How to remove engine oil filter ADAPTER on 3.9L

REMOVAL PROCEDURE

1. Remove the oil level indicator tube.
2. Raise the vehicle.
3. Remove the engine oil and the engine oil filter.
4. Remove the oil filter adapter.
5. Remove the starter.
6. Remove the flywheel inspection cover.
7. Remove the engine mount through bolts.
8. Raise and support the engine.

1. Remove the oil pan nuts and bolts. Note the location of any studs to assist reassembly.
2. Remove the engine oil pan and the gasket.
3. Clean all sealing surfaces. Refer to Oil Pan Clean and Inspect under Engine Unit Repair.

INSTALLATION PROCEDURE

1. Install the engine oil pan and a NEW gasket. Refer to Oil Pan Installation under Engine Unit Repair.
2. Lower the engine onto the mounts.
3. Install the engine mount through-bolts.
4. Install the starter.
5. Install the flywheel inspection cover.
6. Install the engine oil filter and the engine oil.
7. Install the oil filter adapter.
8. Install the oil level indicator tube.

Remove Front Right Side Wheel and Plastic well Covers Remove Drive Belt From A/C Compressor Undo The 3 bolts Holding the A/c Compressor To the Block Then You Can Locate The Three Bolts Holding The Adapter to the Block If you Have Not Done So Drain All The Oil from the Car (I suggest Draining the Oil By Taking Filter Off Not By The Drain Plug) That Way You Still Have A tiny Bit Of Oil Still In The Pan Remove The Adapter And Gasket Clean Both Faces To Ensure New Gasket Seals Right Then Place New Gasket and Reattach Adapter and The Bolts Followed By The Filter Then Re assemble the As Compressor And So on remember to check That all Bolt Are tight God Bless and Good Luck

Easy fix I just did. (replacing the oil filter adapter gasket which is a common leak). Remove the air cleaner tube and housing. Release the tension on the belt. Remove the two front bolts on the air compressor. They are nuts but the stud will come out too which is fine. Under the car loosen the third air compressor bolt. This will give you enough room to loosen the hidden bolt on the oil filter adapter. It only needs to be loosened as the adapter is slotted there. Remove the other two bolts on the oil filter adapter and remove. Replace the gasket and install.

procedure is pasted below. Yes, you have to take the compressor loose if you have the 2.4 liter engine. You should never have to remove the flywheel to get the pan off, but you do have to pull the cover off the flywheel. Please let me know if you have any questions, and thanks for using FixYa.

REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

2.2L Engine
See Figure 1

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Drain the crankcase. Raise and support the front of the vehicle.
3. Unfasten the exhaust shield and disconnect the exhaust pipe at the manifold.
4. Remove the starter motor and position it out of the way.
5. Remove the flywheel cover.
6. On care equipped with automatic transaxle, remove the oil filter and extension.
7. Unfasten the oil pan bolts and remove the oil pan.

Fig. Fig. 1: Oil pan installation-1995 2.2L OHV engine shown

To install:

1. Prior to oil pan installation, check that the sealing surfaces on the pan, cylinder block and front cover are clean and free of oil. If installing the old pan, be sure that all old RTV hae been removed.
2. Apply a 1 / 8 in. (3mm) bead of RTV sealant to the oil pan sealing surface. Use a new oil pan rear seal and apply a thin coat of RTV sealant to the ends of the gasket down to the ears and install the pan in place.
3. Tighten the oil pan retaining bolts to 89 inch lbs. (10 Nm).
4. On care equipped with an automatic transaxle, replace the oil filter adapter seal and replace the oil filter adapter.
5. Install the remaining components in the reverse order of removal.

