MotoMike

Decided to change oil and filter at 5400 mi on my truck. Oil life monitor showed 39% left. Used 2 landscape paver blocks under each wheel to raise front end about 3" which worked out well for me to slide under and work on it on my driveway. This also gave additional slight slope back where the oil could drain more completely from pan with the rear mounted drain plug.



Speaking of the drain plug, its the new plastic plug(plastic oil pan as well) that I found needed no tools to remove or install.


This is the new plug installed. Plugs are cheap, less than $3 each so think I'll use a new one each time. The 2 "ears" rest in a slight depressed area against the "stop" which makes overtightening impossible and the depressed area must help keep the plug from vibrating loose. When you remove the plug, the almost 9 qts really gushes out being 5w20. Have a large drain container with a large surface area and plenty of papers underneath. No body pans to remove like the ECO motors. There is a big fat stabilizer bar the oil stream may hit but it didn't add to the mess too bad in my situation.

You'll need a separate pan under the oil filter. Be aware the filter is sneaky and there's actually 2 drain paths once you remove it, The visible one where I first positioned my pan, is at the front, a small square black plastic drain channel. Only a few drops came through there in my case. Most of the oil went to the rear channel behind the silver color skid plate. I had to quickly relocate my pan to avoid a Capt Hazelwood size mess. New filter installs from the front in between the 2 small coolant hoses the meet with the main lower hose. 3/4 of a turn after gasket contact seemed about right to tighten it up.





Materials:
2 5 qt containers 5w20 Penzoil Platinum full synthetic
Motorcraft FL-500 oil filter
Ford KX6Z-6730-B drain plug(my dealer had to order them for me)

Tools:
Large surface area drain container
Smaller drain container for rear oil filter channel
Very small container for front oil filter channel
74-76mm oil filter wrench(got mine at WalMart)
short 3/8 extension
3/8 ratchet
Goggles
Rubber gloves
Big funnel
Step stool

Supplies:
Newspapers
Shop towels or paper towels
Oil Dri


Yeah, could have done the $39 or whatever "works special" at the dealer but I like getting under my truck occasionally and looking around for any leaks or other problems. Might as well change the oil at the same time! Took about an hour.

GKofTX

MotoMike,

Good discription of the process. I too found it easy, and not too messy if you have a LARGE catch pan.

Where do you get your $3.00 plugs?

Thanks

BCMIF150

Curious why you replaced the drain plug?

mgarton

I'm curious too. Is it single use?

Gene K

Not single use. O-Ring lasts a long time.

Two different style plugs. Early style used a drive and later style is finger. Some ham fisted machanics would try to torque an O-Ring and break the plug. Most people that are not stupid prefer the early plug.

I suspect he either wanted a spare on hand (dealer part only) or preferred the early plug.

MotoMike

These plastic plugs are new to me so wanted spares. I'm a little leery of using them more than once hearing about leaking pans? My spares are the "finger" type like the OE on my truck. Got mine at Allan Vigil Ford of Fayetteville(GA).

skinnyb

Thanks for the post. I bought my 2018 last week and traded my 2016 and didn't realize the new motor had the plastic pan and plug. Will definitely order me a couple of spares to have. Cheap insurance in case I mess one up for some reason.

Gene K

Unfortunately the leak is usually at the pan rail. I had no problem with my 2.7EB but the 3.5 and 5.0 guys seem to have more issues

czar

Did the same with my 16 y.o. daughter yesterday. She had a blast sliding under the truck on the creeper. You told the truth about the filter oil spilling out the back of the skid plate. I won't make that mistake twice.