Oil Pan Leaking at 168,000 Miles (Did a search, didn't help)

[vipergts281]

Earlier today I discovered I'm leaking oil. I'm getting under the car tomorrow to [hopefully] find the exact source of the leak. But from looking at it, without it in the air, it appears to be leaking from the pan.

To get the oil pan out, do I need to drop the k-member or can I get away with jacking the engine up? If they both will work, which is easier?

To give an idea of my experience...I've done brakes a million times and removed my blower last year. Should I be able to handle this type of job?

However, I HATE working on cars. Anyone have a rough estimate on what a shop would charge to do this??

Thanks! :beer:

 

[Quick Strike]

You might want to have a leak down test first. I would not want to see you drop the K to fix the leak - just to have it return. Blow-by at higher mileage can create this type of leak.

 

[hotcobra03]

any update?

168,000 i remember that ,,171,000 miles ago..lol

 

[vipergts281]

You might want to have a leak down test first. I would not want to see you drop the K to fix the leak - just to have it return. Blow-by at higher mileage can create this type of leak.

Ok, thanks for the info. :beer:

any update?

168,000 i remember that ,,171,000 miles ago..lol

Haha. :rockon:


UPDATE: I climbed under the car earlier. From the air pushing the oil everywhere, it was impossible to determine the source. So I cleaned it up with some brake cleaner.

Then ran the car and was under it for a few minutes. No noticeable leak while I was under there. Not surprising though, unless it is a horrible leak, not going to find anything in only a few minutes.

It's been sitting, level, for the past hour or so. I just checked, there is one small drop under the car. Right under the right steering rack bolt (not sure if that is the correct term). Of course, it could have fallen in a different spot and made it's way down a piece of tubing or something and then landed where it did on the ground.

I'm starting to think it's leaking from the area around the oil filter housing. Seemed to be heavier up in that area. (UPDATE: See post below, it does appear to be the oil filter housing)

I'm going to climb under it in a few minutes and see if I can see anything else.

Also, when I had the car running and sprayed brake cleaner on some stuff, I noticed it bubbling around this one bolt...right below the oil filter. Not sure if...

• The heat was just causing it to bubble and dry up
• It has a small leak and perhaps this is where oil is getting out
• It has a small leak, but it's not enough where oil would leak out of it

Here is a quick video to show you what I mean.
[youtube_browser]tGhBYpfT7_Q[/youtube_browser]


Some pics...doubt they'll help as it just looks like a big mess down there.

It was pretty heavy in this area...

And here is the bolt (right arrow) that is in the video. As you can see, the oil is heavy around it. Although, it could just be a spot where it collects as it fall from above/blown from somewhere else. (UPDATE: See post below)

Also, notice the heavy amount on the bolt on the oil pan (left arrow).

 

[vipergts281]

Found the leak.

It is coming from the oil filter housing area...where that mounts to the engine(??).

In the pic below, where that bolt goes through the housing and then mounts to the engine(?? or whatever it mounts to)

There is a gasket there. That, from what I can tell, is the source of the leak. I was able to turn that bolt roughly a half turn. Then ran the car, after about 90 seconds it didn't leak. Where as before tightening, it would drip after about 20 seconds...I sprayed it clean with brake cleaner and then watched it.

I don't think tightening that bolt fixed it 100% (UPDATE: It slowed the leak a hair, but it didn't stop it 100%). So, I guess I'll be removing the oil filter housing and putting in a new gasket.

Anyone know how to do that (search on this site is terrible)? The one bolt is a piece of cake to get to. I saw another one that didn't look that hard. However, I have no idea if something else has to be removed to remove the housing?

UNLESS - Is there maybe something above that area of the housing that I can't see that may mean it's not the 100% certain that it's the housing?

 

[hotcobra03]

Found the leak.

It is coming from the oil filter housing area...where that mounts to the engine(??).

In the pic below, where that bolt goes through the housing and then mounts to the engine(?? or whatever it mounts to)

There is a gasket there. That, from what I can tell, is the source of the leak. I was able to turn that bolt roughly a half turn. Then ran the car, after about 90 seconds it didn't leak. Where as before tightening, it would drip after about 20 seconds...I sprayed it clean with brake cleaner and then watched it.

I don't think tightening that bolt fixed it 100% (UPDATE: It slowed the leak a hair, but it didn't stop it 100%). So, I guess I'll be removing the oil filter housing and putting in a new gasket.

Anyone know how to do that (search on this site is terrible)? The one bolt is a piece of cake to get to. I saw another one that didn't look that hard. However, I have no idea if something else has to be removed to remove the housing?

