4.3 astro van oil pan removal

My GM Manual just has pics. It shows 12 nuts/screws to be removed. However the astro/safari forum has much more at:

can search without joining. Let me quote a bit. Beats me if any of this will help. Quote 1: Am trying to remove the oil pan on my 1996 Astro 4.3L motor and it seems to be stuck. I have the timing chain cover, starter motor, and oil filter housing off. I have the 10 oil pan bolts removed and the 3 bolts in the rear of pan that bolt to the bell housing off also. The crankshaft key-way is at the 6 o'clock position straight down. With a 4 x 4, I have struck, and struck hard at the lower sump area and can't break it loose. I can pry on the front of the pan and see a little movement, but can't get it to come off. Is there something I'm doing wrong or something I've missed? It seems to be stuck at the rear just before the last bolt. I see sealant has oozed out of the seam in this area (factory seal). Could that be the problem? A sealant so good that it's more like a weld??

Quote 2: I have a later Haynes manual & this is the only differences I can see between what it says & your description....

Remove bellhousing lower cover completely. It says timing mark on damper at 6 oclock. Should rotate it clockwise to this position using damper bolt. remove oil filter adapter remove rubber bellhousing plugs other than this it says whack it with block of wood & mallet, rear portion comes down first. Don't pry it with a screwdriver, you'll never seal it again (unles you can knock it back into shape).

Quote 3:

I belive you need to remove those two rubber plugs from the tranny bell housing. There are two bolts *way* up in there that need to come out.

You might try specifying which model you have and a few details. ...thehick

Did you remove the two nuts that are "inside" the bell housing? You have to remove the two rubber bell housing plugs and use a deep socket and extension to reach them.

Ian

replying to shiden_kai, MikeK wrote: Does any one remember what size bolts are in the housing under the rubber plugs

replying to MikeK, Steyr223 rob wrote: Did u ever get a size I am looking for the size of the 2 bolts in the oil filter adapter

replying to shiden_kai, Hall40 wrote: What kind of tool does it take? Seems like bolts go in from top.Is there something I'm missing?

13mm is tge internal bolt size. Should be 2 nuts then take the oil filter Housing off and unclip the wire harness on the frame below the upper portion of the pan. It should slide out.