OK I've got the oil pan off, and I need to pull the front cover. I can tell there's a dowel at the top in the middle to locate the front cover. problem is I can't get it to swing out to come off the crank snout. any ideas? Do I have to remove the backing of the oil pump? Please tell me you can pull the front cover without pullin the head, I'd rather not do a head gasket!

 

there is a bolt that goes straight down infront of the cam! dont forget to take that out or else you will break your cover

 

What? That would explain it... LOL!!! I have the valve cover off and didn't see anything. It must be in that little valley in front of the cam sprocket... LOL!!! There's just a pool of oil there on mine, I couldn't see a thing. That was the first thing I thought, but it looked like it was just a dowel boss... yea that's what I get.

That makes no sense to put a bolt there... but then again they have bolts holding on the front cover going both directions on the sides, so why am I suprised?
They really really really really wanted it to stay on I guess

 

without a bolt there, theres no compression on the headgasket there, so you get a oil leak.



its a 12mm head bolt btw

 

That's true. Just a weird setup. I guess I'm used to Nissan L24's and SB Fords / Chevys. Never pulled a 20R apart before.

Thanks for the help guys. Now I just have to lift the motor enough to get the oil pan out.

 

you dont need to pull the pan... if you have the chemical ( silicon) gasget you can just pull the cover straight off...then when you put it together just resilicon that section. ( sorry for the horrible spelling...beer)

 

mmmm Beeeeeer

The oil pan and front cover were both leaking on the bottom, so in order to fix it, both gotta come off! Of course you can't pull the oil pan without lifting the motor.

That's ok, the hardest part is taking them off, putting them back on is easy, everything will be clean then