Upper oil pan subbassembly replacement 2014 Taco 4x4

I bought this truck from an auction and realized the Upper oil pan subassembly is cracked and leaking engine oil.
Apparently it got cracked while off-road, maybe from a jump and landing heavy on front wheels
and front transaxle pushed against the case and cracked the aluminum.
I looked into it at the dealers and the pan is available but I am not sure if I have to take
the engine off the truck to replace this or can it be replaced in the truck?
I'm sure the truck was ran after the crack and lots of oil got lost, but there is 3 quarts of oil left in there in the lower portion of the basin.
Did anyone R&R this upper oil pan ?
Any tips?

I can up-load a picture tomorrow or this evening for reference.

 

Think you have to drop the front clamshell to access the upper oil pan.

 

I’m sorry, being new to the Tacoma trucks and new to terminology, I will have to ask stupid questions, what is “Front Clamshell”?
Thanks

 

Here is the picture from the crack...
If you notice the transaxles are right beneath

 

I have a similar crack in mine.

You basically have to remove the front differential assembly in order to gain access to it.

I still have to do it, but have been running it that way for years with a patch up job. Been running tons of boost through it for over 5 years now making something north of 350HP. Everything has been fine. Eventually I'll have to fix it right, but for now, it'll do.

 

It looks like it's near the steel oil pan. Is that right?

 

Front clamshell is the differential. May want to try some JB Weld first. See if that holds. Never know.

 

Second, JB Weld. Clean it up the best you can.

 

That's exactly how my repair was done..

Steelstik putty.

It has to be putty style epoxy because the mix together stuff won't set due to gravity and the oil pan has to be drained if it is actively leaking from there. The affected area should also be cleaned using carb cleaner or similar to really get it nice and clean.

 

Yes its close to the steel pan, it appears that the previous owner might have a hard landing on the front wheels and engine kept traveling downwards flexing the motor-mounts and trans-axels traveling up and crushing into each-other cracking the upper aluminum pan as in picture.
If i was to guess this might be a common problem when landing extraordinarily hard on the front wheel or all wheels for that matter.
I will attempt to JB weld fill the engine with oil
to see how it runs then I’ll make a decision to change it or not.
The pan its self its not expensive varying in price from $190 to $330
However its installation its different story.

Perhaps a professional here can weigh in as to the cost or hours involved in R&R
Thanks

 

I am also thinking about removing the engine to do the upper Oil tank replacement.
Anyone here done an 4.0 4x4 engine R&R ?

 

Hey John,

Any update on how you addressed the leak?
I have a similar problem and intend to try and patch it first to see how it goes.