Greetings to all! I have searched the forums and found similar issues but nothing that exactly matches. Some may find this interesting, and I am in need of suggestions. I changed the oil as I have done dozens of times.

Factory oil filter cap and factory oil filter always. I wish to stress this. Both are Motorcraft parts for the 6.0. I installed the new, oiled, O-ring on the cap, new filter snapped in, ready to go. I ran the cap down by hand until the O-ring touched the housing. I then used my torque wrench to finish the install and torqued to final spec.

Topped the oil off at 15 quarts and called it an evening. When driving to work the next day I got maybe 5-6 miles from home and I looked in the outside mirror and saw nothing but grey smoke. I checked the oil pressure gauge and it was fine, then it fluttered and the truck died. I coasted to the side and when I popped the hood it was coated underneath with oil. The back of the engine and all the way to the rear bumper as well as the back glass and doors (again it is an Excursion) were covered in oil. It looked like an oil bomb had gone off.

Flatbed home and I quickly cleaned the oil from the painted surfaces and then took another car to work. After getting home I cleaned the engine and underside as best as I could then began looking around. Obviously it ran fine before the oil change so I started with the cap and filter. When I took the cap off (again, factory Motorcraft cap and filter) the top of the stalk that holds the spring and the disk were inside the filter.

The two plastic "fingers" that retain the disk and center button were broken and I found them inside the housing. I pieced together the two broken fingers with the body they were once a part of to ensure that nothing had entered the oil system. I couldn't find anything else that was a miss. I cleaned the engine bay some more, cleaned the underside some more, replaced the stalk, cap, and filter with factory parts, topped off the oil (it lost most but not all) and started it up. It took a lot longer to start but it did fire and idled.

I drove it around the yard and got it up to temp then started looking around. With a fresh piece of cardboard underneath there was a few drops of oil towards the driver's rear side but it could have been residual from the "bomb" and clean-up. So I let it sit overnight and started it with another clean piece of cardboard underneath and it has a few oil spots underneath, mainly on the driver's side rear. It still takes a lot longer to start and until I get some advice on where the massive amount of oil came from I am afraid to drive it. It has had all of the reliability mods done (EGR delete, Sinister oil cooler, studs, heads milled) and it has a SCT tuner.

No lights, codes, nothing. Any thoughts as to where all of the oil came from? Did I waste my HPOP? As much as the 6.0 gets a bad rap this one until this point has been good to my family, and even with that said it was something I guess I did when installing the new filter but I don't know what. Speaking of which, it is my family hauler so any advice given is greatly appreciated. I spin my own wrenches and if I could get a clear picture as to where the oil came from I will take off and see what I can find.

An inspection mirror and about an hour's worth of looking yielded nothing. I might have to start removing things in order to find the problem hence the reason for posting. I just don't want to start blindly removing things that may be unnecessary. Thanks again!

 

Did you get the OEM oil filter from an actual dealership?

Could you explain what a stainless oil cooler is? I don't understand that one.

Do you monitor temperatures (ie oil and coolant)?

The 04 Excursion can have an 03 or 04 engine. Where is your ICP sensor located?

btw - for me, one big/long paragraph is hard to read!

Not sure about the disk.

 

Hello. Yes, both the cap and filter from a dealership. I do stand corrected on the cooler. I looked at the invoice. It is a Sinister Diesel aluminum cooler. I honestly did not install any of the mods to the truck other than the SCT Livewire. Other than the SCT I have the factory gauges. The truck has never run hot to my knowledge. I do not have a gauge pillar with gauges...yet. ICP is on the passenger side valve cover and it looks fine. I can't see any leaks on it or near it. I appreciate your response Sir.

 

I agree. I should have broken it up. The disk I am referring to is the one on the top of the stalk that compresses the spring. That disk, the center button, and the spring was inside the filter and came out when I removed the cap.

 

IMO the Sinister oil cooler is not an upgrade. They had lots of issues with it. You really need to monitor the actual oil temperature values. I am betting the oil temp is higher than it should be.

So you started the engine with a damaged oil filter standpipe, or did all the pieces snap back on?

It would sure help to have pictures!

If the standpipe was broken, you are likely to have bypassed the oil filter when running. I am also wondering about the drain valve at the bottom of the filter housing.

 

This video describes how the standpipe should work. Something clearly went wrong w/ yours

 

Yes, I started the engine, unknowingly, with a damaged stalk. The cap ran down hand tight until the O-ring contacted the housing, then I used my torque wrench to take it the rest of the way down and then to final torque. It "felt" normal.

Yes, Sir. The disk, center button and spring were inside the filter when I took the cap off and they were not retained in the stalk as they should be. The two plastic "fingers" that retain them were broken and I pieced everything back together trying to determine if anything contaminated the oil.

The drain valve actuates like normal. You can compress it and it works as it should.

I tried to include some pictures but received an error message. I can try a different approach.

Thank you again for replying.

 

I agree. But I don't know what. I know what is broken, and I did put a new dealership bought stalk, cap and filter back in.

What I don't know is where all the oil came from and why the long start cycle. I assume they are related but you know how that goes. Thinking something with the HPOP but I have very little knowledge of these engines.

Thanks again!

 

What a painful mystery!!

Are you the original owner of the vehicle?

If not, could someone way back have used aftermarket filters and cracked that standpipe? Then it finally broke completely on you? Also, you need to download ForScan or Torque Pro to a phone, get an OBDII adapter, and monitor temperatures! I am still suspicious of elevated oil temps.

Is there any way it was over filled? So with the new filter standpipe/etc, you don't have ANY leaks now? It is CRAZY to have NO evidence where the oil leaked from!! A broken oil pressure switch (and oil temp sensor also) can break and leak, but it sure wouldn't fix itself. You said the cap is new, could the old cap have had a crack in it?

I guess you don't have enough posts to attach pics yet! And THANKS for the paragraphs, it helps my tired old eyes!

 

My first thought was the oil pressure switch too, but that would throw a CEL, at least you would think. It did both times mine failed.

If the filter wasn't able to drop like the video shows, then the filter cap may not have been all the way on even though it was torqued to spec?

I'm guessing the long start is due to air in the injector system from the disruption of the flow of oil.

 

I am not the original owner, however I did pick her up with only 33k miles on her.

I am going to replace the oil pressure sensor. For $20 it is peace of mind. What about the STC? Any chance it let go?

Thanks again for the responses and help!!

 

The 04 isn't going to have the failure-prone STC fitting.

 

Get the sensor at Autozone. It's a few dollars more than Ford but has a lifetime warranty.
https://www.autozone.com/external-en...715949_0_18358

 

Dang, I already ordered one. But, I can grab the one you have mentioned and run it and use the factory one as a spare.

After this, I will keep the sensor and a socket and ratchet in the glove box should it prove to be the culprit. I am telling you, I lost most of my oil in short order.

The cardboard under the truck was dry when I got home. It started raining so I aborted mission.

Due to the rain (and being alone) I can't rev the motor and watch the sensor for leaks but I will ASAP.

Thanks again guys.

 

Did you check the old cap to see if it had a crack or cracks in it? If it was leaking from the cap it would drain your oil down pretty quickly and cause the truck to shut off.

I’ve never “torqued” my oil filter cap. It always goes until the edge touches the top of the oil filter housing, then I stop.