Really, really stupid question!!
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 17
From: Jacksonville, FL
Really, really stupid question!!
Hi all i need a little advice, i am about to change the oil in my 2006 F-150 FX4 5.4, i have located the oil filter, and have read the horror stories about changing it, but i am a little unsure about where the oil drain plug is located, is it towards the back of the engine on an angle towards the bottom of a square looking pan?? i just don't want to drain the transmission or something stupid like that! i feel really dumb for asking this, but truth be said i am from europe and have only worked on little 4-bangers and the such, i am just a little hesitant about diving into my big ole v8! any help is greatly appreciated! (and i can take some ribbing too!!)
Thank you
Rik
Thank you
Rik
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 9,111
Likes: 3
From: Lexington Mo
If what you're looking at is more square, and silver (bare metal color) you may be looking at the transmission pan. The oil pan is on the bottom of the engine, and on top of the cross member (holds bolts the engine to the truck) And it should be a black metal pan.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 17
From: Jacksonville, FL
what i am talking about is a black looking cube (sorry meant to say this the first time!) with a bolt on the bottom back (when looking from the front of the truck) side? it is toward the back of the engine below where it looks like the engine and transmission join? just a little back from the front wheels
Thank you for your help!
Rik
Thank you for your help!
Rik
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
From: Sunny Southern California
I'd just like to commend you for your courage. It sounds like you haven't done a great deal of wrenching and you are taking it on! That's great
And kudo's to you other guys for NOT ribbing him, you are a great encouragement
And kudo's to you other guys for NOT ribbing him, you are a great encouragement
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 17
From: Jacksonville, FL
Thank you for your kind words, i have done a little bit of wrenching in my time, like i said on smaller European engines and want to double check myself before i do something stupid! i actually do quite a lot of mechaincal work on big diesel generators, but that is a whole different ball game!! thank you again though! rik
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,621
Likes: 1
From: Sweetwater Texas
When pulling the filter turn your tires all the way to the right?? (sorry its been a few years since I've changed the oil in my parents 99 F150 4.6 L)
If your worried about which plug your pullin, then pull it slowly and if black drips out then your draining oil, if red comes then tighten it back up its your tranny.
Welcome to America, and good luck working on a real motor. I have to point it out and make fun of "diving into my big ol' V8", just wait till you get a chance to work on a 7.3 diesel or a 460, then you've got a BIG V8
I was amazed when talking to a girl from Britian that 1-2 liter motors are average and if you have a 3+ you've got something
If your worried about which plug your pullin, then pull it slowly and if black drips out then your draining oil, if red comes then tighten it back up its your tranny.
Welcome to America, and good luck working on a real motor. I have to point it out and make fun of "diving into my big ol' V8", just wait till you get a chance to work on a 7.3 diesel or a 460, then you've got a BIG V8
I was amazed when talking to a girl from Britian that 1-2 liter motors are average and if you have a 3+ you've got something
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,465
Likes: 17
From: Jacksonville, FL
oh very true, i think they are geared different over there in order to get the necessary performance. also the regular octane fuel over there is 93 or 97 can't remember off the top of my head which one, but is higher than over here, but twice/three times the price (hence the small engines!) i work on huge cat and cummins engines quite regularly which run big generators (around the megawatt mark) they are the same as used in the huge dump truck found in the open cast mines and such, but they don't feel like a real engine when you can easily walk around it and easily access all the parts! wel they don't to me! i did manage to change my oil, and the oil pan was what i thought it was, i just get a little jittery sometimes working on a $30,000+ truck and being able to mess it up so easily! Thankyou again for the assistance!
Rik
Rik
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Somerset County, PA
the oil pan was what i thought it was,
Fortunately, we were able to get it taken care of and everything went well on the trip, except for the torrential rainstorms we had to ride through, both to and from the beach ...
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From: Next to the wilderness
Another oil changing story
Was told to me, so it could be one of those urban legends.
Anyway, a certain Army truck had what was called a multi-fuel engine. The oil pan was long and had a "high" shallow middle with a reservoir at each end, one deeper, one shallower than the other.
The newbies were tagged with the monthly maintenance and one of these needed an oil change, but no one had actually done one before. They drained the small end of the pan which only dropped maybe a third of the total volume, changed the filters, and installed the 24 or 26 quarts necessary for the engine.
The final check of the dipstick showed oil almost to the top of the stick! About three and a half gallons over full.......
Anyway, a certain Army truck had what was called a multi-fuel engine. The oil pan was long and had a "high" shallow middle with a reservoir at each end, one deeper, one shallower than the other.
The newbies were tagged with the monthly maintenance and one of these needed an oil change, but no one had actually done one before. They drained the small end of the pan which only dropped maybe a third of the total volume, changed the filters, and installed the 24 or 26 quarts necessary for the engine.
The final check of the dipstick showed oil almost to the top of the stick! About three and a half gallons over full.......
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,092
Likes: 145
From: San Diego, CA
what i am talking about is a black looking cube (sorry meant to say this the first time!) with a bolt on the bottom back (when looking from the front of the truck) side? it is toward the back of the engine below where it looks like the engine and transmission join? just a little back from the front wheels
Thank you for your help!
Rik
Thank you for your help!
Rik
If you're still not sure, watch the fluid that comes out and check the color. If it's black, then it's the engine oil and you're good to go (unless you have a manual transmission, then it could be gear oil from the tranny). If you have an automatic transmission, the fluid is red, and you should immediately put the plug back in.
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