Oil pan gasket is an essential part of your Ford F-150 engine system, which keeps the oil at a safe level.
How to Replace Oil Pan Gasket on Ford F150? You can change the oil pan gasket on the ford f-150 by light lifting. The new oil pan gasket removes issues like cracking or deterioration resulting in smoke, overheating, and leakage. The average repairing cost is around $80-$350 and it depends on the model and brand.
How to Replace Oil Pan Gasket on Ford F150?
The oil pan holds the vehicle oil, which lubricates your vehicle engine system. The gasket helps to prevent leakage from the engine.
You notice that besides dripping the oil puddle below your truck engine. You can detect the damage with a dipstick or smoke to tell you the level is ok or drop.
It can seal the oil pan to the truck engine bottom so when leakage appears, it goes through the gasket and onto the ground. It is an essential component in your engine system to keep the oil.
How to check the leakage in oil pan gasket?
The smoking machine also works to check the leakage or faulty gasket. You can use UV or fluorescent dyes to detect its problem.
In this case, you can put it into the oil pan and start your engine to idle for 5-10 minutes. Then apply the fluorescent after turning off the overhead lights to detect the leakage.
Another method in which you apply the pressure on manifold intake with an air regulator about 2-3lbs.
You can do this by connecting the hose to the regulator then attach it with a PCV valve fitting. You have to turn off the engine and airflow into the manifold, and leakage appears when applying the soapy water. The bubbles will appear when it is damaged.
Symptoms of the bad oil pan gasket
If the oil pan damage or any defect occurs, then the oil damage occurs. The chances of replacement become increasing if that gasket remains for a prolonged time.
During repairing you have to notice some important points. The most general symptom which appears is the release of smoke from the engine.
It happens due to the falling of oil from the pan on the exhaust manifold. If you neglect this situation, then some issue arises, which damages the other engine system like the O2 sensor. This issue occurs when too much soaking occurs due to oil.
This oil keeps your truck engine system cool. There is some other function like optimizing the friction and reducing the heat.
Oil leakage and its level drop-down can result in the engine overheating. If these remain unattended, then extensive damage develops.
Another symptom that appears due to gasket damage is an oil puddle under your ford truck. Gasket made up of rubber which becomes deteriorates due to overheating resulting in the oil pan gasket damage.
If you neglect that issue can cause an effect on engine parameters like a decrease in the oil level and pressure, which affect the proper truck performance.
Due to leakage, the oil level becomes low and affects the gas oil light, decreases it, and is the best lubrication source. You can overcome this situation by purchasing a new one and replacing it with an expert technician.
Steps to replace the oil pan gasket on Ford F150
If the fault occurs, you can move your truck to the repair service center. The expert mechanic figures out the faulty parts and determines the way to repair them.
He will figure out the issue that may appear in the oil pan, gasket, or other.
During this some pro-tips you should follow. They will check out the oil pan and clean it so that aware of the further wear or leak damage.
Tools required
- Set of metric and SAE wrench and socket
- Floor Jack and stands
- Torque wrench
- Silicone sealant
- Engine oil and filter
- Rubber mallet
- Razorblade
- Tool kit for gasket replacement
Jack up the truck
In the automotive procedure, jack up your vehicle is your priority with care. The floor jack is most suitable for your truck.
The easiest and preferable for it is to jack up the front end with a frame rail. You can also lift your vehicle by the control arm because these are suitable and strong to support the truck weight.
You can carry the rear end through a spare tire jack. You can place that below the real axle, then hold your truck by jack stand below the frame rail. This procedure is the same for both sides of your vehicle.
Drain out engine oil
It is the first step in which drain the engine crankcase oil. You have to remove the cooling system before the fan shroud replacement.
You can start with the disconnection of the negative battery wiring harness for safety measures. Then, figure out the drain plug and detach it from the oil pan in your Ford F150.
You require a big drain pan, which places below the engine oil pan and allows the oil to accumulate in the pan after loosening the drain plug. You should know the common problems with the F150 oil drain plug.
You have to gather the emerge engine oil with a catch pan handy. During this process, figure out any parts or components present that protects the pan from falling or approaching the bolt mounts. The most general includes are support bracket and cross member.
Remove other engine components and accessories
You have to replace other parts or accessories before the removal of the oil pan. First, you can unscrew the fan shrewd from the radiator, so it loses and separates. It will protect the fan from shroud breakage when you lift your truck engine.
