Replaced the oil pan on my dads 95 F150 recently. I give it 3/5 for difficulty. Only special tools i suggest are an engine crane/cherry picker. New oil pan from Ford was a tad over $100 (my cost) and $25 for the Fel-Pro gasket (nice rubber one piece gasket with renforced bolt holes).

Total time was about 3 hrs, but i stretched it out to a few days as i was doing other things also.

First start by spraying the motor mount bolts (the two studs sticking out, one per side, under the engine crossmember) and letting them soak a bit, while waiting drain the oil. Then unbolt them, its tricky but a few extensions and swivels make it quick work. Then remove the EGR fromt he back of the intake. Next disconnect both battery cables, remove the bolt holding the battery cables/trans cooler lines (if equipped) on the passenger side front of the engine block. Use a bungie strap to keep the trans lines out of the way of the bolts and hook up the cherry picker. Next unbolt the fan shroud (i forgot to) and pick the engine up to the max it can go, dont worry the intake will kiss the firewall but it wont hurt anything. Then go under the truck and remove the 25 or 26 1/2" bolts. Be careful not to let the side rails fall and hit ya in the head (oops). After the oil pan is unbolted remove the inspection cover on the trans (if ana uto). Now snake the old pan out, its a tight fit but it will come out. Clean the oil pan rail on the block up, inspect the bottom end, clean the oil pump pick up (replacement is optional of oil pump, i didnt).

Now with the new pan place a few dabs of RTV on the pan rail and set the gasket in place. I let it sit overnight wit the bolts holding the gasket in place with two 4x4s weighin the gasket down so it stays flat. Reinstall oil pan, tricky but it fits. Install the front 3 bolts then start one side with the side rail and go to town. Torque all bolts to 15-18 ft-lbs and set motor back into place. Reinstall EGR, fan shroud, battery cable/cooler line bracket, torque motor mount bolts, replace oil filter and fill with 6 fresh quarts of oil. Start engine, run till warm and check for leaks.

Not to hard but the middle bolts can be tricky and require some extensions/swivels. Repalcement of motor mounts is optional, his were ok so i left em alone. After there is checking for leaks, enjoy a cold beverage of choice (mine was rolling rock ).

 

Good writeup, thanks. Planning on doing all the gaskets on mine, along with oil and water pumps, in the near future. Both pumps are working but figure I'm going to be in it that far, and don't know how old they are, so cheap insurance. Sure will be nice to have a motor that's NOT covered in oil all the time.

 

IIRC, It was a while ago, all I did on my 93 was unbolt the motor mounts and picked it up till the intake hit the fire wall. Mine is a 5 speed. I used spray gasket and some small pieces of thread in each one of the oil pan bolt holes... snugged just enough to hold but not to deform the gasket. I let it tack up for a short bit and weaseled it in, all in one afternoon. I agree on the 3/5 difficulty level.

Jim

 

Did you use only the spray gasket or with a pan gasket? Also, did anyone use any kind of thread lock on the bolts? I know the pan bolts have a habit it seems of loosening up.

 

I used the spray just to help hold the gasket in place along with the small pieces of thread. I did not use thread lock. I did go back and re-tighten at a later point.

 

I bought all of the parts for this: oil pan, gasket, oil pump, and pickup line. I thought I was going to do this by myself, but man it has me thinking twice and considering getting a shop to do it.

I think some things might be made easier with an air ratchet, like the motor mounts and the pan bolts.

Is replacement of the oil pump pretty easy?