How do you change the oil pan gasket on a 2000 DeVille with a Northstar engine?

Answer 1

It is possible to remove the oil pan from a 2003 Cadillac Deville without pulling the motor out. Since the Northstar engine is mounted sideways for front wheel drive, there is no suspension in the way. However, the major problem to deal with is the exhaust pipe which is bolted to the front exhaust manifold and travels under the oil pan and over the transmission. I got it out with some difficulty, but at least didn't have to pull the motor out of the car. Here is my procedure:

1. Safety first - ensure the front of the car is jacked up and on jackstands, with rear wheels chocked. Install an extra jack under car in addition to the jackstands as a safety backup.

2. Drain oil & remove filter.

3. Remove the 13 or so 10mm bolts from around the oil pan. Some are more difficult than others to get to but all can be removed.

4. Remove the single 13mm bolt from oil pan corner. This is easily reachable but extremely difficult to turn due to the angle of access. I tried using a 1/4" universal joint on my ratchet but to no avail. I finally was able to loosen it by taking a 13mm box end wrench and bending it to a 90° angle and turning it with my vice grips a small turn at a time.

5. When last bolt is out of oil pan will drop slightly since there is no glued on gasket - only an o-ring.

6. Remove front bottom plastic shroud that covers the space between the radiator & front cross bar.

7. With this new access, remove the 2-10mm bolts that bolt the ehaust pipe to the front exhaust manifold.

8. Going farther back under the car, remove 2 bolts to the rear exuaust manifold & 2 bolts that connect the muffler.

9. Exhaust pipe will now move slightly but still not give you enough room to remove the oil pan.

10. Remove both engine motor mounts: 1 x bottom 21mm nut, 2 x bottom 19mm nuts, 1 x side 18 mm nut. Not for the side bolt you;'ll have to remove the nut from the inside, as the outside has a hook type bracket welded to it which makes it impossible to spin. I used an 18mm open end wrench from the bottom (passenger's side) & top (driver's side - remove air filter housing). Use crow bar to press motor mount down to remove off of studs & work it out being careful not to damage the break lines.

11. Remove bottom engine mount nut in front cross bar & rear portion of transmission.

12. With 2 spare jacks, jack up motor as far as it'll go without raising car off the jackstands. Use a piece of pipe or 2 x 4 on jacks to reach motor, allowing room away from oil pan.

13. Double check jacks to ensure engine won't fall down & crush your fingers when working out oil pan!

14. Work oil pan towards passenger side of vehicle & drop down as far as it'll go.

15. Remove oil pump screen tube assembly. It is held in place with an 8mm bolt (tube connection) and a 13mm nut (bracket).

16. Now that the oil screen assy is not in the way, work the oil pan towards the ront of the engine, angling down as you go.

I am in the process of replacing the pil pump & screen due to some radiator additive (head gasket repair or "liquid glass" ) that my dad inadvertanly added to the crankcase, since the oil fill is in front of the radiator fill. Fortunately he figured out what he did and didn't allow the stuff to circulate through the engine, which would have killed it permanately. He did, however, turn it over a few times (before realizing what happened and them immediately changed the oil) which caused the stuff to solidify in the oil pump and now he is getting a poor oil circulation warning on the computer. I will add more comments once I complete working on the car.

Thanks, ms 2/15/10