HELP! Oil Pan Removal

[91fe]

Hey Guys,
I'm trying to pull the oil pan from my 03 Road King.  My primary cam chain tensioner blew and I'm trying to make sure there's no pieces in the pan.  I've got the bike up on a jack, back wheel off, 12 bolts removed... and can wiggle the pan around.  It won't slide back more than 1" and I think it's getting hung up on the baffle and springs.  I can push the rear spring down, but don't see how I can get to the front.  Any tips?  Final question for those that have removed their's in the past... if it's this hard to get off, how bad is it going to be getting it back on?

[thunderalley3]

Is your crossmember under the pan straight, if it is bent up it will give you fits, also put a jack under the engine and jack up until it starts to raise the frame, it will give you just a little more room, and make sure you have the dipstick out, it will break off,,,so I have heard 

[smoserx1]

I don't envy you at all.  Before attempting to remove the pan, make sure that cross brace is not bowed up.  If it is, you will have to straighten it before the pan will come off.  Get you a couple of long flat screwdrivers and a flashlight so you can compress the springs as the pan slides backwards.  Seems like I remember having to compress the back spring and also tap the pan with a rubber hammer or something to get it back enough so the rear spring was free of the transmission case bottom.  Putting it back on was difficult as well, and I ruined one spring and 2 gaskets before I got it right.  Here is what worked for me.  Don't try and glue the gasket to the pan with Hylomar like the book suggests.  Instead, cut a piece of lightweight cardboard (like that of a Kleenex box), the width of the pan, fold it so that it covers about 1 inch of the front mating surface of the pan, then tape the rest of it to the front outer wall of the pan.  The idea is to protect the mating surfaces of the pan and transmission bottom as you slide the pan back in.  With that cardboard in place, put the baffle in the pan with the springs inserted in the baffle.  Put the gasket on the pan without any sealant, but slide the gasket to the rear about an inch.  This will keep the gasket from getting damaged when sliding the pan into place, and the cardboard will protect the front of the pan and transmission case bottom.  Now go slow, and slide the pan in place a little at a time, while using a flashlight and long screwdriver to keep an eye on the springs.  I had to tap the rear of the pan a couple times with the rubber mallet as I went.  The front spring is very likely to get cocked.  Go slow and use the screwdriver to straighten up the springs as you go.  When you have the pan finally in place, and can verify the springs are not cocked, slide out your homemade piece of cardboard.  The springs will push the pan down about 1/4 inch, and you will then be able to move the gasket forward into the proper position, and can start the screws in place.  

Some folks have removed the motor mounts and jacked the engine up a little to get better clearance.  The job is a M-F to say the least.  Been there, done that, feel your pain.

[1711tab]

Hey Guys,
I'm trying to pull the oil pan from my 03 Road King.  My primary cam chain tension-er blew and I'm trying to make sure there's no pieces in the pan.  I've got the bike up on a jack, back wheel off, 12 bolts removed... and can wiggle the pan around.  It won't slide back more than 1" and I think it's getting hung up on the baffle and springs.  I can push the rear spring down, but don't see how I can get to the front.  Any tips?  Final question for those that have removed theirs in the past... if it's this hard to get off, how bad is it going to be getting it back on?

Use a flat piece of sheet metal cut to fit and it makes installing the stock pan a whole bunch easier... Don't forget to remove the sheet metal before you start tightening things down and the one bolt in the center is easier if you install it as the pan is going in...

[bouncingVman]

It's a PITA but not impossible. Like others have said... make sure the cross member on the frame isn't bent up... it should be straight across. Mine was bent up, but who knows how it happened.

I got a little rough with mine and broke the plastic baffle... might want to be careful with that.

[02GhostRiderVA]

Thanks for the heads-up, guys!  I too am getting ready to replace mine, except with my engine is out of the frame.  I suspect it won't be as much a challenge as described above, as I'll be able to gain more clearance between the crossmember and the pan.

[91fe]

Thanks for the tips guys.  I had to call it quits early today to go visit the parents.  I'll be back at it tomorrow.  I'm half tempted to say F-it and bolt it back together.

[thunderalley3]

91fe, You do have the rear wheel off and out of the way, that is a definate must do. I would not take the chance, as long as you are this far, finish it up with piece of mind. Was the flutes in the oil pump clean? any signs of debris in them ?

Ghostrider, you will have it easier with the engine out, it will come out forward, no pulling the wheel etc. and you have the freedom to hike the trans up in the front. The best to you both

[Porkchop]

Whats the purpose of the baffle and springs?  To keep oil from sloshing around? My late model evo doesn't have a baffle in the pan and was just wondering why the TC have them. 
TIA
Porkchop

[bouncingVman]

Whats the purpose of the baffle and springs?

The idea behind the serpentene baffle was to make the oil stay in the oil pan longer to cool off a little before going back into the engine. The thing about it is... on my model year they have the oil dump and return lines located in the same place near the front of the pan, so any cooling effect by the baffle is practically nill.

-todd

[smoserx1]

Whats the purpose of the baffle and springs?

I wondered that too.  The oil pan has a flat bottom, and the oil pickup is near the front of the pan.  I would think without the baffle during hard acceleration the oil could climb the back wall of the pan, possibly exposing the pickup point to air.  Automobile pans often have a low area where the oil pickup resides.  I would not advise leaving the baffle out.

[Deye76]

Absolutely leave the baffle in, and make sure you have the right gasket. If not and you have a pressure gauge on your bike you'll be able to see loss of pressure under accelaration, let off the throttle and it goes up.

[Porkchop]

Must be TC thing because in my evo it makes no difference in psi.  RPM makes a difference in oil pressure but not sure about any thrust issues on take off. 
Porkchop

[Deye76]

"RPM makes a difference in oil pressure"
Yea, it should go up as rpm's increase, not down.

[91fe]

91fe, You do have the rear wheel off and out of the way, that is a definate must do. I would not take the chance, as long as you are this far, finish it up with piece of mind. Was the flutes in the oil pump clean? any signs of debris in them ?

I messed with it for another hour and gave up.  The old oil pump was clean... if there's anything in the pan that's where it's going to sit.

Thanks for all of the advise guys, it's just too much of a job for me.