oil pan for 3.4 in an XJ?

Ok, supposedly I was wrong about the 2.8L pan not fitting a 3.4L. If that's
the case then what can I do to prevent a replacement pan from getting dinged
by the axle? Somehow or another the pan managed to get whacked by the axle
and the dent creased the pan enough to cause splits that leak.

Anyone have a clue as to whether the gasket will work?

While I'm in here what's it take to deal with a rear seal leak? It may or
may not have one. This poor old beast had to pull several tons of dirt this
spring and it seems like it might have developed a leak to the rear of the
engine. Doesn't seem to be a valve cover so I'm left guessing about the
rear seal. If I'm in there dealing with pan I might as well fix the rear if
it's shot.

Anyone got a good supplier they'd recommend?

Thanks,
-Bill Kearney

this engine (both the 2.8 and the 3.4) is notorious for leaking
distributor bases. Anytime you remove the distributor you should
replace the O-ring seal thats in the groove at the base of the
distributor. After about 30K miles (due to the hot metal the O-ring
will harden, will loose its resiliancy and will allow oil to pass

For the pan/axel intereference, take a ball-peen hammer and bump block
and move (deform) the metal of the pan where it would crash into the
front differential when the axle springs are compressed. Take your
time and keep tap-tap-taping with peen hammer until you have a smooth
and large dimple to clear the diff. & axle. It takes time to learn how
to use a peen hammer ... just be patient it will all come to you as you
use it ---- dont lose patience or you'll break through the metal. a
thousand whacks should move sufficient metal to create a dimple.


In article >, wkearney99
> wrote:

> Ok, supposedly I was wrong about the 2.8L pan not fitting a 3.4L. If that's
> the case then what can I do to prevent a replacement pan from getting dinged
> by the axle? Somehow or another the pan managed to get whacked by the axle
> and the dent creased the pan enough to cause splits that leak.
>
> Anyone have a clue as to whether the gasket will work?
>
> While I'm in here what's it take to deal with a rear seal leak? It may or
> may not have one. This poor old beast had to pull several tons of dirt this
> spring and it seems like it might have developed a leak to the rear of the
> engine. Doesn't seem to be a valve cover so I'm left guessing about the
> rear seal. If I'm in there dealing with pan I might as well fix the rear if
> it's shot.
>
> Anyone got a good supplier they'd recommend?
>
> Thanks,
> -Bill Kearney
>
>

> this engine (both the 2.8 and the 3.4) is notorious for leaking
> distributor bases. Anytime you remove the distributor you should
> replace the O-ring seal thats in the groove at the base of the
> distributor. After about 30K miles (due to the hot metal the O-ring
> will harden, will loose its resiliancy and will allow oil to pass

Hmmm, that's good to know. I'll take a closer look at it to see if that's
involved in the leak. I've not done anything to the distributor since the
new engine was installed. It's been about 15k miles since the swap; about 6
years ago, so I suppose it could be degraded. Given it's placement at the
rear of the engine amidst a rats nest of wiring it's not something I'd
usually chose to pull out.

> For the pan/axel intereference, take a ball-peen hammer and bump block
> and move (deform) the metal of the pan where it would crash into the
> front differential when the axle springs are compressed. Take your
> time and keep tap-tap-taping with peen hammer until you have a smooth
> and large dimple to clear the diff. & axle.

Anyone make a pan that's already setup to avoid this problem? How about
"doing something" to the axle to help it avoid being able to wreck the pan?
There are a couple of bump-stops on the frame rails above the axles and I'm
sure they're due for replacement. Heh, perhaps a lift kit!

-Bill Kearney

GM offers a "4X4" pan which has to be ordered separately when you buy
the 3.4 as a 'crate engine' for installation into a Jeep XJ. the
standard crate 3.4 has a 'deep sump' oil pan.

The 3.4 crate engine (PN 12363230) comes with the 'standard' oil pan PN
1007899. To fit this to a 4x4 you also need to order the 4x4 (shallow
sump) pan - PN 10099979.... then you need to 'move some metal' with a
ball peen to remove intereference with the front diff housing - the
axel will clear but not the corner of the diff case. You will also
need to alter the suction screen position of the oil pump ---- hope you
still have the old 2.8 laying around ... just swap the bottom plate and
suction tube on the 2.8 oilpump into the 3.4.

