When we returned home from a trip to visit our oldest daughter and now son-in-law I noticed a good amount of oil under the Excursion. This was after my wife had used it to run a short errand, so I called and asked if there was any oil under the truck, which there was. So yesterday late I took a look and sure enough the oil pan dipstick attachment appears to be the culprit. I had to pull the upper attachment of the dipstick loose when I went under the valve covers for glow plug, UVCH wiring, injector shimming, etc. last year. I'm assuming it may just be the o-ring for the dipstick, but with 270k on the truck I probably should just replace the o-ring on the inside of the pan too. Wouldn't you know it I just did an oil change right before we went on this trip and now it's showing the oil level just on the bottom of the stick.

I've read the long thread on here from way back when up to 2023 about replacing the 2 o-rings plus the attaching nut. I'm not to comfortable with just letting the backing plat the nut attaches to fall down inside and leaving it that you do with these newer allen wrench units. I'm assuming this backing plate doesn't fit back through the hole so you need a way to hold it to remove and replace that large o-ring. It looks like most use a .45 caliber bore brush to accomplish this, but I'll see what I have here at the house. I think I only have .30 caliber rifle, but I'll see if a 410 shotgun brush may be the right approximately 1/2" diameter. I see a couple kits on-line and I may check the Ford stealership to see what's available.

It sounds like the job is not as bad as it sounds like...you just need to make sure you put your patience hat on before attempting it...

 

Dipstick Fix Kit - 7.3 Powerstroke (1994.5-2003) – KC Turbos

this is the way to go IMO. Granted, I agree I didn't want to leave the thingy in the pan like the others, but tbh if you get it clean and dump it in there, there is no chance of anything bad coming from it if you ask me. I used the one I linked above. It's not fun to install really but it works.

Instead of a brush, I got some copper magnet wire that I have a spool of laying around and bent a long section of it into an arrow shape, so that the arrow could be pushed down the hole and the prongs would pop out behind and hold it. Then when I was done I just yanked the wire out of it and it came right out. Definitely wear your patience hat. Do not rush.

 

Just a thought for discussion since I don’t have this particular experience. Consider using a “strong” magnet on the outside of the pan, then slide the magnet to the deepest part of the pan and leave it there - shouldn’t ever move while magnet is attached. Maybe someone has already considered/done this and I’ve missed it.

 

I recommend a .50 BMG bore brush. That is 1/2" for sure plus being .50 BMG, it ensures longer range (i.e. life). /non sequitur

 

The part that drops in the pan is aluminum...so there's that.

Cleatus12r posted a good fix that I used. and a bore brush really does work.

 

I had great luck with the flea bay knockoff model. I've put one on 3 trucks now and no leaks after 3yrs so far. I think I paid $50 for it.

 

Was that one a replacement you let the back side drop down into the pan or did it just have the o-rings and nut?

 

They are only $25 now. They have 2 big orings that mount to the side of the oil pan. I even used a small amount of RTV between both of them.
I let the back piece drop to the bottom of the pan. I felt it hit the bottom too....its a slight push in and toward the rear of the truck...but its not hard to do at all.

Here is a pic of what you are dropping it into

 

Pulled it apart this afternoon. The fitting was loose...especially after I pulled the dipstick tube...and leaked purdy bad. I used a .410 shotgun bore brush which seems to work well to hold it in place. I tied it off with some thick stainless steel wire to the adjacent transmission fluid lines. When I removed the large securing nut I found the o-ring to not be in the groove and loose on the backing plate. It is so swelled that it's inside diameter is now larger than it's original outside diameter. I'm surprised it didn't find it's way off that backing plate and wind up in the oil pan. I did buy a nut, adapter, o-ring unit online but decided to just pick up some new o-rings from a local industrial supplier. I'll probably also go ahead and put some RTV sealant on it too. In further research it looks like several have used the Dash 328 o-ring which is larger than the o-ring that was included in the unit I bought online and measures 1-7/8" inside diameter, 2-1/4" outside diameter, and has a thickness of 3/16" for future reference. I still say that when I went in under the valve covers and had to finagle the dipstick tube around probably helped this situation relative to the o-ring swelling and popping out of it's groove though it did take some time.



O-ring is larger than the groove it is supposed to fit in...




Kit supplied o-ring fits inside larger original o-ring...




Old/new comparison...

 

RTV sealant will NOT stick to an oily surface.

you gotta make it super clean, like spray it with a lot of Brake Clean,
and I don't think you want that in the oil pan.....

plus, you can't use RTV with a gasket surface, it just won't work....

in this video, you can see it for yourself.... the gasket did not stick to the case, or the cover.

 

Yep.....I took almost an hour to prep the surface on my pan. Was worth it....still no leaks to this day so I know it was clean. That oil and dirt makes a nasty combo.

 

Use an oil-resistant RTV like Permatex Ultra Black.
https://www.permatex.com/products/ga...maker-3-35-oz/

 

I used RTV as a generic term like happens alot with many. I will be using Permatex 80016 as it's non hardening. I've already cleaned the area with carb/brake cleaner though the area was not all that dirty...fresh oil from leak versus 25 years of oil/road gunk given I tend to spray high pressure soap and rinse a couple times a year when I have it at the self serve car wash...

 

Hopefully I am misreading...please tell me you didn't just o-ring slap the original parts?

 

Looked at that stuff, but looking like using some Permatex 80016 and maybe a homemade cut gasket between the nut and pan. I utilized the same scenario recently when I replaced the driver side outer rear axle seal, then serviced the rear end gear oil. I bought a gasket for the pumpkin cover which I added a smooth skin of the Permatex 80016 and it has worked out great...