Ok guys, trust me, I know what an oil filter is and I know where it is on my truck. Its in a factory location that I have never seen on any other mod motor! I have a 98 f150, ext cab, 4.6 with tow package. Here's the kicker, my filter is a "remote mount" (for lack of a better term), but the filter screws in on an adapter by the rear of the block. I've got a leak from the front side of this adapter. This adapter runs most of the length of the block. Here's a bunch of pictures I've taken in the last month. The oil leak comes from the around the front of this adapter and it seems to be around the long bolt on the bottom towards the front of the engine. Any ideas on what this is, purpose and why I've never seen another one like it? I've worked at Goodhear and TiresPlus and never seen anything else like it!

http://i1254.photobucket.com/albums/...6/DSC01778.jpg

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That is unusual.....I have never seen a remote mount like that ever. Only remote filter I've seen is the one that moves the filter behind the front bumper...which is nice.

 

I've seen those... but Ive never seen this particular setup other than on my truck. Im not complaining about it, I do like it no mess at ALL! Just curious if anybody has seen this before. It's leaking and Id like to get it fixed without too much headache

 

Nothing unusual to me (except for the leak ). I thought every 2WD 4.6L had it. They don't? Is it because we have the factory tow package?

There has to be a gasket between the adapter and the block. The gasket may be leaking, assuming that the adapter casting itself isn't cracked.

To pull the adapter, it looks like the engine is going to have to be jacked up, and the left engine mount removed.

If there really are two totally different oil filter adapters on the 4.6L with 2WD, I think it would be worthwhile to visit your local Ford parts dept. and look over their shoulder at the display. That way you could see the correct gasket for it. And if it is unusual, they might be the only source.

One other bit of info - my 4.6L is from the WEP, VIN engine code 6, just in case this is one of the many Windsor vs. Romeo 4.6L differences.

 

I've been on trucks and suvs with tow package. They didn't have this adapter. There's 3 ways for the oil filter to mount. This adapter, the front bumper remote mount, and then horizontally straight onto the block. I've run the code, I have an R code motor. Im just not looking forward to pulling the mounts and the adapter at this point. Too much work lol. I wonder if it's only 97/98 year trucks. Hmmmm.... food for thought.

 

Sorry for taking so long to post. My truck is a '99 same description as yours.
It has the same adapter as yours. Filter is vertically mounted which makes for
an easy filter change. I think if you removed the motor mount and lifted that
side of the engine a bit more it should be fairly easy to get the adapter out.

 

I just went back and looked at your pictures again. Is it still leaking after you changed filters? The pictures that show all of the oily mess are with a Motorcraft filter and that filter was or is leaking like a sieve and probably spraying oil everywhere.

 

I was in the middle of an oil change when I took the first set of pictures. It was halfway off. after spraying it off multiple times in the last 3 years, it's definitely coming from the lower bolt/nut on the front of the adapter.

 

Ok, pulled the housing off and it went fairly easy. One DEFINITELY wants to drain both coolant and oil before starting. I got the gasket and when i went to bolt the housing back on, managed to break it by not making sure it was flush against the block. Ford wants $400 for a new one but I got one off Ebay for $20. Put it up against the bare block and it won't sit flush, looking at least like a 1/4" gap if not more. and it wobbles against the block. Any ideas, help, manuals?

 

Use a straight edge and make sure the mounting surface on the adapter is flat. If it is then the adapter is hitting something that is keeping it from being flush. It sounds like that is what possibly cracked the original one when you tried to reinstall it.

 

FOUND IT!!!! A piece from the old gasket was stuck on the top bolt in the block and with the mess, couldn't see it. Felt it though. When it cools down tonight ill get back on it. That's exactly what cracked the first one. Ty sir.

 

I have a 99 F150 4x4 with the 5.4 is it possible that I have the same setup? I have recently noticed oil on the starter. it's not a lot but its enough to make you wonder

 

Hey Tex,

Did you end up having to remove the motor mount? I'm getting ready to tackle this over the weekend on a '97 Exp. 4.6L - Romeo. Any advise that you or anyone else could give me to shorten the learning curve would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

So you're in Tampa? Ill be in Clearwater in two weeks for school. Yes, I did have to remove the motor mount as well as jack the engine up quite a ways. Just remove the upper part of the mount. Make sure you remove all the old parts of the gasket. I accidentally left a washer on there and cracked the cooler. Grrr.... Past that, it's plug and play really. 2 hours tops if you know what you're doing.

 

So it's an oil cooler? The early edition shop manual I have never mentions an oil cooler. The previous generation of trucks (1992 - 1996) with towing package have an external oil cooler at the filter mount, and the lower radiator hose assembly has two smaller hoses that tee out of it that plumb coolant in and out of the oil cooler.

So the 1997 4.6L oil cooler has all the coolant passages in the cylinder block? Because the lower radiator hose only has a tee in it to run up to the overflow/expansion tank. I have the towing package on mine.

Maybe they are just tapping into the block's water jacket by the driver's side cylinders. If so, I guess that coolant is just a bit warmer after going through the water pump and into the water jacket, as compared to plumbing it externally with coolant from the lower radiator hose (just upstream from the water pump).

Did you see a lot of passages in the casting you removed, or the part that was exposed on the block side? I don't think anybody has pics of what the internally-faced views of those parts look like. It's a mystery.