After spending hours under the motor, in front, on top, installing the Porken tensioner (slick little unit) I am seeing more and more oil leaks from the pan gasket. Someone said I have to pull the motor to fix this problem. Is this truly the only remedy?

 

I'd say for you to search for oil pan and motor mount job but search is not working.

No, you don't need to pull the engine but you will be pulling the front suspension and engine cross member (while engine is supported up top) I usually tell people to plan on spending at a minimum of 10 hours under the car to get it done right. I think Dwayne has a great write up for it.

Found it.

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...-tomorrow.html

 

Yup..Sean is (duh) right.

Two of us on a lift, supporting the engine in the slightly unsupported method..took 12hrs to do Devek headers, MM, OPG, starter, and a few other things here & there.

Arms didnt work right for 2 days after that.

I would seriously consider selling the car, before removing the headers.

 

I have given this some thought. I must admit it maybe cool to have
MSDS headers but they are a real pain to get around at times
When I put a new clutch in, I started to hate them with a passion. Here is a thought
I will re route my headlight wiper squirters to the bottom of the car and when ever it stops to leak I will automatically hose off the bottom.:-) For some reason I think my main seal is starting to leak as well.
I wouldn't mind tackling the project if I had a lift, but doing this on my back is getting very old. Or maybe I'm too old to keep crawling under.

 

You do not need to pull the engine, but do need to suspend it while removing the lower cross member.
Do the motor mounts while you are at it and also check the steering rack and change it's bushings.

Although this isn't a write up, here are pictures of when I did mine:

http://family.infinites.com/thumbnails.php?album=11

 

Consider just pulling the eng depending on the number of leakes and what else needs to be serviced on a twenty something sports car. You may be way ahead in the long run.

Dave

 

The OP has an '80, so the MMs may not need servicing. Everything else you guys have posted applies, though.

 

I actually like the idea of pulling the motor out
I could jet coat the headers, clean everything and do all the other minor stuff. Windshield water tank etc...

 

Windshield water tank is easiest from the RF wheelwell. The engine is NOT in the way for that.


Do lots of cleaning in advance of the project, with special attention to everything around the rack and crossmember. Every drop of oil, trans fluid, steering fluid, coolant, whatever, that's ever leaked from your car or a car that was driving in front of you, is now enshrined in the Valdez area where you'll be working. It can't be too clean before you start, and you'll be looking to oil futures in the mess that's left even after the cleaning. Trust me...