OK guys I was changing my oil and filter today, do it about every 2-3 thousand miles. As I was spinning off my oil filter I heard a grating sound, never heard that before, so I start taking it off real slow.....suddenly a small, thin, circlular piece of metal falls out, probably a little less than 1/2 in. in diameter and about the thickness of a dime and black, smooth but rough on the edges. So I go slower and the filter comes off and something else falls into the oil...........so I dig around in the oil and come up with a sprial circular spring aobut 2 in. long and about 1/2 diam..............I also find a flat washer with a hold in the center a little over a 1/2 in diam..........I look into the filter.......can't see anywhere it should belong.......I look into the filter housing and see kinda a rectangular hole towards the center and a circular hole down towards the rim......with nothihng in it..........now as I remember it seems something was always there........and the hole looks like it could house all this stuff................so what happened..........are there more than 3 pieces that go in here?

Could there be more pieces in the oil.......or worse sucked up into my engine........do I need to buy a new filter housing or just what........my truck is stuck in the driveway with my wifes car in front of it........ok guys give me the bad news.

96 F250 7.3 powerstroke about 150,000 miles..............if I need to replace the housing is there anything better or something else to do while I'm doing it.

 

Man I dunno about that. I'm sure someone here will chime in to help. I hope the parts just got loose and can be reinstalled easily. Meantime I would screw that old filter back on just snug enough to keep dust/dirt out while you wait for one of the real gurus on here!

 

That keeps oil from bypassing the oil filter unless the filter is clogged. You definitely need to put the parts back in (if you haven't already ... or still have them). Put the spring in first, followed by the disk, then the washer. If you don't have the 3 parts, you'll need the new header adapter that has the snap ring retained valves.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
Here some numbers<o></o>
Oil Cooler Header Gasket (rear; oil filter end)
(Ford) F4TZ-6A636-AA (97-up)
(Ford) F4TZ-6A636-B (96-before)
(International) 1831665C1

Oil Filter Header (updated snap ring retained check valve)
(Ford) F81Z-6881-BA

Oil Cooler O-Rings (one each to seal cooler at each header)
(Ford) E3TZ-6C610-A
(Ford) E4TZ-6K649-E
(International) 1807563C1, Inner 1804414C1 Outer<o></o>

 

OK guys I went back in time to a way previous post and found a guy that had exactly the same problem.........apparently there are only these 3 parts and they are just staked in the filter housing......so I took a good look and sure enough they had only been held in place by 4 stake points and two of them weren't close..........so I just replaced it all and restaked......the only thing I hope I put it together right.............I put the spring back up in there, then the small black washer thing, then the washer with ahole in it and restaked it.............the washer with the hole in it only fit in one place and was much too small to fit up into the hole......and I couldn't see much sense for the black washer to go in first and then the spring.........so the spring went first, then the black washer and then the washer with the hole in it.......I suppose the black washer blocks the hole in the outer washer til presser forces it up under the spring pressure.........anyway I hope this was right...............someone let me know.

 

OK folks..........looks like I am back in business...........and all is well........Thanks all for the replys and for this site.............Ford would have charged me for a housing and labor probably would have been 3-4 hundres time it was all done..........thanks guys.

 

here is a pic of an upgraded relief valve
Webshots - Full Size Photo

 

Thanks for pic, and again thanks to all............what a great site.

 

Mike, you dont have to say thanks. we are here for try to help.

 

Way to go RÖENTGEEP, good save. Tryed to Rep you but gotta spread the love around.

 

I have learned here from all my masters, like you.

 

Well done Jose! I tried to rep you as well but I have to spread the love!

 

another of my masters