Help! Seized Sump/Oil Pan

[SNOWBLIND78]

Today I removed my exhaust so I could drop the sump/oil pan. I took out all 13 bolts from the pan..they came loose with out to much trouble using a ratchet with a small extension. I cannot for the life of me get the pan off!

I have tried to pull it down by hand, and broke a sweat for a while with no results. Then i tapped it around the edges with a dead blow hammer and it didn't even budge. Safe to spray some pb blaster around the perimeter of the pan?

The gasket material in between the pan and motor looks pretty old and baked on so i'm sure that has something to do with it.


Anybody ever experienced something similar??

Really need to get it off so I can clean the screen and see what it looks like in there.

Any advice on this is super appreciated thanks everyone!

 

[chuck hahn]

Small putty knife. Tap it in between the pan and engine case..extract..move over and repeat the process till enough is cut that you can pry it off. Try not to gouge it all up though.

 

[Guest]

As chuck say /\/\/\ Any method you use now is going to need a new gasket.

 

[SNOWBLIND78]

Thanks Chuck I will pick up a putty knife at the hardware store tommorow. The aluminum does seem soft so I will make sure to go slowly when scraping and not make any dents that could cause an improper seal later on.

 

[SNOWBLIND78]

As chuck say /\/\/\ Any method you use now is going to need a new gasket.

I already have a beautiful oem gasket waiting to go in. It's still in the shrink wrap with the Suzuki factory sticker. I purchased it online from a vintage motorcycle shop based in Miami , Florida. Looks to be in great condition for its age.

 

[Brendan W]

Patience. It will come eventually. Hopefully someone hasn't supplemented the gasket with RTV or similar. Keep chipping away gently and as said putty knife or a small thin screwdriver, about the thickness of the gasket and try to tap it into the gasket material to get a pry. Try it in a few places and avoid going for the kill in one go.
I find leaving your favourite shirt under it overnight will make it fall off of it's own accord.

 

[SNOWBLIND78]

Patience. It will come eventually. Hopefully someone hasn't supplemented the gasket with RTV or similar. Keep chipping away gently and as said putty knife or a small thin screwdriver, about the thickness of the gasket and try to tap it into the gasket material to get a pry. Try it in a few places and avoid going for the kill in one go.
I find leaving your favourite shirt under it overnight will make it fall off of it's own accord.

I think it is RTV or a liquid gasket maker because where the pan meets the motor there is thick oozy dried goo all around the perimeter of the pan. I used a wire brush to clean around the edges so I could get a better visual analysis and see exactly where to try and wedge/tap something in. The material feels impenetrable I couldn't even get a thin razorblade to slide in between the mating surfaces. Is there any way to melt off the rtv like substance without damaging the pan or creating leaks later on. Heat? a special chemical? The pan feels absolutely rock solid when you try to get it to move at all.

Pretty frustrating...

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

Trying finding bolt number 14

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

I kid
look for a lip on the pan they all seem to have one
U use a piece of 2x4 and a really nice clubbing hammer on recalcitrant pans.
Its amazing how well they can get stuck on.
I would never use a pry its silly.

 

[SNOWBLIND78]

Trying finding bolt number 14

Are you referring to the oil drain plug?

The pan only has 13 bolts along the perimeter .

 

[SNOWBLIND78]

I kid
look for a lip on the pan they all seem to have one
U use a piece of 2x4 and a really nice clubbing hammer on recalcitrant pans.
Its amazing how well they can get stuck on.
I would never use a pry its silly.

Ha ! I thought you were pulling my chain with that one ...

Hmm ok so it should be a metal overhang on the pan that Is big enough to accommodate a sliver of wood that can be hammered downwards?

I will see if I can locate a lip + fit a length of 2x4 under the frame (bike is on center stand).

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

Sadly i see no lip on the fiche
how freakin odd
truly poor engineering

 

[SNOWBLIND78]

Sadly i see no lip on the fiche
how freakin odd
truly poor engineering

Yea I just stuck my head under there and looked all around, it is completely smooth nothing that would qualify as a lip.

This rtv is probably at least ten years old and feels really tough. Starting to feel a little hopeless but I will try to keep chipping away at it although it seems very futile because I am just making it look nice externally but not actually getting anything in between the metal to break up the gasket.

 

[Brendan W]

I think it is RTV or a liquid gasket maker because where the pan meets the motor there is thick oozy dried goo all around the perimeter of the pan. I used a wire brush to clean around the edges so I could get a better visual analysis and see exactly where to try and wedge/tap something in. The material feels impenetrable I couldn't even get a thin razorblade to slide in between the mating surfaces. Is there any way to melt off the rtv like substance without damaging the pan or creating leaks later on. Heat? a special chemical? The pan feels absolutely rock solid when you try to get it to move at all.

Pretty frustrating...

RTV is a pig to deal with. Tough and tools rebound. Unfortunately I don't know of any magic potion to dissolve it. I've removed a car sump or two where it was fitted at assembly and ended up with a hammer and chisel. Sumps had corroded through anyway and I wasn't too concerned about destroying the old one. I would try something like a jewellers screwdriver, or something sharp and just keep tapping hoping to cut the rtv enough to get leverage.
ps then I found this http://www.permatex.com/products-2/...overs/permatex--rtv-silicone-dissolver-detail
Snake oil ?

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

Acetic acid should dissolve rtv

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

EEEEK

2. COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
Component Weight% ACGIH; TLV-TWA OSHA PEL
DISTILLATES (PETROLEUM),
HYDROTREATED LIGHT
64742-47-8
40-60 Not listed Not listed
HEPTANE
142-82-5
30-50 400 ppm 500 ppm; 2000 mg/m3
DODECYLBENZENE SULFONIC
ACID
27176-87-0
<10 Not listed Not listed
SULPHURIC ACID
7664-93-9
0.1-1.0 0.2 mg/m3 1 mg/m3
3.

 

[GRAND ROUGE]

Perhaps

try one of these tools to get between sump and lower case. AutoZone etc. has similar devices.

 

[Brendan W]

EEEEK

2. COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
Component Weight% ACGIH; TLV-TWA OSHA PEL
DISTILLATES (PETROLEUM),
HYDROTREATED LIGHT
64742-47-8
40-60 Not listed Not listed
HEPTANE
142-82-5
30-50 400 ppm 500 ppm; 2000 mg/m3
DODECYLBENZENE SULFONIC
ACID
27176-87-0
<10 Not listed Not listed
SULPHURIC ACID
7664-93-9
0.1-1.0 0.2 mg/m3 1 mg/m3
3.

Desperate situations require desperate remedies.
On first glance looks like 50:50 Cola and shampoo.

 

[BADJACKSON]

I second the putty knife method. Once its off, scrape all the RTV off with a razor blade. Then rub both surfaces with isopropyl alcohol. That way you know it's clean. Then new gasket or RTV.

I've done this a lot with other engines. Never on a GS.

 

[1948man]

It's admirable that you want to touch all bases and be diligent by dropping the sump but if it resists too much, you might just be creating a problem when dropping the sump is not absolutely necessary.