My car is a '97 Accord LX (non-VTEC I4) auto.

I'm trying to replace the oil pan gasket to see it it stops a leak the car has had forever. I've got the engine brace and exaust pipe out of the way, and all the bolts on the oil pan itself removed. But I can't get the pan out because it's stuck on this pice of metal bolted onto the train that my manual calls the torque converter cover.

Right now the oil pan is just barelying hanging on there, and for the life of me I can't get it out with the TC cover there. I've tried pushing and pulling and trying to pry the cover out of the way. I've removed the bolts on the cover so I can slide it it around a little, but I can't actually remove it because it looks like the oil pan is in IT's way!

Anyone have any ideas or tricks to get the pan out? I've attached pic with labels (trying) to show what I'm talking about. I know it shouldn't be this hard, but it's always something!

pix:
http://www.mussernet.com/pics/oilpan.jpg

 

Huh... for some reason the link doesn't work when I click on it directly, but it does when I type the exact same url into my browser. Dunno what's up with that!

 

Try taking the shift cable cover off and the sheild should come right off.

 

Yep, that was it! I didn't realize that was just a cover I could easily remove. Everything went smooth after taking that off. Yet another step my Haynes manual left out

Thanks for the help!

 

I just love threads with a happy ending.. ;-)