Merc Crusier oil pan gasket 170 HP

I have a 1985 Merc Crusier 170 Hp, oil pan gasket is leaking, any help in how I can change this without pulling the motor...??? can it be done..???..Thanks...D

Re: Merc Crusier oil pan gasket 170 HP

you need to be able to drop the pan atleast a foot to remove any remaining gasket material and clear the oil pump pickup screen.
pulling the motor would most likely make for a faster job replacing the gasket.

Re: Merc Crusier oil pan gasket 170 HP

You can't change it byt maybe you can fix it. Two questions: Where is it leaking? Are you sure t is the pan gasket and not the front crankshaft oil seal?

Re: Merc Crusier oil pan gasket 170 HP

Thanks for the reply, tried to reply to your but not sure it went through so giving it another shot. Leaking on the front left coner, a couple inches on either side of the corner, difficult to tell for sure. Boat is a 1985 Thundercraft Merc Cruiser 170 HP, would be nice not to have to pull motor for this ...wonder if anyone out there has any experience with this boat model...??..thanks..D

Re: Merc Crusier oil pan gasket 170 HP

You might be lucky, but still in for a substantial job. First, if you can't fix it you have to pull the engine to replace the gasket, but this is stuff that you have to do in any case. I suspect that your front crankshaft seal is leaking. You will have to pull the rotor off of the crankshaft and take a look. The procedure is the same as for replacing the camshaft waterpump seals. read this: http://www.sterndrives.com/470_coolant_leak.html You do not need a lot of special tools, and probably will not have to mess with the mounts. If you can see the leak, and it is in the front part of the gasket or seal, you should be able to remove the front cover (just like the instructions) and replace the seal, while you are at it replace the cam seals too. If it is not leaking coolant I would not bother with the spedi sleeves. If you find the leak or mess up the gasket when removing the cover, make a new front front section from similar thickness gasket material, using the old gasket as a pattern. Cut the old gasket flush with the block and use sealant to put it back together. Putting the rotor back on can be a job, but a puller borrowed from autozone will work if you make a spacer to compensate for the deep dish of the rotor, or you could use a 1/2 inch fine threaded rod and a stack of greased washers and a nut to do it. Anyway that is what I would do, if it does not work you need to pull the engine, or at least raise it up high enough to get the pan off. Good luck, let us know how it works out.

Re: Merc Crusier oil pan gasket 170 HP

i have a 1983 thundercraft with a 470 merc 170hp so i'm taking yours has a 470. if it is the front crank seal you don't need to pull the motor you just have to pull the impeller and the timing chain cover. like stonyloam said if you pull the timing chain cover off replace the cam seals very easy to do as is the crank seal. if it's not the seal it could be where the oil pan, the timing cover, and the motor they all meet at the side of motor so it's like a t intersection very easy for a leak to start there. if it's leaking somewhere else you will needed to pull the motor it's will be to hard to change the pan gasket with the motor still in the boat there is not enough room to drop the pan and also if your boats like mine the bilge pump is in the way also. the 470 motor is very easy to pull out of the boat pull the outdrive off and 4 bolts only hold the 470 in GOOD LUCK!!