Mercruiser 7.4 Dipstick Tube Broke, Can't Remove Oil Pan

[CLi87]

I'm working on a Mercruiser 7.4 Gen V and needed to replace the oil pan gasket, well when I went to pull the dipstick tube out of the pan, it was pretty rusted and it just broke on me. Now the other end is stuck inside the oil pan and I can't remove the oil pan because the tube gets stuck. I've used special ez outs to break the remainder of the dipstick tube free so at least it spins easily but I can't pull it out for the life of me. Any ideas what I could try?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Drop the pan and push it up and out

 

[Scott Danforth]

Pull the motor first

 

[alldodge]

Pull the motor first

Agree, the dipstick is most likely not what is actually keep the pan from being removed, its most likely the oil pump sump

 

[Bondo]

Pull the motor first

Ayuh,..... Probably shoulda started there,......

 

[CLi87]

I have the engine pulled and the oil pan dropped already, it's about an inch or so off the block and I can move it around but I stuck a camera in the crack and the dipstick tube is getting stuck on some metal part, I'll try to get a pic and post it.

 

[Scott Danforth]

most likely the oil pickup is getting stuck in the windage tray. worst case, push the dipstick into the pan

 

[alldodge]

With the tube being snapped off, just get a pry bar against it and bend it out of the way

 

[dubs283]

With the tube being snapped off, just get a pry bar against it and bend it out of the way

Yep, tube is garbage anyway. You're not going to hurt anything lower end internal by forcing the pan off. Just make sure you don't damage the pan

 

[Scott Danforth]

The pan is $80 if you do damage it

 

[achris]

The pan is $80 if you do damage it

$80 plus a hot dip.

 

[CLi87]

I tried prying but no luck, bent the hell out of the pickup tube tray but it's not budging, I even tried to get a Dremel in there to cut the tube but it's barely cutting.

 

[alldodge]

Suggest a sawzall and long blade
Maybe a drill bit

 

[CLi87]

and I can't push it in because this particular tube has a lip that rests against the oil pan, I tried like hell to push it out but it won't budge.

Btw, where can I get a new oil pan for $80 at? I looked on ebay but the cheapest new one was $170

 

[Scott Danforth]

and I can't push it in because this particular tube has a lip that rests against the oil pan, I tried like hell to push it out but it won't budge.

Btw, where can I get a new oil pan for $80 at? I looked on ebay but the cheapest new one was $170

its a GM industrial motor full sump pan (8 qt). look at the natural gas genset parts break down.

 

[alldodge]

Looking a bit longer, I can see the tube has been bent over to the other side. The windage tray is also being bent. The tube bent over against the tray is what's keeping it from coming out.

I would try to drill it out

If that fails post something in the wanted section of Offshore only. Might also contact Sick Stigler on OSO he always has stuff

 

[Scott Danforth]

Reach in with a box wrench and unbolt the windage tray

 

[CLi87]

I ended up using a sawzall to cut the tube and finally got the oil pan off and dipstick tube out after some heavy hammering. Do you guys think it would be ok to re-use the oil pan? I sprayed the dipstick hole with penetrating fluid and I'm going to use a wire brush to clean it out, seems to be ok. I'll be sealing the new dipstick tube in as well so I don't expect any leakage problems. And what is the windage tray for? It got bent pretty bad from me trying to pry the oil pan off, can I just bend it back roughly to shape or will I need to replace it?

 

[Scott Danforth]

no reason you cant reuse the pan or windage tray.

you can bang the windage tray back into shape. just make sure the crank clears it.

it is for windage control within the oil pan, or you run the risk of frothing the oil as you bang thru waves.

a block of wood and a hammer is all you should need I would also straighten out the pan rail while you are at it.

 

[CLi87]

no reason you cant reuse the pan or windage tray.

you can bang the windage tray back into shape. just make sure the crank clears it.

it is for windage control within the oil pan, or you run the risk of frothing the oil as you bang thru waves.

a block of wood and a hammer is all you should need I would also straighten out the pan rail while you are at it.

Sounds good, I'll use a block of wood to bang it back, what is the pan rail you're referring to? Are you talking about making sure the oil pan surface is flat?