thanks for the pictures. this gives people anther way besides pulling the motor!

 

Great thread!

Many have wanted to change the oil pan and don't believe that there's little clearance without lifting the engine - and as you've shown the cradle still needs dropped. Excellent explanation and supporting pics!

Bob

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Excellent info and pics. Thank you. My sister in law is begging me I change hers as its leakin bad now. What was stopping the cradle from going lower? I'm thinking a trans jack under the axle and lowering the whole front subframe and suspension? Do you think that's possible?

 

Unfortunately I left out a few things in my haste to post this. I ended up disconnecting the front axle housing so it dropped down to the frame but because I kept the steering linkage and struts attached, I was limited in how much the frame would lower. I also did not pull out the front axles. I was pressed for time as the shop was closing for the night so I tried to minimize the amount of things I had to disconnect. Just want to stress how important it is to align the subframe back to it's original position because it throws the alignment off. I tried to do an alignment the next day but I had trouble loosening the camber bolts on the lower ctrl arms. These were rusted so badly that they required replacement. I too noticed there wasn't a lot of information on the Internet regarding this topic other than the standard technical procedure that has been cut and pasted millions of times. I thought there had to be an easier way. Hope the pics provide a better understanding of what's involved. Over all it wasn't a difficult job but it's not something I would have attempted in my driveway.

 

Totally understood. I've been a Honda tech for almost 18 years now. I don't think it should be all that bad but I fear the frozen bolts etc that always throw a wrench into the plans of getting it done after work before the shop closes for the night. Thanks for the info.

 

2008 Jeep Liberty oil pan replacement THE EASY WAY !

Ok guys, want to drop the pan in 30 mins or less???
Cut the cross member with a reciprocating saw, about a 10 inch gap .
Drop the pan! Install new gasket and pan.
Clean the cross member and weld back in.
If you do not have the skill or the equipment to do so, have a good welder handle this .
Or you could be slick and make a bolt in cross member which jeep should have done in the first place .
I have done this, it works. Plus your not tearing the engine apart, stressing hoses, wires and such .

 

2008 Jeep Liberty oil pan replacement THE EASY WAY !

Ok guys, want to drop the pan in 30 mins or less???
Cut the cross member with a reciprocating saw, about a 10 inch gap .
Drop the pan! Install new gasket and pan.
Clean the cross member and weld back in.
If you do not have the skill or the equipment to do so, have a good welder handle this .
Or you could be slick and make a bolt in cross member which jeep should have done in the first place .
I have done this, it works. Plus your not tearing the engine apart, stressing hoses, wires and such.

 

This is the procedure I followed:
http://www.doomd.net/2013/08/removing-oil-pan-from-kj-jeep-liberty.html

My write-up (sans pictures) is a few threads below. We didn't have to move the engine or cut the crossmember. I would think that welding it back in would seriously weaken it, plus cause alignment issues.

 

This is for a 2008 liberty not a 2005 .
No alignment issues , no jacking the motor to the sky .
My welds are as strong as OE .
Your choice , Lots of work or little work .

 

If you think that welding it would weaken it to the point of there being an issue you don't understand a lot about modern vehicle repair and the fact that most vehicles already have this done and it's held in place by commonly 5/16-18 grade 8 bolts.... Which would you choose??

 

That actually does weaken the subframe since it's heat treated HHS.Any welding weakens it.

Anybody that has worked in a bodyshop could tell you that.

 

Thanks for posting the pics and procedure. I just finished replacing my oil pan on my 2006 3.7l 4wd Liberty. I managed to get it out from the rear, between the cross member and the transmission bell housing. It took a bit of turning, tilting and juggling and suddenly it fell out! I raised the engine as much as possible, I don't think it was much more than an inch, I dropped the front axle but left the drive shaft attached, did not remove the cv joints or steering linkage. I just left the axle resting on the cross member and push it sideways. Jeep up on jack stands, front axle also resting on jack stands. It worked! I also replaced the starter while everything was out of the way. Thanks again for sharing this info!

 

Unfortunately, I am now facing the same problem. I don't have the engine support that is shown by the OP. Thinking most guys don't. What methods have you used successfully to support the motor? Can it be supported from below? How about removing the cross member fasteners, they seem pretty rusty. How well did those come off?

 

Harbor Freight sells an engine support bar for $80. If you were really cheap, you could probably make one from stuff at Home Depot.

 

I had my jeep raised on jack stands. I did not unbolt the cradle. I raised the engine using this lifting tool:
htttp://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/1-100-lb-engine-support-bar/A-p1090009e
I unbolted the front diff, moved it slightly fwd and aside while also supported on jack stands. Drive shaft and cv axles still attached. The oil pan needs to be rotated and tilted, it just barely has enough clearance to slip out, but it does!
06kjmike

 

Any differences between the 4WD 2003 and the 2006? Wondering if the 06 has greater clearance to the cross member.