I took my recently acquired 95 PSD to a service center to change the oil (due to the weather being nasty and wet of late here plus being stuck with work meant that I couldn't do this first change myself). They refused to change the oil not only because of the classic dipstick leak (okay, fiiiine) but they also pointed out that the oil drain plug appeared to be a non-standard and non-Ford unit and that oil was still leaking around it.

This sounds to me like I might have a badly-repaired stripped drain plug/hole. Before I change the oil myself, I think I should prepare if this is the case. While I realize the so-called "proper" fix is to remove the drain pan (by removing the engine, etc.) many other vehicles in this situation can be properly repaired with a Time-Sert or something. Apparently the oil pan on these things is made of steel and therefore I can't use the available Time-Sert M14x1.25 kit? And there doesn't seem to be another commercial kit for this?

Any advice on preparation or repair would be appreciated - I'd like to change the oil tomorrow, if possible.

 

You're having some tough luck with that "new" truck! Sorry to hear it.

I would buy a replacement drain plug if it were me. The plug has an o-ring seal in it to keep things nice and dry. There is always the possibility that the plug (bolt) itself is what was stripped and not the pan. Until you remove the old plug and take a look you won't know for sure that it's the pan. There is a good chance that it is the pan, but until you look you won't know for sure.

I am also wondering if you could get a Fumoto drain valve one size bigger than it is supposed to be and tap out the threads in the pan. The Fumoto is available through Riffraff HERE.

 

It looks as though our trucks use a F-111 drain valve from Fumoto, which is 14mm-1.25 threads. The next size up would be a F-108 which would have 16mm-1.5 threads. Might not be the quick fix you were hoping for but putting the valve in means you don't have to un-thread it every time you change the oil, which lessens the risk of having the threads stripped again.

Here is a link to their site. If you click on "Sizes and Applications" you can see the application for our 7.3 is a F-111 (which is the ones Riffraff sells) and if you click on the "Size Chart" you can see the sizes of the valves respectively.

That's the way I would go if it were me -- F108, a 16mm-1.5 tap an hour or less and you'd be good to go for a long, long time.

 

Picked up a Fumoto locally (turns out I do business with one of their local distributors on another matter) and will be checking on kits to install it/rethread the hole/etc at local stores.

 

You could always try to take a quick peek under there and take a picture and post it here. I would take a torque wrench down there and try to torque it down, just to make sure it does. If it torques down to 25-27 ft-lbs or so, there's not really anything to worry about. In that case, I would just replace the drain plug and drain plug gasket and see if that takes care of the leaking plug. If it does not torque down, you may try to replace the plug in a last ditch effort to see if that fixes it. If not, you're going to need to repair it somehow or replace the pan.

 

Did you end up getting the stock size F-111 or the over-sized F-108?

 

I got the stock F-111 by default. They had no F-108s in stock as someone had come and got the last one earlier that day. I figure if I have to ream it, I might as well just redo it back to the stock size with inserts or whatever, since the sealing isn't done by the bolt threads but by the gasket/washer and shoulder of the bolt.

Going out now to take a picture of the drain bolt, as suggested above.

 

Okay, it looks like it's leaking elsewhere (probably the dipstick) and leaking down to drip off the plug. I wiped the plug off and waited 5 minutes with the engine off but warmed from a 10 mile run. No drip from the plug.

That said, the markings do seem a bit odd. It appears to be a generic M14 bolt, but there's other markings on it - could this be an oversize M14 bolt?

 

Turns out the only oil leak is from the dipstick base, as is common. Draining the oil let me check the threads on both the bolt and the pan and they looked fine. Fitted the Fumoto valve, it torqued down fine and running for several minutes after completing the oil change resulted in no leaks from the pan or the filter. Got lucky this time, I guess.

 

Glad it worked out for you. I don't think you will regret installing the Fumoto valve anyway. Should make it nice and convenient for changing the oil.

Also, for what it is worth there is a kit available from Riffraff Diesel that will allow you to replace the leaking dipstick flange without having to pull the pan off. If you're interested in the fix, here is the site.

Riffraff Diesel: Oil Level Gauge - Oil Pan Repair Kit

 

I'd spotted that kit earlier - it's on my shopping list, just waiting for a bit more money to make an order worthwhile. Shipping costs and all, you know.

As for the Fumoto valve, I doubt I'll regret it. If it works out, I'll be getting one for at least one of my other vehicles, which has a harder to access and easier to damage drain and drain bolt.

Also, I remember reading about being able to apply a hose clip or hose screw clamp to the Fumoto in some way to ensure that the valve handle does not come loose if offroading, etc. I can't seem to find the post - what's the technique and/or part required for that?

 

That I can't say. I don't know if a standard worm gear hose clamp could be tightened over the valve to prevent it from being opened accidentally? Is the opening in the valve threaded? If so you could just lightly thread a pipe plug in there finger tight. I like the one with the nipple on it because you could just put a plastic cap over it to keep the road dirt and junk out of it.

I would like to put one on my truck as well, but I'm more afraid I would catch it on something and break it off. Being brass, and sticking out the way it does straight out the bottom of the pan, I am afraid I would just smear it off on something while hauling firewood out of a woods some place and end up with 4 gallons of Rotella all over the place and a stranded truck full of firewood. Maybe I am over-thinking it, I don't know.

 

Here is a link to a clip not exactly what you were describing, but should be helpful to you or Nate. Clay should stock them or you could probably buy one at auto parts store.
http://www.qwikvalve.com/5-8-Safety-Clip.html

 

We send clips out included with each one for free.

 

Can't beat FREE!!!!!