For the 4x4 pan conversion the standard oil drain will have to be moved
as the standard 4x4 pan wlll have the oil drain interefere with the
exhaust pipe.... you wont ever be able to open the drain ... or just
get a retrofit auto trans oil drain adapter and be done with it.

hope this helps.
;-)

In article >, wkearney99
> wrote:

> > this engine (both the 2.8 and the 3.4) is notorious for leaking
> > distributor bases. Anytime you remove the distributor you should
> > replace the O-ring seal thats in the groove at the base of the
> > distributor. After about 30K miles (due to the hot metal the O-ring
> > will harden, will loose its resiliancy and will allow oil to pass
>
> Hmmm, that's good to know. I'll take a closer look at it to see if that's
> involved in the leak. I've not done anything to the distributor since the
> new engine was installed. It's been about 15k miles since the swap; about 6
> years ago, so I suppose it could be degraded. Given it's placement at the
> rear of the engine amidst a rats nest of wiring it's not something I'd
> usually chose to pull out.
>
> > For the pan/axel intereference, take a ball-peen hammer and bump block
> > and move (deform) the metal of the pan where it would crash into the
> > front differential when the axle springs are compressed. Take your
> > time and keep tap-tap-taping with peen hammer until you have a smooth
> > and large dimple to clear the diff. & axle.
>
> Anyone make a pan that's already setup to avoid this problem? How about
> "doing something" to the axle to help it avoid being able to wreck the pan?
> There are a couple of bump-stops on the frame rails above the axles and I'm
> sure they're due for replacement. Heh, perhaps a lift kit!
>
> -Bill Kearney
>

I assume you DID change the flex plate... as the old 2.8 is externally
balanced the 3.4 is internally balanced and requires a totally
new/different flex plate ..... or you're going to get 'bodaceous'
vibrations at high rpm if you didnt also change the flexplate. .


In article >, Rich Hampel
> wrote:

> GM offers a "4X4" pan which has to be ordered separately when you buy
> the 3.4 as a 'crate engine' for installation into a Jeep XJ. the
> standard crate 3.4 has a 'deep sump' oil pan.
>
> The 3.4 crate engine (PN 12363230) comes with the 'standard' oil pan PN
> 1007899. To fit this to a 4x4 you also need to order the 4x4 (shallow
> sump) pan - PN 10099979.... then you need to 'move some metal' with a
> ball peen to remove intereference with the front diff housing - the
> axel will clear but not the corner of the diff case. You will also
> need to alter the suction screen position of the oil pump ---- hope you
> still have the old 2.8 laying around ... just swap the bottom plate and
> suction tube on the 2.8 oilpump into the 3.4.
>
> For the 4x4 pan conversion the standard oil drain will have to be moved
> as the standard 4x4 pan wlll have the oil drain interefere with the
> exhaust pipe.... you wont ever be able to open the drain ... or just
> get a retrofit auto trans oil drain adapter and be done with it.
>
> hope this helps.
> ;-)
>
> In article >, wkearney99
> > wrote:
>
> > > this engine (both the 2.8 and the 3.4) is notorious for leaking
> > > distributor bases. Anytime you remove the distributor you should
> > > replace the O-ring seal thats in the groove at the base of the
> > > distributor. After about 30K miles (due to the hot metal the O-ring
> > > will harden, will loose its resiliancy and will allow oil to pass
> >
> > Hmmm, that's good to know. I'll take a closer look at it to see if that's
> > involved in the leak. I've not done anything to the distributor since the
> > new engine was installed. It's been about 15k miles since the swap; about 6
> > years ago, so I suppose it could be degraded. Given it's placement at the
> > rear of the engine amidst a rats nest of wiring it's not something I'd
> > usually chose to pull out.
> >
> > > For the pan/axel intereference, take a ball-peen hammer and bump block
> > > and move (deform) the metal of the pan where it would crash into the
> > > front differential when the axle springs are compressed. Take your
> > > time and keep tap-tap-taping with peen hammer until you have a smooth
> > > and large dimple to clear the diff. & axle.
> >
> > Anyone make a pan that's already setup to avoid this problem? How about
> > "doing something" to the axle to help it avoid being able to wreck the pan?
> > There are a couple of bump-stops on the frame rails above the axles and I'm
> > sure they're due for replacement. Heh, perhaps a lift kit!
> >
> > -Bill Kearney
> >

"Rich Hampel" > wrote in message
...
> I assume you DID change the flex plate... as the old 2.8 is externally
> balanced the 3.4 is internally balanced and requires a totally
> new/different flex plate ..... or you're going to get 'bodaceous'
> vibrations at high rpm if you didnt also change the flexplate. .

