So I was lifting the front end of my truck this afternoon to install a new set of shocks, and the jack happened to slip off the front axle. When the truck came to rest, the still extended jack was lodged up against my oil pan. I nearly cried.







I got the truck back up and assessed the damage. The pan is definitely crumpled/wrinkled. But it's not pierced or creased. It's not pretty but it's also not leaking. I drove it around the neighborhood a couple of times to be sure it wasn't dripping anywhere and it's fine so far.

So, I'd like to solicit some input from the fine crowd: what would you do?

I know that replacing the pan is very involved, involves sliding the tranny back, lifting the engine, and is about a 10-15 hour job. I'm rather inclined to just keep an eye on the pan and oil level going forward and just see how it goes. And then maybe tackle the job later on, if needed. This is not my daily driver but hauls toys, camper, and mountain trips on the weekends.

Anyway, advice is welcome. And, please, keep the cheap shots to yourself - I'm in a bad enough mood now as it is.

 

I woulda been most concerned about the first 30 seconds after startup. But you’ve conquered that.

So theres no metal-to-metal contact, and no leaks due to the wrinkles.

Watch your oil pressure and drive like nothing is wrong.

A cheap shot crossed my mind of course, but then I imagined if same thing happened to me. I feel for you man. But at least you are unscathed.

 

Drove my Pinto for over 100,000 miles after a bigger dent than that one. I'd just drive it.

 

Where exactly is the oil pump located? I suppose my biggest concern at this point is that I've damaged the pump, it's weak now but functioning. But risk having it fail on me down the road in a very unfortunate or inconvenient location.

 

Oil pump is at the front of the engine. There is a long pick up tube that sits in the lower part of the pan and runs up to the pump. Aside from having the metal of the pan creased and the possibility of leaks, I would be most concerned with having damaged the lower part of the pick up tube and having it closed off which could restrict the oil flow. It also has a screen on the intake hole and if that screen is dislodged or broken it is not doing its job to filter chunks from reaching the oil pump.
Replacement part shown is Melling 354S for use with truck oil pan. Will not fit E series van pan.

The good news is that if you decide to get a replacement oil pan & pick up tube, all the truck V10s through the years use the same pan whether 2 or 3 valve.


The UFO shape sits in the lowest part of the pan. If that part has been bent it could restrict the flow of oil or it could have broken out the screen that filters chunks from flowing into the oil pump.

 

hey sam
lookong at the pics in his original post, how can there NOT be a oil pickup near that part of the pan?

I have a V10 van, and therefore I don’t know 4x4 trucks, so...
but my point remains- if there’s a deep part of the pan near the drain plug (and crumpled part) then the oil in that part would never get used for lubricating the engine.

Maybe theres something i dont know here...

 

You can buy an endoscope off of Amazon and maybe look in through the drain plug hole. You wanted one anyway.

 

Indeed I did. Thanks.

 

While doing an engine change I dropped the engine (in slow motion) when the cherry picker rolled over. It put a dent in the oil pan about 1 inch deep in about the same area as your dent. We pulled the pan. This dent slightly dented the oil pickup, but not enough to warrant changing the oil pickup. You should be good, but you really need to keep an eye on your oil pressure. You mentioned low oil pressure...what is your pressure at idle and at say 2000 rpm?

edit: I just took another look at the picture. I'm pretty sure that crescent shaped dent is your oil pickup tube.

 

The pic I posted is the oil pick up tube. The UFO shaped part sticks down in the lower most part of the oil pan. That is where gravity always sends the oil.
It's the law.
Oil is sucked by the oil pump into the UFO shaped part and drawn just like a straw from the bottom of the oil pan through the tube to the oil pump at the front of the engine where the oil is pressurized and sent to the moving parts of the engine. When the oil is through doing its lube thing it follows the law and goes back to the oil pan and the process repeats.
The same thing happens in a van, just the oil pan is shaped slightly different, shallower and with a longer sump area fore to aft. So the van pick up tube is shorter to fit the van pan.

My concern wasn't "IF" there was a pick up tube there, but whether or not it may have been affected by the denting action. If the pan is "wrapped around" the pick up or pressed directly against the inlet hole it could be severely restricting oil flow.

 

Well the way I see it it merits fixing.

First of all the R&R of oil pan only takes about 8 hours.

1) remove y pipe
2) remove 4 nuts on engine mounts
3) remove transmission cross member bolts
4) remove 10 mm nut on rear passenger head that secures dip stick tube for trans and remove tube.
5) remove upper throttle body plenum and TB.
6) using 2 Jacks jack up motor and trans togather.
7) place wood blocks under motor mounts that are at least 5 inches thick. And release jacks.
8) remove oil pan bolts.
9) drop pan enough to get a small 8mm wrench in front of pan and remove 3 bolts holding pick up tube to block. One it really far in and will take some finesse. Just drop bolts in pan.
10) wiggle pan out from rear.

Than reinstall new pan, but when jacking back up to remove wood don't jack on new pan. Use a wood block under harmonic balancer.

NOTE: cutting out old pan to make removal easier looked too difficult for me. Plus since new pan has to go on, motor has to be jacked anyhow.

 

I use Torque app to monitor engine vitals but I don't see oil pressure as an available item. Gage on the dash is right where it always is but I certainly don't trust that meager needle gage. Is there another means by which I can easily monitor oil pressure?

 

i know all that

in your previous post I thought you were saying the oil pump pick up was in the front of the engine. Which would of course leave the rear part full of oil that has nowhere to go…

 

Doesn't the end of the pick up tube sit in a round hole in metal baffling ?

I vaguely remember something like that.

 

Yes in that hole


Yes in that hole