Remove Upper Oil Pan - 01 Pathfinder LE

[01lemx]

Hello,

Long time lurker, first time poster. Basic specs: 01 Pathfinder LE VQ35DE RWD. I have had my Pathy for 2 months, and I have fixed many small things on my R50 thanks to this forum, and here I am posting my first question involving a major fix.

I want to fix an oil leak coming from the upper oil pan. I have done my research and seen many threads about the rear main seal. One thread said something about replacing the rear main seal and not fixing the oil leak, and once the oil pan had a better gasket, is when the leak stopped. I have not found a how-to with pics except for the FSM, which I have read. But I have a few questions:

Why do you have to loosen/remove the support mount nuts in order to lift the engine to remove the oil pan? Why is it necessary to lift the engine? The oil pan wouldn't be able to be removed if I don't lift the engine? My guess is it is a clearance issue?

All the pan bolts seem accesible from under the truck, except for some lines running below the oil pan, which should not be an issue to work around...

Any tips or knowledge about how to do this job, will be deeply appreciated.Seems like a fun job to do. Something around 8-10 hours... With some time...

Thanks in advance.

[greengumby]

There is a thread on something simular hope this helps

steel-oil-pan-replacement-t562540.html

[01lemx]

Thank you for yourreply. That would be the lower oil pan, which is pretty accessible to work on, and is attached to the upper oil pan, which I want to remove.

The oil pan I am referring to basically covers the entire lower part of the engine.



Really interested on gathering as much information as possible on how to do this, and while I am working on it, snap as many pics and perhaps write a how-to (if there isn't one).