04 automatic oil pan removal issue

[LateOutDrsMn]

Got a slow oil leak, so I'm trying to remove the oil pan and redo the gasket in hopes to stop the leak. I'm having problems getting one bolt out. There are three bolts that hold the oil pan to the tranny. Two bolts toward the front of the car, and one on the rear side of the pan, near the dog bone motor mount. It's the one bolt near the dog bone motor mount that is giving me trouble. It is soo close to the motor mount that I can't get it out. I can not get any tools into it, and even if I could, it looks like the motor mount is in front of the bolt preventing it from coming all the way out. Is there a trick to getting it out? Or do I have to remove the motor mount to get this bolt out?

[LateOutDrsMn]

Sorry, looks like all my pix got rotated 90', but you should still be able to understand which bolt I'm talking about.

[LateOutDrsMn]

Follow up question. If I do have to remove the bracket for this mount, do I have to drain the tranny first. The mount bracket bolts right to the tranny and I don't want fluid gushing out when I unbolt the bracket.

[LateOutDrsMn]

So to end this thread, I went ahead and partially removed the torque strut mount bracket. It may not be needed, but I used an engine hoist to keep the engine from moving. No transmission fluid leak. Oil pan is off, next to clean it and reseal it.

[LateOutDrsMn]

ok, this is for anybody searching for info on the same situation. I would suggest removing the torque strut mount bracket completely. you can get it off without removing it completely, but when you go to put it back on, it's very hard to put it straight on with the strut bracket in the way. better to remove it and do the oil pan install correctly the first time. then you can reinstall the strut bracket after.