UNLESS - Is there maybe something above that area of the housing that I can't see that may mean it's not the 100% certain that it's the housing?

look in stickys...how to repair leaking oil cooler...it is rebuild able..

 

[Anabolic]

Yeah get a gasket set for oil cooler & call it a day. About 1hr max repair & I would change oil too while you're at it.

 

[vipergts281]

look in stickys...how to repair leaking oil cooler...it is rebuild able..

thanks, I'll take a look.

Yeah get a gasket set for oil cooler & call it a day. About 1hr max repair & I would change oil too while you're at it.

Nice!

Yup, oil is due for a change anyway.

 

[BLU3VN0M]

I just did this last week. It takes all of like an hour to do. Pull the coolant lines that run into the oil cooler (might as well do a coolant flush while youre at it), Pull the oil filter, the 12mm hex bolt where the oil filter screws onto, the whole housing will now come off, just snake it through and it will come right out. Undo the oil pressure sensor and then there are 4 bolts that hold the oil cooler adapter to the block, take those off and the adapter will come right off. Go ahead and do yourself a favor and order a rebuild kit from speedconcepts.net. They sell an oil filter rebuild kit that includes everything (even the 12mm hex that you need to take off the oil filter bolt). very simple job, just make sure you follow the coolant burp procedure from the crossover tube.

 

[vipergts281]

I just did this last week. It takes all of like an hour to do. Pull the coolant lines that run into the oil cooler (might as well do a coolant flush while youre at it)...

Go ahead and do yourself a favor and order a rebuild kit from speedconcepts.net.

Awesome, thanks for the instructions!! :beer:

I ordered that kit yesterday, btw.

 

[Anabolic]

awesome, here's a link to the burp procedure. best iv found

Ford 4.6L DOHC Coolant Refill & Burp Procedure by Reische Performance Products

 

[01cobravortech]

I just did this last week. It takes all of like an hour to do. Pull the coolant lines that run into the oil cooler (might as well do a coolant flush while youre at it), Pull the oil filter, the 12mm hex bolt where the oil filter screws onto, the whole housing will now come off, just snake it through and it will come right out. Undo the oil pressure sensor and then there are 4 bolts that hold the oil cooler adapter to the block, take those off and the adapter will come right off. Go ahead and do yourself a favor and order a rebuild kit from speedconcepts.net. They sell an oil filter rebuild kit that includes everything (even the 12mm hex that you need to take off the oil filter bolt). very simple job, just make sure you follow the coolant burp procedure from the crossover tube.

Is this the kit you ordered? Also is following the torque specs truly necessary on this one? (I don't have a torque wrench)

Oil cooler o-ring gaskets & hex tool kit 1996-2004 Cobra/GT, Speed Concepts

 

[BLU3VN0M]

Yep hats that's the right kit. I didn't follow the torque specs, just got them tight and then another 1/8 of a turn. You can rent a torque wrench from autozone or advanced for free if you want to follow the specs. If you need any help let me know.

 

[vipergts281]

How the hell do you get the housing out?! I can move it back and forth a little bit, but it doesn't want to break free completely. If you're looking up at it from the driver side wheel well, it seems to be caught up in the upper right corner.

Again, it's somewhat loose, but not 100%.

Any tricks? I tried leaving the bolt in a little bit and using that to wiggle it free. But no luck getting out completely.

 

[hotcobra03]

pry bar,its an oring seal

 

[vipergts281]

pry bar,its an oring seal

I finally got it. I just kept shaking it back and forth. I guess it "walked" itself of the top part/o-ring.

 

[vipergts281]

Ran out of daylight after I got it off the car.

Do I NEED to use RTV anywhere? Didn't appear to be any from the factory. And the Speed Concepts instructions make no mention of it. Although the thread on here about fixing this mentions it.

 

[Sagittaria]

People use RTV some times with/on top of gaskets for some extra assurance.. but no it's not needed. Just a technique people use. I don't do it because it's messy and not necessary.. The secret is prep work

just make sure the surfaces are cleaned off really well (i like to use a small 3m paint remover disk on a die grinder), rubbing alcohol on a paper towel to clean off any oil or whatever, and proper torque. Screwdrivers and even razor blades are a no no.

From the factory RTV is only applied in corners where two parts come together and a gasket has to go on top of that. IE: Oil pan gasket in the corners where the timing cover meets the block. And likewise on the valve cover gaskets

 

[WhiTriCobra]

I had to replace my gasket too but def didn't use RTV and it's fine.

 

[vipergts281]

Ok, thanks for the info guys. :beer: