My 1978 F150 Lariat has a stock 400 cid/6.6L engine. Someone prior tried jacking up the truck under the oil pan, it dented, is leaking and needs to be replaced. Mechanic says the pan I sent him a link for isn't right because my truck is 4x4 and the regular 400/6.6L oil pans will hit the cross member. Online searches don't offer me a "4x4" filter, so I don't know what pan I'm looking at online. Anybody have a part number or source for this oil pan for a 4x4 application? Thanks.

 

Where is the damage, and how bad is it?

I think it far more likely that a 2x4 front sump pan will hit the front axle, or trac bar on a 4x4 as there is no cross member under the pan. My '77 351M 4x4's pan has been welded (maybe 3" long) after some damage long ago, looks like it was maybe bumped on a lift? Looking close, looks like lightly hammered back to shape. Nice weld job too. I didn't chose to replace it last year as this welded one has no leaks (though I do have another on a 400 stored on a stand).



I took the first picture before cleaning in the pan, the second pic is just to show about where the weld is. I did the safety wire after drilling a hole in a drain plug. I also put the magnet on, I pull it off as I start to drain the pan.

 

D7TZ-6675-B is the OEM part number. You will also see the correct oil pan referred to as rear-sump when looking at aftermarket sources.

 

tbear853, yes, mine has the plug centered, though indented a bit, like the one in your photo. I've seen other pans with the drain plug on a low corner. Thanks for the pix.
dlburch, thanks for the part number and especially for the rear vs. front sump info. That was another variable I didn't know what to do with. Much appreciated, both of you.

 

I wonder just how bad the pan is ? If it's just dented and not all rusted out I'd fix it.

 

Mine is not dented in, it has a dip in it where the drain is .... just looks dented in the picture. This below is a 4wd pan from the side.

I added the yellow and orange for a different thread awhile back, but it does help.
In the case of a 2wd pan, the oil pickup is more or less under the oil pump so that pan is deeper at the front, and shallower at the rear.
2wd also has the dip stick going through the engine block to measure oil depth there at the sump where it is the deepest.


Note how the very bottom of the sump is not flat, but very slightly rounded to create a lowest spot under the pickup inside, and even then the lower lip of the drain where the drain bolt is ... is slightly deeper. I measured from oil pan lip flat portion where bolts pass through, not the raised lip. It would be easy to think it was jacked ... even if not. On the 4wd set up like pict6ured, the oil pickup is on a tube that has a support that is captured under the head of #3 main cap bolt too.

It would have to be bent and busted pretty bad to be unfixable I think. If all wrong is a leak, if the engine is moving oil then it's picking up oil, I'd for sure just fix the leak (after removing the pan of course). Do inspect the long tube and pickup while the pan is off. If any question, just use a stiff wire to insert through the drain hole and feel to see if pickup is just close to the pan bottom.

I don't have a 2wd pan.

 

tbear853, very helpful pix. Thanks!

 

I found this one on Ebay, which has its own "fit" verification when you enter your vehicle year/make/model that they stand behind. Mechanic says it'll fit, so this is what I bought this evening, and pretty reasonably priced at $80.30. If it turns out to be the wrong thing, I'll post an update for future readers. Ebay/vendor part description is, "69-87 Ford Mustang 351W V8 Blue Oil Pan" in case that helps anyone.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25587074449...Bk9SR7zsoKGwZA

Thanks, everyone for the photos, resources and part numbers. This is a great community forum.

 

A '78 F-150 4x4 with a 400 is gonna be the same as a 351M/400 .... a 351W car oil pan is a totally different animal. First of all, it's a front sump pan and you will need a rear sump pan.

If you can cancel, I would.

As listed, it is not going to fit a '78 F-150 4x4 with a 400.

Any pictures of your damage?

 

(forehead slap). I had a feeling the 351W was different, but I'm still getting accustomed to the Ford engines. I learned that the 400 is basically a "stroked" 351, but not a stroked 351W, apparently. Still learning. The photo of the ebay item looks like a rear sump pan. And the mechanic says has owned a couple of these same trucks himself, so what's a guy to do? Thanks for the info. I will play this through and see what happens. Fortunately, it's not my daily driver. If it's wrong, I get to give the mechanic the stink eye and have him order the next one himself...without charging me his hours.
Thanks.

 

I have a bunch of those pans that are good for 4x4. can you pm me?

 

I will leave you with a picture of the correct 4x4 pan on a 351M/400 block from both sides minus the writing. In both pictures, the rear of the block is bolted to the engine stand. In my first post at top you can see the bolt pattern and lip shape, the front is to the left, the rear is to the right. "F250 warhorse" has you covered it seems.

stand front


front stand

 

Thanks for the additional photos and info. I am emailing a link to this thread to my mechanic so he can take a quick read. Appreciate y'all sharing your knowledge and resources.

 

Stock 4x4 pans are not reproduced for the 351m/400 as far as I know. Junk yard used only. Milodon does make a 7 qt rear sump pan with matching pickup, or they did 20 years ago at least. I have one on the shelf I pulled off my '78

 

I was going to say the same...... I just checked their site, and they still offer the pan for the 400. The only thing to keep in mind is that the pan will only allow up to 4.100" of stroke, but a stock configured crank is fine at 4.000". As mine was a stroker (434 cu in.), the stroke is really close, but I've had no ticking or banging whatsoever (thanks mostly to Tim Meyer, Inc. for his machine work on the block). My only advice is to use REALLY good sealant, as the 4 piece gaskets for these pans tend to find their way to leaks. My favorite go to is the 'black death' sealant they sell at Toyota.