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So I was under my new 2011 250 the other day looking and noticed what seemed to be a plastic transmission oil pan. Surely I'm wrong and Ford is not that stupid!! Just want to know if it is.
The trans pan is steel but the oil pan is plastic.
I have a magnetic oil heater I used to put on my other truck when it was really cold.....doesn't work on this one. Duct tape maybe??
Well, Ford does not use the word "plastic". Some fancy material. It's probably shocking to some that don't know about it but I would bet that it is pretty solid.
Won't be long and somebody will have an aftermarket replacement. Fair amount of negative feelings over the location of the oil filter too. I suppose somebody will re locate that too.
The trans pan is steel but the oil pan is plastic.
I have a magnetic oil heater I used to put on my other truck when it was really cold.....doesn't work on this one. Duct tape maybe??
Wow, maybe you could drop the plastic pan, fasten a steel plate in the bottom, put the pan back on. But then the heater probably would not work too well trying to transfer heat through the plastic pan....
Maybe you could mount it to the oil cooler? It's small but metal. You would warm some of the coolant too.
I think these arguments are funny. 7.3, 6.0, 6.4 have stamped steel pans that rust out in 10 years of salt so owners complained. Some fixes included gluing a plastic mold over it.
Now we finally have a non-corrosive oil pan and we worry about it breaking.
I for one love the composite oil pan. Smart thinking by Ford. No longer have to lift the engine out of the truck to replace a rusty oil pan.
I think the composite pan is a good idea, it's probably at least as tough as a stamped steel one, most likely tougher and corrosion resistant too.
The thing that scares me is that plastic fuel filter housing hanging down underneath. Now that's dumb!
I didnt pay attention to engine oil pan being plastic ( still dumb move by ford) but trannny pan is also plastic ( even dumber ) .
My transmission pan was certainly not plastic. It was stamped metal that said "Torqshift 6" on it.
And what's wrong with composite components? Years ago folks were decrying the use of composite intake manifolds on cars. With the exception of some early models they have performed well and the concerns of the masses who wanted their metal were unfounded.
The same will likely be proven true for this one. Unlike metal modern composites will never rust, and in many cases they are stronger than the metal that they replace. Different application, but have you ever heard of a Glock handgun? They were one of the first to use a completely composite frame in the 1980s. Like you many insisted that it was cheap junk that wouldn't last...and right now a Glock handgun is considered to be one of the most long lasting and durable firearms in the world. Even under the incredible shock forces a firearm exerts on its frame these things just don't crack or break...what makes you think your oil pan will?
I see nothing wrong with the composite oil pan. I actually prefer this over the metal one. The metal one on my 6.0 had the paint peeling and the pan rusting after 4 years. Many traditional metal items are now recast with composite plastics or ceramics that is much better than the original steel.
No matter how sweet people make it sound, composite will never be stronger than metal. Since yall are so happy with its durability just build the whole truck out of it frame and all the body. If the oil pans were protected then yea they may be ok but they are not.
Composite materials are tough. call it what you want. Nylon,plastic etc, there still tough. more advantages to a composite pan than a metal one. plain and simple.
Id love to have a plastic body on the truck! NO RUST! I belive the FX4 has skid plates. BUT...
I got 2 1911s, cause there steel. Id never buy a Glock.
Leo
Remember the 1911s in 10mm which were cracking their frames? No such problems with the plastic Glock.
I've seen rusted oil pans, metal oil pans with holes knocked through them by rocks, etc. Modern plastics are tough, I'd bet that these composite pans are tougher than the stamped metal ones.
I used to feel the same way. 1911's are pure class. I fired a Glock 17 and bought it. Fairly accurate and ready for anything. Then I bought the Glock 30. 12 .45 rounds and easy concealment. If our trucks have any of the composite material of these outstanding handguns I will be elated! My truck and Glock 30 are a team.