Oil pan baffle

dbaldwi3

dbaldwi3

Member
Before I damage the oil pan is there a preferred way to remove the oil pan baffle so as to clean out the sludge from below? In the book it simply states remove baffle. Also as a side note the previous owner used a bolt with a lock nut to hold oil pump in place as far as I can tell the damage was limited to damaging the threads on the bolt, no cracks in block thankfully. I will replace it with the correct pipe thread plug. Thanks in advance for any information!
 
Place the pan on the floor and put a baseball bat or such in the hole where the oil pump goes through. Use it to pry/pop the baffle out. It is a friction fit with small indents along the sides.
 
Thanks Dave! took a lot more force than I anticipated but I got it. amazing how much sludge was in pan bottom!
 
dbaldwi3 said:
Also as a side note the previous owner used a bolt with a lock nut to hold oil pump in place as far as I can tell the damage was limited to damaging the threads on the bolt, no cracks in block thankfully. I will replace it with the correct pipe thread plug.
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I find it amazing how many people put a bolt in that plug hole to "hold the oil pump". A local 'machinist' did that to my block (among other things I wasn't thrilled about) that I had main bearings installed in . No doubt I won't be using them again.
 
Don't do like I did. Installed the pan with nice new gaskets and seals then went to the shelf where the oil was stored and found the baffle sitting on top of the case of oil.

John
 
Easiest way I have found to remove the baffle without damaging the oil pan is to drop it from about six or seven feet onto dirt and grass covered ground so it lands flat on the gasket surface. The baffle usually pops out on the first or second drop.
 
Dropping can bend gasket flange, bat-rod-pipe-prybar, catch other side of pan under lift--step ledge, running board to hold pan secure and reduce the mess
 
Thanks for all the replies and advice. After getting the baffle out and cleaning up all the sludge I’ve moved onto disassembling the oil pump which was in remarkably good shape bushings and all. The plan is to reassemble everything back into car tomorrow.
 
dbaldwi3 said:
Thanks for all the replies and advice. After getting the baffle out and cleaning up all the sludge I’ve moved onto disassembling the oil pump which was in remarkably good shape bushings and all. The plan is to reassemble everything back into car tomorrow.
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Now that you've removed the sludge, you sort of get a choice to go back with original non-detergent oil and continue periodically cleaning the pan, or detergent oil in your grade/viscosity.

Keep in mind the oil galleries and valve chamber are not cleaned - detergent oil in this area will eventually lift the sludge from there and everywhere else to end up IN your oil or at least a thinner coating of sludge on the motor interior generally. That is the point of detergent oil.

After converting to detergent oil (should you go this way) 3 changes of oil at usual intervals will mostly clean out the rest of the engine to where you need not worry.

Or, forgo a change. You can continue to drop that pan. It works.

There are adherents to both theories of operation.

Joe K
 
Kurt in NJ: You won't bend the gasket flange if you drop the oil pan on soft ground, not asphalt or cement.
 
1crosscut said:
Place the pan on the floor and put a baseball bat or such in the hole where the oil pump goes through. Use it to pry/pop the baffle out. It is a friction fit with small indents along the sides.
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and do not have a oil/sludge mess that you can get by dropping
 
I know that you already got it out, but I thought I would share my technique. I put a board across the open pan, then slip a big C clamp alongside and under the baffle. I then gently screw in the clamp, pulling the baffle toward the board until it pops out. It has the advantage to being slow and gentle, without the risk of damage.

Ken
 
KGBnut said:
I know that you already got it out, but I thought I would share my technique. I put a board across the open pan, then slip a big C clamp alongside and under the baffle. I then gently screw in the clamp, pulling the baffle toward the board until it pops out. It has the advantage to being slow and gentle, without the risk of damage.

Ken
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Nice! I like that.
 
AL in NY said:
Kurt in NJ: You won't bend the gasket flange if you drop the oil pan on soft ground, not asphalt or cement.
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But the stuff that comes out the bottom of the pan can be quite toxic----pollute the ground, runoff into streams---not to say it is hard to clean off the face too---I have seen the results
 
The sludge killed the grass for quite a while where I dropped the last oil pan that I did . What should be done with the sludge ? If the sludge is put in some sort of container , it will more than likely eventually make its way to the ground when the container fails . If the sludge is burned , the smoke will pollute the air , It is just a messy job ..
 
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