My 2004 Expedition with 120k miles has just started spotting the garage floor.
I keep wiping off the drips trying to locate the source.
It is accumulating at the rear of the pan and on the face of the trans's inspection cover.
There is also a junction block for the trans. cooler's lines that gets wet at one of the fittings.
Looks like motor oil, not trans fluid.
Trans stays fulls, but so does the engine between changes.
It is a minor leak, but I want to fix.
First guess is rear seal, BUT...
nothing inside the bell housing at all, when I pull the rubber stopper, it is dry.
I sure would like to tell myself it isn't a rear seal, but it is in that area.

Looked at the valve covers hoping it may be dripping down...
there is a build up around the lower areas of both covers, but not really wet, just caked-as if built up over time.
Just wondering (HOPING) that there is some other common cause...?????
Is there a sending unit at the back of the motor, or are valve cover gaskets usually leaking after this time/mileage...any other easy/cheap fixes or am I most likely looking at a rear main seal???
It did just turn winter here in Michigan so is temp an issue...seals shrink??
Again, just have my fingers coosed that someone more knowledgeable than myslef can send me in the right direction towards an easy common trouble, rather than replace rear seal to find out taht wasn't it.

THANKS as always

 

possibly the infamous headgasket leak. My previous 03 had it. It was leaking at the rear of the mating surface between the head and block, running down the trans inspection cover, starter, tranny lines, etc. Dealer wanted $2K and I didnt have time to do it so we traded it off on an 08 EB EXPY. I took the 03 in on a trade from a coworker and it had 163K on it when we got it and 180K when we traded. It leaked the whole time.

 

Could just be leaking valve cover gaskets. My 03 developed it around 150k. I'm at 175 now, considering doing the gaskets as the leak is picking up. I'm going to try tightening the bolts to spec and see if that helps. Maybe a bottle of Bars Leaks if that doesn't work.

 

I cleaned everything off agin last night.
I will look closer today hopefully.
I was thinking the oil pan's gasket maybe too...
Going to check the back valve cover bolts and rear pan's.
Fingers crossed.
THANKS for the help and ideas.

 

Well...
back underneath it
and
looking all around,
I am thinking that it is the rear end of the pan gasket, maybe???
I do not see anywhere above and leading down.
I could see the back of the heads meeting the block and does not look like head gaskets.
Tried to tighten all the valve cover bolts, seemed tight, and nothing looked wet around them. Not enough to be what is dripping.
I wiped everything off last night and it wasn't drove again as I looked today.
Checked out inside the bell housing and every surface looks either dry or light rust.
The rear most 4 or 6 oil pan bolt heads had drips on them formed overnight.
Is the pan gasket failing common at all?
Anyone know how involved replacing it is?
I see the cross memeber directly under is bolted in, need to be removed to drop the pan?
Front end able to stay in place?
Looks like a few inches are available underneath pan w/o touching anything else.
Can it be done just by unbolting pan???
Anyone just add sealer at rear if this has happened to them???
Appreciate any other advice or ideas again ! ! !
as I search here too

THANKS

 

You might try a luminescent dye in your oil and drive it for a few days and then check the suspected area(s) with a black light, looking for a trail.

 

Truck got drove a little last night.
Looking at it this morning, the 4-6 rear most bolts for the oil pan have their heads coated.
I had thought about the flouresent dye, but it looks like the leak is just the rear of the pan.
I am sure the best fix would be to replace the gasket.
Appreciate any words of wisdom from anyone that has done that.
Not sure if the whole pan has to be removed from the truck or if the gasket can be put in and out just hanging below the engine.
Today I pulled the last 4 bolts out, cleaned them off with carb cleaner and ran a bead of sealer around their threads and heads.
Dried off the back of the pan, sprayed carb cleaner in the 4 bolt's holes, and shot some sealer in those.
As I reinstalled and tightened the bolts, you could see oil getting squeezed out between the bottom lip of the pan and it's reinforcement/girdle around the rear.
My guess (hope) is that the gasket is letting some oil pass around the outside of these bolt's threads. If it stops now, I guess that was the path.
OR,
the gasket has compressed enough that it is seaping over the back edge of the pan and wrapping around it's lip.
Thinking if no change, I may try to just drop the pan slightly w/o removing during next oil change.
Then try to clean the surfaces best I can and add a bead of sealer along the rear edge.
Looks like removing the bellhousing's inspection cover may give a little more clearance and room. Maybe...
Again, if anyone has tackled the pan gasket, appreciate any help !!!
I searched everything I could here. Found some repair instructions stating that the gasket is reusable and only replace if torn...
Other than that, a ton of other motors, but now much applicable to a 2004 5.4 Expedition as far as what really is needed to get this done.
Appreciate the help !!! and ...

everyone

have

a

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!

 

Check your P.M.s

 

Thanks for the messages

 

Do you have directions for the pan gasket replacement? I've got that drip too.

 

Check your PMs. I sent 4X4 info.

 

Just as I expected, not as lucky as I hoped
Just adding the sealer around the rear bolts wasn't enough.
Like said...if it seems too good to be true
I does look like it slowed ever so slightly.
And that does look like what is going on.
Very slowly drops are forming on the bolt's heads.
I think I will call around to the local Ford dealer's service dept and a couple other garages just to see how costly having the gasket replaced would be.
If I do it, it won't be until it warms up here in Michigan and then when it is time for an oil change. Still wondering if just dropping it a little and trying to get a bead of sealer along the back edge would do it, but with my luck...
We'll see when it warms up I guess.
THANKS again

 

Local dealer says $400 labor.
A couple other shops said $300 to do the gasket.
Guess I will be under the truck when it warms up.
Still holding onto hope that I may be able to just drop it down a little and try to get some sealer in...we'll see.


On to my next issue.
I just got a new daily driver.
2007 Ford Fusion.
It is NICE being back in a Blue Oval each day even if it's only a 4 cylinder.
Think it needs a wheel bearing hub. LOTS of hum/road noise.
Even though I joined FordFusionForum, going to post a question here since I have had so much knowledge sent my way

 

It was 57 here Saturday.
I had to try...
Spent a few hours dropping the pan off the truck.
Jacked the truck up off the floor for a little room, but did not pull the crossmember or front axle down.
Left the motor on it's mounts.
Only had to take one more bolt holding the starter cables to the block.
This let the pan down a couple three inches down in the back.
I could get a few inches front to back and side to side too.
Had high hopes that I could weasel some permatex onto the rear of the gasket and fix this little leak.
I was able to squeeze an acid brush into where it needed to go.
There was a little spot of sealer in each corner of the pan holding the gasket to the block.
Everything sure looks OK.
I spread some sealer on both the top and bottom side of the gasket in the rear where my lil' leak is.
Buttoned it all up filled with oil and let it idle in the garage for 10-12 minutes...
ALL LOOKED GOOD !!!
But we went for about a 30-40 mile ride later that night and had a few drips on the bottoms of the same bolt heads the next morning.
Now I am not entirely sure if I just was not able to do a good enough job, or if it is really the rear seal.
Front of the convertor and inside the bellhousing clean and dry, makes me think pan gasket not rear seal. ??? ??? ???
Or I had read some mentioning of the PVC system maybe not doing it's job.
I have had no luck yet, but keep hoping for something other than the rear seal. I just do not think I want to tackle that in the garage
Any info on the pvc system or other flaws in all my hopeful wishful thinking???

THANKS AGAIN!!!

 

Are you opposed to trying a can of Bars Leak?