How to Replace the Oil Pan Gasket in a Pontiac Grand Am

A puddle of oil beneath the engine of your Pontiac Grand Am indicates that it may be time to change the oil pan gasket. Changing the oil pan in a Grand Am is fairly straightforward if you have a smaller motor, but the job is more complicated with larger motors. Here's how to change the oil in a 1999 to 2005 model Grand Am with a 2.2-L motor.

Difficulty: ChallengingInstructionsThings You'll Need:

Jack and jack stand
Wheel blocks
Large bucket
Socket wrench
Scraping tool
Clean shop rags
Engine degreaser
4 to 4.5 qt. motor oil
Empty milk carton

Step 1
Lift the Pontiac Grand Am with jacks and support it safely on a jack stand. Block the rear wheels.
Step 2
Crawl under the vehicle and locate the drain plug on the bottom of the oil pan. Place a large bucket under the drain plug, then loosen the drain plug with a socket wrench and let the oil drain into the bucket. Once all of the oil has drained, replace the plug securely.
Step 3
Remove the engine mount strut bracket and the drive belt. Disconnect the lower and upper air conditioner compressor bolts. Loosen the oil pan bolts with a wrench, then remove them with your fingers so they don't drop into the bucket of oil. Remove the oil pan.
Step 4
Scrape off the old gasket with a scraping tool and discard it. Clean the surface with engine degreaser to make sure it's completely free of debris and wipe out the inside of the oil pan.
Step 5
Apply a thin bead of sealant around the perimeter of the surface and reattach the oil pan. Tighten the bolts with a torque wrench to 18 feet lbs. Reattach the air conditioner compressor bolts, engine mount bracket and drive belt.
Step 6
Lift the vehicle enough to remove the jack stand, lower the vehicle and remove the jack. Refill the crankcase with fresh oil. A 2002 Grand Am will require 2 to 2.5 quarts of oil.
Step 7
Pour the old oil into an empty milk carton and dispose of it properly at a garage or at your neighborhood hazardous waste facility.