Oh yeah, everything else about the change was fine.

"Rich Hampel" > wrote in message
...
> I assume you DID change the flex plate... as the old 2.8 is externally
> balanced the 3.4 is internally balanced and requires a totally
> new/different flex plate ..... or you're going to get 'bodaceous'
> vibrations at high rpm if you didnt also change the flexplate. .

Oh yeah, everything else about the change was fine.

> GM offers a "4X4" pan which has to be ordered separately when you buy
> the 3.4 as a 'crate engine' for installation into a Jeep XJ. the
> standard crate 3.4 has a 'deep sump' oil pan.

Any idea what the Jeep pan is? The one that comes with the 2.8L in a 4x4
setup?

> The 3.4 crate engine (PN 12363230) comes with the 'standard' oil pan PN
> 1007899. To fit this to a 4x4 you also need to order the 4x4 (shallow
> sump) pan - PN 10099979.

I take it that's a part for inside the pan?

> ... then you need to 'move some metal' with a
> ball peen to remove intereference with the front diff housing - the
> axel will clear but not the corner of the diff case. You will also
> need to alter the suction screen position of the oil pump

Hmmm, I may replace the oil pump anyway.

> For the 4x4 pan conversion the standard oil drain will have to be moved
> as the standard 4x4 pan wlll have the oil drain interefere with the
> exhaust pipe.... you wont ever be able to open the drain ... or just
> get a retrofit auto trans oil drain adapter and be done with it.

-Bill Kearney

In article >, wkearney99
> wrote:

> > GM offers a "4X4" pan which has to be ordered separately when you buy
> > the 3.4 as a 'crate engine' for installation into a Jeep XJ. the
> > standard crate 3.4 has a 'deep sump' oil pan.
>
> Any idea what the Jeep pan is? The one that comes with the 2.8L in a 4x4
> setup?
Have NO idea.
>
> > The 3.4 crate engine (PN 12363230) comes with the 'standard' oil pan PN
> > 1007899. To fit this to a 4x4 you also need to order the 4x4 (shallow
> > sump) pan - PN 10099979.
>
> I take it that's a part for inside the pan?
This replaces the crate engine standard pan
>
> > ... then you need to 'move some metal' with a
> > ball peen to remove intereference with the front diff housing - the
> > axel will clear but not the corner of the diff case. You will also
> > need to alter the suction screen position of the oil pump
>
> Hmmm, I may replace the oil pump anyway.
Just the bottom plate and suction tube/screen.
>
> > For the 4x4 pan conversion the standard oil drain will have to be moved
> > as the standard 4x4 pan wlll have the oil drain interefere with the
> > exhaust pipe.... you wont ever be able to open the drain ... or just
> > get a retrofit auto trans oil drain adapter and be done with it.
>
> -Bill Kearney
>

In article >, wkearney99
> wrote:

> > GM offers a "4X4" pan which has to be ordered separately when you buy
> > the 3.4 as a 'crate engine' for installation into a Jeep XJ. the
> > standard crate 3.4 has a 'deep sump' oil pan.
>
> Any idea what the Jeep pan is? The one that comes with the 2.8L in a 4x4
> setup?
Have NO idea.
>
> > The 3.4 crate engine (PN 12363230) comes with the 'standard' oil pan PN
> > 1007899. To fit this to a 4x4 you also need to order the 4x4 (shallow
> > sump) pan - PN 10099979.
>
> I take it that's a part for inside the pan?
This replaces the crate engine standard pan
>
> > ... then you need to 'move some metal' with a
> > ball peen to remove intereference with the front diff housing - the
> > axel will clear but not the corner of the diff case. You will also
> > need to alter the suction screen position of the oil pump
>
> Hmmm, I may replace the oil pump anyway.
Just the bottom plate and suction tube/screen.
>
> > For the 4x4 pan conversion the standard oil drain will have to be moved
> > as the standard 4x4 pan wlll have the oil drain interefere with the
> > exhaust pipe.... you wont ever be able to open the drain ... or just
> > get a retrofit auto trans oil drain adapter and be done with it.
>
> -Bill Kearney
>