The timing belt project is complete!!! Minus burping the coolant system. Not bad cars to work on and parts were easy to get as well. So far my "free" 88 efi 4wd drive wagon has run me about 530 bucks, the belt repair job included everything thing in there except the oil pump, renewed the seals for it though. I think I could have bought another car for what I will have into this for parts money!! Such is the way of the soob. Couple of things left to do:

Rear muffler

passenger side front cv boot

o2 sensor

drivetrain fluid swap

wheel bearings

brakes?? rotors are rusty

set timing

replace oilpan gasket .... This looks like a major pita. Any tips on how to get the pan out with out much pain? I'm thinking a ujoint extention might do it but its hard to see with the car still on the ground.

repolace valve cover gaskets.

Oh and the lifters don't tick!!!!!!!!!!!!!! By the way this site was instumental in the timing belt project. I would also like to thank Autosport, Stoneway hardware, the academy, the almighty, my mom, and all my fans. Thank you.

you have to pull the engien to do it manyu of the bolts are un accesable

Oil pan: You can do it on a Legacy and a Brat with a wobble, #3 screwdriver, 10mm 1/4" drive socket set and patience so I dont see why a later model GL would be any different.

 

I wouldnt blame somebody for pulling the engine to do the job if they are good at it though that'd kindof stink for you since the timing belt job would have been a ton easier out of the car too.

oil pan can be done in the car, but you need to unbolt the exhaust, engine mounts pitch stopper and jack the engine up about 3 inches to clear the pan and the sump.

 

With all that unbolted, you might as well pull the fuel lines, disconnect the elect stuff and yank the motor out

I am not going to pull the engine!!!! I think I'll try somewoble and ujoint stuff to get at the oil pan gasket. Thanks

no need to pull the engine. like already mentioned the engine mounts needed to be loosened or removed. i also loosen the rear trans mounts to "tilt" the engine/trans assembly in order to pull the oil pan up.

 

you'll be able to access all the bolts just fine. that's not the tricky part. after it's unbolted it will not come out. the oil pan has baffles in it that the sump will not clear without tilting the engine upwards.

 

i learned the hardway. unbolted the pan before i knew jack about cars. pan does not come out...yank yank, bang bang and it's seemingly invisibly possessed and won't come out. moves around alot, but won't come out.

 

are you sure the oil pan is leaking? other leaks can drain down toward the pan and make it appear wet but it's not actually leaking. i'd do this last unless it's really bad.