Hi All,
Just going on from my previous thread,i have found a serious oil leak coming from my oil pan,it is coming from a patch which was welded on towards the front of the pan at some stage of its life.Now the weld has cracked and has a constant stream of oil seeping out of it.I'm not even sure how a hole can be put in a heavy duty oil pan but it needs fixing.My first thought was weld it up again but have decided to replace it if i can.My question is can i remove the oil pan while the engine is still in the dozer.It has the later front and rear pan set up so hoping i can.So far just started on getting the front stump guard off,hopefully tomorrow i can get the rear guard covering the oil pan off too.So far i can't see much of the back of the pan,thinking the rear joining pan bolts might be difficult.Just to get the the stump guards off will be a task,they look like they weigh half a ton.The plan is to use an overhead gantry crane with 2 block and tackles either side and gradully lower the guards down with straps.Not sure if this is the best way,any tips will be grateful.Then getting to the oil pan bolts and lowering the pan down is the next difficult job to do if i can.
I was hoping someone has done this job before and can tell me the best way to do it,i'ved found everyone helpful and i,m learning alot about the dozer on the forum,
Regards John.

Yes, it can be removed with the engine in the machine. It's heavy.

To remove the belly pan, run a come-along from the outside of one track to the outside of the other track. Some people will weld a couple of guides onto the belly pan to keep it centered.

heck if you have an overhead gantry crane you have half the battle already won.

I have a Allis Chalmers HD11EC they use a aluminum oil tank for the Torque converter oil. Stupidest thing in the world. I have threatened to build a steel one but havent yet. Lasted time i had about 3 cracks i welded up then welded a couple cross stitch welds over the top so far this time its holding well......

When working in the bush with limited resources, to remove / replace belly plates. This is a method I have used.
Hook a chain over the top of the track then run the chain under the belly plate and out over the top of the track on the other side .
pull the chain tight with your ute . Then after removing bolts . Release the tension on the chain lowering the guard to the ground. Reverse the process to replace . A simple hinge welded to one side is also a help.
Years ago I would have laid on my back with my feet in the air to remove the engine sump. Not so sure about that now !!

Thanks for everyones advice,i'm glad you let me know the oil pan can be taken off without removing the engine d9gdon,it will give me incentive to keep at it.I never even thought about using the tracks with a carry along or chain to hold the belly pan up.The dozer is out in the bush as well so like you said Andrew resources are limited.I am lucky though i have a gantry setup and will see how i go tomorrow with a block and tackle either side to hold the belly pan up and gradually lower it.As long as i get the guards off tomorrow and see what i'm up against and then the next task is finding a replacement oil pan.Removing the rear joining oil pan bolts worry me a bit but will see how i go.

My D7G is hinged. very handy i just chain a snatch block to the limb sweep and winch it up with winch on my ranger or truck.

My D7E is not hinged so i just use the forks on front of my tractor. I have the pans off right now i may hinge the D7E while its in the shop.

Every time i work on a machine if i feel like the blade might get in my way i pull it off. I can have a blade off in 15-20 minutes and to me it beats having to crawl up over the push arms just to crawl under the machine. Besides its just more stuff to hit your head on.

"westoz48a" wrote:

Thanks for everyones advice,i'm glad you let me know the oil pan can be taken off without removing the engine d9gdon,it will give me incentive to keep at it.I never even thought about using the tracks with a carry along or chain to hold the belly pan up.The dozer is out in the bush as well so like you said Andrew resources are limited.I am lucky though i have a gantry setup and will see how i go tomorrow with a block and tackle either side to hold the belly pan up and gradually lower it.As long as i get the guards off tomorrow and see what i'm up against and then the next task is finding a replacement oil pan.Removing the rear joining oil pan bolts worry me a bit but will see how i go.

Our D8 has a very similar looking front sweep/scrub gaurd setup to your 7. It too came from Western Australia.

I didn't get to remove the belly pan,just too wet over here today,i did manage to get the front plate off though with a lot of hammering,i don't think its been off for years.I only broke one bolt so did't do too bad.I couldn't do without the impact air wrench,every bolt is just about rusted on.
Be definitely a good idea to get the belly pan hinged DWC7 and Neil,I will see if i get time and maybe weld a few hinges on myself while it is off.You are right too about the blade getting in the way when working under the dozer,i have'nt had the blade off yet so a bit hesitant on removing it but looks straight forward.
I'm not 100% sure of the history of my dozer but apparently it has the standard forestry reinforced canopy and was from the southwest of West Australia,so say it is an ex forestry machine and would have standard stump guards too,Billy does your D8 have the same style canopy,just thought it may have a simlar history when it was in WA.

Good deal! Those front pans collect alot of dirt!

With the blade I just put a few blocks right under each push arm by the trunnion and back out. Then i just use 2 farm jacks if in the field to jack it back up if need be. Generally i try to use 2 blocks that are tight if so then no need for a jack.

When putting it back on drive into trunnions as close as you can get, then hook up cylinders and pick up on the blade slightly this will suck the blade back onto the trunnions tightly form their you can just put the caps and bolts back in. if you have a tilt cylinder hook the hoses back up to it also and you can use it to tweak the push arms to if they don't quite line back up on the trunnions.