Oil leak, oil pan, gah the RUST!!!!!

I have a badly rusted oil pan, I think a coolant leak (bypass pipe, fixed made matters much worse.
I was going to try to sneak the pan out without removing any other stuff, but seems impossible to get around the differential (is that the right name for it?).
I’m going to head in and take a look at the book, see if I can learn how to drop that out of the way for access.
And then the rust. I’ve gotten 5 of the 10mm bolts out. Then they are either in too tight a spot or so rusted the heads are crumbling apart.
Advice to get these terrible tiny bolts out would be really appreciated!
And on dropping the diff, but I’m off to research that right now.
Thanks!
For some reason the pictures are posted upside down

 

My heart just sank. Do I really need to pull the engine? Is there any other way?

 

Go to YouTube. Many videos, some are helpful. Good luck.

 

Looks like mixed opinions if you have a 4x4 model
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2013-4x4-oil-pan-removal-piston-replacement.793322/
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/replacing-oil-pan.289616/

Also as a side note your pictures are really really small, too small to see. If you upload more make sure you do full size so we can see

 

The book has nothing helpful I can find.
I typed “front differential removal 2006 2.7 Tacoma” into google and got nothing vehicle specific.
There is a write up/ Timmy video for a 1st gen, would that be similar?
I have been doing so much to this stupid rusty truck, but the next thing is always worse and my abilities are limited. I was so proud last fall I did the brakes and suspension all around and the coolant bypass pipe! And the rust makes every job a battle. I don’t want to be taken down by a dumb oil pan : (

 

I had a couple snap off on my truck there and on the trans pan. I used the (IIRC) #2 extractor from this set with the appropriately sized center drill:

$60 Drill Hog USA 8 Pc Spiral Easy Out Set Round Screw Extractor

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0719N8BM6

There are cheaper extractors but the warranty on these is excellent and they DO honor it... Ask how I know.

Good luck!

 

Oh shoot I didn't see you had a 4 cyl. The threads I linked were for V6.

So what exactly is the issue, are you just worried about the rust? Or is it bad enough that it has rusted through and is leaking oil?

If you have some time & this is not an urgent repair Id start hosing all the bolts down in PB blaster or similar penetrant oil at least a few times a week. That should give you a head start on it. Ive also heard really good things about those induction heaters for stuck bolts. But at the end of the day rust is rust and you should be prepared to to deal with extracting the old bolt stud after it breaks

 

At this point, access is the issue.

 

If I have to cut every single bolt out and replace I will do so with a smile on my face. There is no space to get in there

 

And yeah, I was initially going in to fix in the oil leak. I will be pb blast faithfully every day while I figure out what to do next

 

Well, for now I replaced the pan bolts and finished my oil change, hopefully I did not make the oil leak worse.

any one knows where I can find info or video on 2nd gen 4wd or equivalent pan removal the diy way. I can’t afford a mechanic.

or how to drop the differential if that would give enough room.

thanks for being one of my best repair resources : )

 

You may need to drop the front differential. You might get away with loosening the bolts and tilting in down out of the way. @Bishop84 would probably be the guy to ask.

 

Diff has to be dropped, it's a bear of a job at home on the driveway. Axles off, prop shaft off, mounts off, connector off, breathers off.

 

I am going to get back underneath and try to identify all those parts, so that I can properly plan this project.
when there’s a will there’s a way, usually. this is testing my love for my truck.
I already got all next year’s firewood in, so if it takes me all summer to get it ready for next winter that is how it is.
Thanks

 

Sr71-a, if only it were as easy as first poster tesla in the second link. That’s how it went for the car.

 

try trans fluid and acetone 50/50 mix