pen drive service and repair manual... barely useful, missing a lot of content, and a pain to use)
I hope this helps...
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