OEM 2003 Dodge Ram 3500 Oil Pan

2003 Dodge Ram 3500 Oil Pan Parts and Q&A

• Q: How to Maintain and Fix an Oil Pan on 2003 Dodge Ram 3500?

  A: To work on the oil pan, open the hood and then remove the negative cables from the battery. To work on 4x4 models, get rid of the intake air assembly, take out the retaining bolts of the radiatom shroud and slide on support fixture #8534B before lifting the vehicle. Remove the oil from the engine, undo the bolts on the front engine mounts, lower the car and elevate the engine above with support fixture #8534B. Lift and hold the car up, pull out the dipstick again, release the oil pan from the bolts on its underside and pry the seal with a block to separate the oil pan from the engine before you lower the pan slightly and unfasten its suction pipe and remove the oil pan and suction tube. When working on a 4x2, raise and support the car, take off the negative battery cables, get rid of the transmission oil cooler, unfasten the propeller shaft and fasten the starter in place. Follow this by taking out the torque converter bolts, the hanging mounts for the exhaust, the gear shifter cables, any wiring attached to the transmission, the transmission mounts, all crossover bolts and put the crowbar underneath the bell housing-then take out the bolts and the transmission. After removing the flywheel housing bolts and flex plate bolts, drain the oil, take out the steering rack bolts, oil pan bolts and the oil pickup bolts before you remove the oil pan. Deep clean the gaskets from each sealing area in the oil pan and cylinder block, paying close attention to the T-joint connectors and clean the suction tube with an appropriate solvent. Check the oil pan, suction tube and all the tube braces for signs of cracks, replace any damaged parts and look at the oil drain plug and drain hole threads. Examine the oil pan's sealing surface and tune it using a ball-peen hammer and don't weld. Wash the sealing parts of the cylinder block and oil pan, then follow up with Mopar. Use Silicone Rubber Adhesive Sealant at all the T-joint areas. Set the new gasket on the oil pan, fit the tube into it and attach a fresh tube-to-block gasket with the tube bolts tightened to 18 'ft. lbs. (24 Nm) and the remaining tube brace bolts to 32 'ft. lbs. (43 Nm). Tighten the oil pan bolts to 28 Nm (21 ft. lbs.) as you start from the center and go outwards and then set the engine oil dipstick, engine block stiffener and flywheel to crankshaft adapter, tightening to 137 Nm (101 ft. lbs.). Reduce how high the vehicle is, place the engine into the motor mounts and torque the through bolts until they measure 88 Nm (64 ft. lbs.). Connect the negative battery cable, pour new engine oil into the crankcase, turn on the engine and examine for leaks, turn off the engine to observe its oil level and adjust as needed. After all that, fit the fan and the fan shroud, making sure they are secure, add the correct amount of oil, link the negative battery cables and shut the hood. For 4x2 models, you should tighten the steering rack bolts, flex plate, flywheel to crankshaft adapter and the transmission and transfer case if fitted, just as you would with a 6x6.