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oil pan gasket, radiator, etc

I just brought my 89 Mustang LX 5.0 in so I could get an idea on what work needs to be done. She has 140k on her so I new there would be some work I'd have to do but I got a great deal on her and she drives great. This is what the Mechanic informed me needs to be replaced:

Valve Cover Gaskets Radiator Hoses Muffler Oil Pan Gasket Water Pump Radiator

Now most of this I should be able to do myself from reading through the manual. However the oil pan gasket seems to be pretty tricky, and I will have to do a lot of work to get to it. Though I've never done this before, I am pretty mechanically inclined and can follow the chiltons book easily. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for what else I should check or replace while I am going through all of ths trouble. I don't mind spending a couple bucks extra now to avoid having to go through the work again down the line. Also, any recommendations on purchasing any of these parts would be appreciated. As of now, I was just planning on heading to Autozone for stock replacements.

Thanks

Reply to
Doug Neidermeyer
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How bad is that oil pan leaking? After a few miles, they all seem to leak a little. But if it's leaving a puddle in the driveway, you'll have to fix it. It's not technically difficult. But it is a real pain in the behind. Expect a couple of days work before you're done. Consider changing the oil pump while you're in there.

Reply to
.boB

Well, there isn't exactly a puddle underneath my car, but it is noticeably leaking. Every 3 weeks or so I have to put in a quart of oil. I'll look into changing the oil pump too, thanks for the tip.

Reply to
Doug Neidermeyer

Are you sure it not the rear main (crankshaft) seal? Even the more 'modern' one-piece seals they started using in the 80's leak after awhile - personal experience.

A rear main leak can look like a oil pan gasket leak at the rear of the engine. Depending on how bad your valve cover gaskets are leaking, it might be hard to tell exactly where the leaks are.

Replace the valve cover gaskets with new premuim gaskets, steam clean the engine (or have it done), top side and bottom side, drive for awhile and then re-examine for leaks on the bottom end (assuming you fixed the valve cover leaks). I've had older engines whose valve covers leaked enough to run down the sides of the block and make it look like a pan gasket or rear main seal. When everything is wet with oil its hard to diagnose where the rear source of the leaks are...

HTH,

Chris

Doug Neidermeyer wrote:

Reply to
cprice

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