I'm no slouch when it comes to working on cars, but I'm also a realist. My only vehicle to get myself back and forth to college at the moment is a 1982 S-10 Durango 2WD, with the 2.8L V6. I bought it for 800 dollars when my daily driver went out, and all of my money had been spent on my project Kelmark GT kit car. (You'll all be seeing a big posting session on that soon.)

It's got a few problems, and as money came my way, I've been collecting parts. Now I've got everything I need, but I'm not sure how to go about it. Keep in mind that while able-bodied, I am just an eighteen-year-old gearhead working by myself.

The things I have to do are:

Change out the oil pan gasket (This is the biggest concern. I need to know if this is possible without pulling the motor. If so, I'm hoping to find out how this can be done.)
Remove and replace the transmission kickdown cable (I could use a few pointers here, as it's routed through the firewall and I'm not sure how to go about making sure it gets back where it came from once I get it out.)
Install a new torque converter cover to replace the missing one. (I've got the cover, but need to go and get bolts to replace those that are missing.)Any and all help is greatly appreciated. I've got to get this done ASAP to try and make it a little more reliable so I can make sure I get to where I need to be.

Thank you in advance for any contributions.:)

EDIT: I did not mean to post this twice, I'm not sure how that happened. Mods, feel free to delete one of them.

-according to alldata (i work at a chevy dealer) you do have to pull the motor. unfortunately aids for that old of vehicle are scarce but here's the procedure they show for doing an oil pan. usually all data is fairly accurate on procedures. might wanna try to pick up a repair manual if you can...
-as for the torque converter cover are you talking about the bell housing?.
-and transmission kick down cable, not sure what you mean by that, the shift cable?


oil pan r & r
4 X 2

-Disconnect battery ground cable.
-Remove engine as described under ``Engine, Replace.(look below)''
-Remove oil pan.
-Reverse procedure to install. Before installing oil pan, thoroughly clean all sealing surfaces, then apply a 1/8 inch bead of RTV sealant, or equivalent, to the entire oil pan sealing flange.


-Engine replacement
4 X 2
-Disconnect battery ground cable.
-Scribe reference marks in the hood hinge area, then remove hood.
-Drain cooling system, then remove radiator hoses, overflow hose, transmission cooler lines (if equipped), upper radiator shroud and radiator.
-Remove cooling fan, then disconnect heater hoses.
-Remove air cleaner assembly.
-Identify, then disconnect vacuum hoses from engine.
-Disconnect necessary engine wiring from bulkhead.
-Disconnect throttle linkage as necessary, then remove distributor cap.
-Raise and support vehicle.
-Remove converter to exhaust pipe bolts, then disconnect exhaust pipes at manifolds.
-Remove strut rods at bellhousing (if equipped).
-Remove flywheel cover bolts, then the cover.
-On models equipped with automatic transmission, remove torque converter bolts.
-On all models, disconnect shield at rear of catalytic converter, then remove converter hanger.
-Remove lower radiator fan shroud.
-Disconnect fuel lines from fuel pump.
-Remove two outer bolts from front air deflector.
-Remove left side body mount bolts, then raise body using suitable lifting equipment.
-Remove bellhousing bolts, then lower body to frame.
-Remove motor mount through bolts, then lower vehicle.
-If equipped with A/C or power steering, disconnect A/C compressor and/or power steering pump.
-Install suitable lifting device on engine.
-Support transmission with suitable jack.
-Remove engine assembly.
-Reverse procedure to install.

The oil pan gasket can be replaced without pulling the engine, but you have to still unbolt it from its engine mounts, and also you'll have to unbolt the cab from the frame, so its really up to you to decide which way is easier.


The kick down cable or TV (throttle vavle cable) goes from the throttle body(or carb in this case), to the transmission. the cable that goes throgh the firewall is you throttle cable. basiclly, you have to disconnect it from the pedal and throttle body and pull it out. You install the new one the same way, but in reverse of removal, make sure you roughly re-route it in the same places the old one came from, with no tight kinks in it.

The easiest way to get new bolts for this is to go to the dealer, or an experienced parts place. They will provide you with the proper bolts, and install is pretty straight forward. You could go to a wrecking yard and get these bolts too, but in my opinion, it can be more of a hassle.

i woulkdknt worry about running the dust cover over the converter


i always remove them on my vehicles and have never had any trouble due to it


i have these bolts from many part outs and from ones i removed the covers from

lots of them

a junkyard or someone like me who has lots of them is the way to get them


the TV cable does not go through the firewall

(it is a TV if it is a 2004r or 700r4 trans, and is a kickdown if its any other trans)

it is tricky to reattach the trans end of the cable to the hook in the tranny and is hard to see will need a mirror and a flashlight and some luck and patience usually


oil pan you will have ot jack up the engine some but not that big of a deal really

exhaust cross over pipe will be in the way usually and youll have to unbolt it from the manifolds

may break the studs without using heat on the nuts

you could do the oil pan gaskets without dropping the pan very far but it would be tricky scraping off the old gaskets

but can be done


how bad is it leaking and are you sure its the oil pan and not the valve covers leaking down the back of the block,

or the RMS leaking ?

often VC gaskets leaking looks like oil pan leaking