2.3L and 2.4L Engines
See Figures 2 and 3

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable. Raise and safely support the vehicle.
2. Properly drain the engine oil and the cooling system into suitable containers.
3. Remove the flywheel housing or transaxle converter cover, as applicable.
4. Remove the right front wheel and tire assembly, then remove the right splash shield.
5. Remove the serpentine drive belt.
6. Unfasten the A/C compressor lower retaining bolts.
7. Remove the transaxle-to-engine brace.
8. Disconnect the engine mount strut bracket.
9. Unfasten the radiator outlet pipe bolts, then remove the pipes from the oil pan.
10. Remove the exhaust manifold brace.
11. Unfasten the oil pan-to-flywheel cover bolt and nut.
12. Remove the flywheel cover stud for clearance.
13. Disconnect the radiator outlet pipe from the lower radiator hose and oil pan.
14. Detach the oil level sensor connector.
15. Unfasten the oil pan retaining bolts, then remove the pan and gasket. Inspect the gasket for damage. If it'e O.K. you can reuse it. No sealer is necessary.

Fig. Fig. 2: After removing the oil pan, inspect the gasket. If it's not damaged you can reuse it

To install:

1. Position the gasket, then install the oil pan. Loosely install the retaining bolts.
2. Place the spacer in its approximate installed location by allow clearance to tighten the pan bolt directly above the spacer. Tighten the oil pan bolts to the specifications given in the accompanying figure.

Fig. Fig. 3: Oil pan tightening specifications-2.3L and 2.4L engines

1. Position the spacer into its proper position, then install the stud.
2. Fasten the oil pan-to-transaxle nut.
3. Attach the oil level sensor connector.
4. Connect the radiator outlet pipe to the oil pan and fasten with the retaining bolts.
5. Install the engine mount strut bracket.
6. Fasten the transaxle-to-engine brace.
7. Secure the A/C compressor bolts.
8. Install the serpentine drive belt.
9. Fasten the right splash shield, then install the wheel and tire assembly.
10. Install the flywheel housing or transaxle converter cover.
11. Fill the cooling system and engine crankcase with the correct type of fluids.
12. Connect the negative battery cable.

The fitting that the oil filter screws on to has a hexed bolt at the adapter. unscrew it to remove the adapter

The oil pressure sending unit is behind the front engine mount. You will need a deep special oil pressure socket to remove and install.It is NOT an easy task. There is no short cut but you might find it easier to remove the oil filter adapter, if you do that you should replace the "O" rings on the adapter. The oil pressure sender is mounted on the filter adapter

oil filter screws onto an adapter housing which also has the pressure sending unit on it (above oil filter). This adapter housing bolts to the block with 3 bolts. if oil appears to be leaking from where the adapter housing meets the block (especially at the rear side of engine near bottom), then you need to replace the siamese o-rings between the adapter housing and the block ($12 part at dealer). remove lowest 12mm bolt and loosen top 2 12 mm bolts(top 2 bolts won't come out unless you drop the engine down, but loosening 1 inch is all you need), replace o-rings and retighten bolts. be careful not to get dirt/grit between block and adapter. just finished doing this to son's 95 2.7 v6 which was leaving an 8" puddle of oil after idling for only 1 minute-worked perfect

To remove the oil cooler adapter.
First remove the oil filter. Then remove the stud/bolt that the oil filter spins on. The adapter can be removed at this time. There is an "O" ring behind the adapter and a relief valve that will need to be replaced. Reverse to install and make sure to torque the stud/bolt to 39 ft.lbs.

The starter is below lower side of the engine, either at the r/h lower side or l/h lower side were the transmission mounts to the engine.

The lines can be disconnected from both ends and the bracket removed but to remove the lines from the front (they cannot be removed to the rear) loosen and remove the drivers side engine mount bolt. Use a block of wood between a floor jack and the cast aluminum oil pan and jack the engine assy. up slightly (just enough to "snake" the oil filter adapter lines by the drivers side engine mount. Leave engine jacked up slightly while you "snake" the new lines into position and install the end at the engine oil filter adapter. You can then lower the engine reinstall engine mount bolt and finish the install of the lines by installing the oil filter end of the adapter lines and attach the bracket (that comes with the GM lines) to the block.