Second, stop the automatic transmission through disconnection of the hard-line, in which the radiator responsible run the oil cooler.
If you neglect that point, resulting the transmission cooler lines remain connected, and damage occurs when you clear out the oil from the pan.
During the disconnection process, a small amount of leakage of transmission liquid from hard lines.
For oil pan removal and exhaust clearance, you separate the starter motor and disconnect the solenoid wiring harness.
You have to disconnect the exhaust system from its multiple flanges. If you cannot remove it, then lubricate the screws by penetrating oils for many hours before separation because they rust with time.
In the end, separate the locks and bolts from the motor mounts. You can unscrew the transmission mount bolt because it helps while engine lifting to pivot upward in its direction.
Separate the oil pan
There are the following steps required to remove the oil pan from your truck engine system. After the components and accessories removal, it is easy for you to remove the oil pan by light lifting.
You have to lift the engine slowly under to oil pan. You position the wood block on the floor jack pad. You can put nearby the carburetor, plenum, or throttle body to firewall when lifting your engine slowly.
Next, position woodblocks under motor mounts and move the jack in a lower position so that engine rests on the block and pressure releases out from the oil pan.
Then, unscrew and separate the bolts and gather the pan supporting rail. You require various ratchet tools, its long extension, and a swivel socket.
It loosens and falls off at the cross member, sometimes stuck and difficult to separate, then tap through a rubber mallet so that seal breaks out.
If you cannot remove it, then cut the seal by gasket cutter, which operates through a rubber mallet. You can position it in such a way as to cut it around the pan with ease, like between the engine block and flange.
In the end, check out if any cracks occur in the pan or flange by upturn on the flat surface like the glass is most suitable for them.
Some precaution while installing the oil pan gasket
During installation, you use some specific good quality adhesive material like RTV and light coating, which help to support the gasket in its position.
During mounting the gasket and screw, sometimes the sealer will shrink and fall inside the oil and cause clogging in the tight oil passage.
If you are unwilling for adhesive, then regular grease, string, and thin strand suitable to hold the gasket at its place.
When you screw, then remove these things from its side. You have to apply the adhesive between the rubber seal and gasket where they join. This process prevents oil leakage in the Ford trucks.
Install the oil pan gasket
When you are ready to install the new oil pan gasket, then follow the instruction. It gives in the manual, covers, and follows recommended sealant. You set the oil pan with proper care and apply the seal so that gasket cannot move.
You can wipe out the old gasket material through acetone, scraper blade, and razor from the pan mating surface and engine block.
You can glide the gasket below the pickup tube and into its place. The areas where leakage occurs can seal through silicon sealant around the front cover and rear cap corner.
Then, set the pan bolts, oil pan, and rail when the gasket arranges. In the end, screw the center bolts first, then move outward direction in the criss-cross pattern by the pan bolts with torque wrench around 8-12ft/lbs.
You have to re-fill the engine oil with the right amount and instruction and check out for a week that any leakage occurs or not after fixing.
Reassembly
When you reinstall and tighten the gasket, then make reassembly for your Ford F150. It includes the following steps.
- You have to separate the blocks by lifting the engine so that the wooden block pressure releases out.
- Then make the right and appropriate alignment of the engine by slight shifting from one way to another. In this case, place the engine by moving it underneath to the motor mounts.
- Next, do the motor mount torque at 30-45ft/lb.
- Fix the transmission mount fastener.
- Reconnect the exhaust manifold to its pipe.
- Connect the solenoid to the wire harness and adjust the starter motor.
- Fix the fan shroud and cooler hard lines.
- For your truck engine configuration, you have to replace the oil filter, and the crankcase fills up with it to the manual.
- If necessary, then fix the fill cooling system and its hoses through anti-freeze.
- In the end, connection to the battery cable and down the vehicle on the jack stand. When your truck attains the operating temperature, then check out the transmission fluid level.
How much should it cost to replace it?
The cost range depends on the labor, vehicle type, and mechanic repairing. The available cost for your oil pan gasket replacement is around $80-$350.
Advantages
If you do not replace the new gasket, then damages your truck’s other engine system parts. The essential key point for you is when to repair it.
If you cannot change the damaged part, then oil leakage occurs. When the leakage occurs, the oil level drops down, and the correct amount of it cannot go where they need lubrication.
The friction becomes high when lubrication decreases. You have to replace the oil pan gasket on Ford F-150, so you prevent your truck from further damage, and replacement cost also decreases.
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