how hard it to replace the oilpan gasket on a 97 3500?thanks

 

its a 3 hr job or so. need to jack up the engine so the pan clears the bellhousing and crossmember. take off intercooler hoses, loosen fan shroud take off #6 valve cover. watch the shutoff solenoid on the master cylinder. those are things that come to mind right now.

 

3 hrs if you work on these things every day. I did mine and if I had to do it again, maybe 4. Average joe, 6 plus. No offense to anyone.

 

I'm not sure if I would go this way but I have a buddy who unbolts the pans and reaches in and passes the new gasket underneath the filler tube then puts it in place and tightens everything up. Takes him about an hour.
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Did I mention this guy is a dodge diesel mechanic for a dealership here he has done about 30 this way.

He says none of them has leaked so far???

 

So he doesnt clean anything up????? Whatever falls into the pan stays in there.........ouch.

 

It took me 8 hours to do it in my garage. It probably took 1 hour just to clean the old gasket off the pan and block alone, it was really stuck on there.

 

I think this is the only way to do it on a 4x4 because of the crossmember.

If you can get your hand in there to get the gasket on, just pull the drain plug and clean everything out of the bottom of the pan with som brake clean, then some paper towels, and then the air gun.


If you want to get the pan off you have to unbolt the pickup with the pan on, then take pan off, clean, then put pan back under, bolt up pickup then install gasket.

 

sounds like it is going to be a pita either way i do it.but it has to be done.thanks for all the info

 

A new pan is $75.00

If it were me, I would do the pan and gasket while you are at it. They are known to rust out.

 

i had planned on a new pan.the old one has two dents the size of my fist.