Looks like the pan for my '68's TH400 is right smack in the middle of the car! I need to change the gasket and filter. So do I jack up the car at the front, rear or side for best access to the pan? I think jacking up a side, eh?

Steve

Hi Steve,
That is one messy job. Unless your lucky enough to have a drain plug install in the pan. If you must do it yourself, I would get the front end up in the air. (And please use jackstands if you crawl under the car.) And start removing the pan bolts at the "aft" end of the pan so that the fluid will start running into the drain pan. Hope you have a wide drain pan. Or a lot of "speedy dry"
Good luck! Sarge

I did mine with all 4 wheels on the ground. I'm a pretty small guy. I don't recommend it, though! Loosen the bolts on either the front or back only and use a siphon hose to lower the level of fluid as you continue around the pan. This should keep you from making a big mess, but it will still be a dirty job. You're gonna get some leakage as you take the first few bolts out, so have a drip pan in place. I used an old shallow plastic pan. Use a gasket scraper and some solvent to get all the old gasket off. While you're under there you might as well change the filter, too.

When a friend and I changed the clutch on "The Toy" we used two sets of ramps to get uniform ground clearance. Jacked up one side of the car, set the ramps pointing towards the front and rear, then jacked up the other side and set the ramps the same. Setting the ramps with the inclines going away from the car gave us more room to slide around on the creepers between the wheels without too much cussing (that was reserved for taking the exhaust pipes off!).

I did mine last spring. I think I did like Sarge said, jacked the front and drain. A bit messy but I felt it was worth it to know it was done right, and to clean any sludge stuff from the pan before going back on.

I just replaced the filter and pan gasket on mine. I don't think there is mess free way to do this. By the way if your going to have the pan off , i recamend changeing your filter. My filter was really dirty and starting to go bad. I got a filter kit from autozone and it came with the filter and gasket , and the pan gasket. Cost about 15 bucks for kit and about 15 bucks for paper towels.....good luck !