Can I lift the engine far enough to remove the oil pan without removing the exhaust manifolds? 

1995 EJ22 Legacy automatic

 

This blog post seems to suggest it's possible:

http://beergarage.com/SubyOilPan.aspx

Edited February 24, 201412 yr by grossgary

Take the pitch bar out and undo the engine mount studs. You can jack up the engine by the trans a few inches before the exhaust hits the frame, allowing enough room to maneuver the oil pan out. The oil pan will be a tight fit between the engine mounts. 

great, thanks miles.  wanted to make sure before i waste time crawling on freezing concrete, it's not at my house and therefore has limited tools/equipment.

There shouldbe holes in the back of the crossmember that you can insert a screwdriver or a 1/4" extension through to get to the back bolts. As is the case with ea82's

That site is pretty funny.

 

Good timing on this question - as soon as it warms up a bit I have 2 of these to do.

 

If you're doing the gasket via this method, do you still go the ultra gray route? Seems like it would be easier, at least for a novice like me, to use the felpro cork gasket. No chance of smearing in that confined space.

Ultragrey.  It's not that tight that you have to be too worried about it. 

 

That you're asking suggests you'll be more careful then 90% of the DIYer's doing this job LOL.

I sometimes like to make simple jobs more difficult, hehe. Thanks for the info!!

good question, i've smeared enough cam carriers doing exactly what you're asking.  oil pan helps in that it's not awkward spaces, you're able to maneuver it well at least even if it's tight getting it in.

Cork gasket will leak and will deform the pan.

Ultra grey RTV works well. The new Ultra Black stuff works good too.

Replace the o-ring on the PCV drain back tube at the back of the pan.

 

If that doesn't seal you'll suck oily vapors into the PCV constantly and smoke like a pig and use lots of oil.

 

"The RIght Stuff" FTW.  Much better adhesion than regular black or grey RTV.

If you use a new, replacement oil pan, I have read that the oil dip tube will not fit very well.  Is this true?

Dipstick tube has 2 orings on it so it should be fine.  Most likely people that had problems bent the tube getting it out.  It's held on with a single 10mm bolt up on top of the engine.

Replace the o-ring on the PCV drain back tube at the back of the pan.

 

If that doesn't seal you'll suck oily vapors into the PCV constantly and smoke like a pig and use lots of oil.

 

I hope this is the problem in the 2001 2.5 that I did the HG on.  The PO had bent all of the intake valves.  It runs great but sucks a quart every 200 miles.  Plugs are very dark and sooty.

Aren't you guys worried about RTV clumps getting into the oil pump or clogging the screen or starving the engine of oil? This is an issue with Saab's and we use Loctite 518 (required by factory) as it won't harden inside the pan area and clog oil passages, etc. as it ONLY hardens in the absence of air i.e. only hardens where the pan contacts the block. Anything squishing in or out of the area will remain soft and dissolve in the oil, so no clumps or risks. Saab also use the same rotor style oil pump as Subaru.

I usually let is set up for a day so the cure is pretty complete.  

 

The oil pickup has a pretty fine screen so if something did break off, i doubt it would get into the pump.

Aren't you guys worried about RTV clumps getting into the oil pump or clogging the screen or starving the engine of oil? This is an issue with Saab's and we use Loctite 518 (required by factory) as it won't harden inside the pan area and clog oil passages, etc. as it ONLY hardens in the absence of air i.e. only hardens where the pan contacts the block. Anything squishing in or out of the area will remain soft and dissolve in the oil, so no clumps or risks. Saab also use the same rotor style oil pump as Subaru.

 

not an issue with subaru oil pans as long as you're not going bonkers with the RTV.  it's done all the time, routinely in shops so 10's of thousands of Subarus have it.

 

i do use anaerobic sealant for oil pumps and cam carrier cases, etc.  i won't be for the oil pan though.

 

older generation (EA82 and ER27) engines could have problems with globs of it in the oil passages due to the cam case carriers being bolted to the heads and required removal for head jobs, etc.

Edited February 27, 201412 yr by grossgary

Anyone know the size of the oil pickup o-ring on the EJ22?

Aren't you guys worried about RTV clumps getting into the oil pump or clogging the screen or starving the engine of oil? This is an issue with Saab's and we use Loctite 518 (required by factory) as it won't harden inside the pan area and clog oil passages, etc. as it ONLY hardens in the absence of air i.e. only hardens where the pan contacts the block. Anything squishing in or out of the area will remain soft and dissolve in the oil, so no clumps or risks. Saab also use the same rotor style oil pump as Subaru.

Pan flange surface is not flat enough for anaerobic sealant. If it were a machined aluminum pan that would work well. But it's stamped steel.

Just run a bead of Ultra Grey down the middle and it'll be fine.

I usually let is set up for a day so the cure is pretty complete.

 

The oil pickup has a pretty fine screen so if something did break off, i doubt it would get into the pump.

Right, the screen is fine so it doesn't suck up large particles, by that's also a problem if there are LOTS is particles just larger than the screen.

Some of the later Saab engines are prone to sludge. The sludge creates little bits of asphalt like material in the engine which break away and wash down to the pan. They don't make it into the pump, they get caught in the pick up screen and clog it. Then oil pressure drops off and bearing damage is the end result.

Saab fixed that problem with a re-designed PCV system which improved airflow through the crankcase.

Toyota had sludge problems. Volkswagon, Chrysler, several others. All have the same problems with the pick up screen clogging with particles.

Looks like I shook loose a few replies to older questions.  New thread for my question here. 

Somehow I thought it said 27 Apr 2014

Thread resurrection on my first post . . .uh-oh.  

 

But seriously, I just wanted to add to the discussion by mentioning that I just replaced the oil pan on my 2000 Legacy without lifting the engine *at all*.  I'm not sure I'd recommend it, but it worked.  I had to take the oil pickup out, but the guy in the link on this thread had to do that anyway.  A 1/4" swivel joint and a 1/4" extension (at least 6" long but 9" is better) were absolutely essential.  Getting the bolts off was pretty easy, but getting the 2 rear bolts back in probably took half an hour of trial and error.