4.3 Oil Pan Torque Specs

An engine's oil pan is a detachable component, usually made of thin steel, that is bolted to the bottom of the engine's crankcase. At the bottom of the oil pan is a drain plug, which generally contains a magnet with the purpose of attracting stray bits of metal from the oil. When the engine is at rest, the oil pan is responsible for gathering the oil flowing down the periphery of the crankcase. Because of its function, it is more likely than any other engine component to leak, making it torque specifications especially important.

For these 4.3 L V6 engines manufactured in or before 1995, the nuts joining the oil pan and the engine block receive 17 foot-pounds of torque and the bolts receive 8.83 foot-pounds. For engines manufactured between 1996 and 1998, the nuts require 18 foot-pounds, and the bolts require 17 foot-pounds of torque to join properly with the engine block. In models after 1998, the oil-pan-to-engine-block nuts and bolts require 18 foot-pounds of torque. The oil pan drain plug receives 18 foot-pounds of torque. The engine's oil pump attaches to the engine block with 65 foot-pounds of torque.

In GM's 4.3 L V8, the 1/4-inch bolts joining the oil pan with the engine block require 7.5 foot-pounds of torque. The 5/16-inch bolts require 13.5 foot-pounds of torque to join properly with the engine block. The oil pump attaches with 65 foot-pounds of torque. The drain plug requires 20 foot-pounds of torque to join properly with the oil pan.

In this 4.3 L V8, the oil pan attaches to the engine block with 10 foot-pounds of torque. The oil pump, which is associated with the oil pan, receives 25 foot-pounds of torque.