Vehicle: 93 F-150 Extended Cab, Short Bed, 4.9L, E4OD, 3.08Gears. 100,450 miles

Problem: No oil on stick when I got gas last night....WTH?!?!

Dropped two qts of 10W-30 in and got full.

LESS THAN 1,000 on oil change with Castrol GTX and Motorcraft Filter.

NO SMOKE, NO BLOWBY, Engine almost as clean as new. NO LEAKS FROM GASKETS (OIL, Head, Valve cover, or others)or pan itself You could litterally eat off this engine......but the food ain't that good!

Stopped at IKEA (30 miles for home) and when I came out there was puddle under back of engine, at Bellhousing.

Rear main?? or is there also an oil galley plug up in there also.

Oil Presure when hot was really low at idle by the dash gauge (yes I did the mod!) after I put in the oil. Wonder if an oil pump might be in order also.

I have the know how (brain works and I've done this before LOOOOOOOOOOONNNGGG time ago) to pull this off but body says no(cardiac problems). If I take this to a shop what am I looking at roughly for Labor (hours), I'm figuring about 6.

Any info appreciated.

Larry

 

Larry, it sounds odd that it all the sudden went - usually a rear main just gets worse and worse. I'll have to check tomorrow when it's day light out - I've got my future engine out on a stand. I think there's a plug behind the cam...maybe it blew out on you?

 

I put a couple of cans of seal sweller in it. Hopefully that will hold until I can get it to the shop next month for new seal and oil change. I got a quote of $275 (US). Which isn't too awful bad.

 

Your post reminded me to check -there is a plug installed in the block behind the cam.

 

thanks. I'll have them check it too while they have the flexplate out.

 

I've had a similar problem that I was going to post in a new thread. My problem only happens after going around 70. When I drive around town I don't lose any oil. After I get it out on the highway and drive a while at 70 or above the engine starts to smoke and oil drains from the rear near the housing just as Larry. I drove to Atlanta from Tampa without problems. When returning I drove the truck hard through Atlanta. 20 miles out of Atlanta the truck start blowing oil and smoking. I pulled off the highway and the truck was leaking oil out at the rear of the engine. I decided to drive the back roads to find some oil. After I added a quart it was full. I continued on the back roads all the way home averaging 60 and had no more problems.

This trip I drove @ 150 miles mostly under 65. The last 30 miles I pushed it to 70. I stopped a Walmart upon arriving at my destination and watched about a quart of oil pour out of the engine from the same place. The engine hadn't started smoking yet but it probably would have. I added the quart that it needed continued my weekend without incident as I kept it under 65 the rest of the time.

Is there a safety feature that allows oil to escape under pressure if something is clogged. If so where would it leak out. I changed the valve cover gasket and never seen so much sludge in an engine before. I purchased this truck only a few months ago. Where should I start looking. I can't believe it to be the rear seal as this only happens as stated above. I never lose oil around town. Has anyone had this problem and what did they do to correct it.

 

My bro-in-law has a '95 F150 with a 300 six. Last weekend, he was down 2 quarts of oil, so I crawled underneath to take a look. It looks like a classic rear main leak. So, he takes it to a shop. They say they need to move the trans back and pull the engine part way out to replace it. They estimated well over a grand, and said he was better off buying a replacement vehicle. Does this make sense for a rear main seal replacement? Is it that difficult to get the top and bottom seal replaced from under the truck?

 

Your Bro in Law should take it to another shop. In Baltimore area I've gotten quotes from $250-$350 depending on how many hours it takes and the differences in the cost of the seal. The seal is one piece. All the shop has to do is pull the tranny , remove the flexplate and change the seal. Install is reverse of removal. Oversimplified sure but they DON'T have to take out the engine partway. With a 2 part seal I'd say sure but the 300 has a 1 piece seal.

Larry

 

I replaced the rear main seal in my 89 a few years ago while changing the clutch. Remove the flywheel to get at it. This was the second replacement at 85,000mi. It wasnt leaking too badly, but I will replace one anytime the transmission is out.
My I-6 will use more oil when pushed hard and very little during normal driving.

 

Does this mean you changed the idiot gauge for a real one yet retained the original look?

 

I changed the Sensor to the "GAUGE TYPE" (CAN), and pulled the dash out and bridged the 20K oHm resistor that was inline. Now if operates as a gauge (1/2 a^&ed) but better than nothing.

 

Could it be the crank case is pressuring?
Like with a bad PCV valve?

 

No it's not pressuring the crankcase. I've changed the PCV valve, the airbox PCV filter, proved out the lines and checked the vacuum to the manifold. It's not blowing past.

Compression is 150-155-155-160-155-145. Wet test is no change. Valves are good, vacuum is 17.5mgHG at 700 rpm, no pulsation......very steady needle.

It's definately the rear main seal going. I take it in Tuesday for replacement. $275. P&L.

Larry