Doing an oil change? Drain both sumps!

[redmondjp]

This is posted for SD newbies and for people like myself who somehow overlook what seems obvious in 20-20 hindsight.

While underneath my truck last night checking things, I noticed that the oil pan has both a front and rear sump with a drain plug on each. When I did the oil change last summer, I only drained the front sump , not realizing that the back one was even there.

I've owned about 25 vehicles so far in my life, and this is the first one I've had with two oil drain plugs.

[moose60]

I think that it's a crummy design.

[asavage]

It's a design to increase sump capacity while keeping the engine low in the bay. There wasn't a lot they could do. The engine was not designed to fit in the 720 chassis, it has older origins.

Ford used a dual-drain oil pan on many 5.0l (302) engines installed in many different cars in the 80s.

[philip]

SNIP- While underneath my truck last night checking things, I noticed that the oil pan has both a front and rear sump with a drain plug on each. -SNIP

Use high quality drain plug gaskets. I use the solid aluminum type.

I have found some evidence that the injection pump USED to have a drain plug and its own little dipstick. You can see the unused casting boss is still there. Oh well.

[scottyk]

Speaking of oil changes, I got the oil, got the Bosch filter, got the oil drain plug washers. What I can't find anywhere, even in the FSM, is what size of wrench do I need to remove the oil drain plug? You would think that they would tell you that.

[philip]

You need / expect any manual to tell you what wrench to grab out of your toolbox? Suppose the drain plug has been replaced with one having a different size hex? Hmmm?

22mm wrench for the stock plug. (your mileage may differ)

[scottyk]

Thanks philip. Well, I don't have a socket that big, so I figured that it was something like a 22mm. I only have up to a 19. Guess I will have to get some more sockets, huh? At least now I can do that oil change. Oh yeah, and I figured out how to get the spare tire down with a small screwdriver too. LOL

[asavage]

. . . got the oil drain plug washers . . .

You're smart to round them up ahead of time. They are a very odd size: 16.33mm ID.

[scottyk]

I got mine at NAPA too. I got the Bosch filter and asked for the washers, but only because I read about them on here first. I will do the oil change tomorrow and let you know if they are the right size.

[asavage]

They are a very odd size: 16.33mm ID.

I may have mis-remembered this one. Checking with NAPA, for the oil drain plug they call out 16.4mm x 1.33 thread pitch. In my mind, somehow I glued those two together.

Balkamp BK 7041910
Description Oil Drain Plug - OEM Type
Additional Contents:Gasket,Gasket Material:Fiber
Hex Size:21mm,
Thread Size:M16.4-1.33
Comment 16.4mm X 1.33


However, NAPA goes on to spec a gasket that's 16mm!:roll:

Balkamp 7041365
Description Oil Drain Plug Gasket
Attribute I.D.:16mm
Comment 16mm Copper
Per Car 1

They got the "per car" wrong, too.

I'll have to get one and see how it measures up. I like copper for a drain gasket, and after that, fibre. I do not like the plastic ones, though they work OK once; do not re-use them, they crack.

[philip]

More than I ever wanted to know about quick service supplies (drain plugs and those elusive metal 16.4mm gaskets)

SNIP- SOLID aluminum drain plug washers. NAPA has them ... they work well ... they seal ... they do not split ... reuseable about 3-5 times depending on how much you torque them.

The ones I use on my SD22 are 16.40mm ID.

The box was labeled 16mm but the actual ID is 16.4mm ... makes a difference.

Well ... my oil plugs needed more gaskets. The nearby NAPA had only solid copper gaskets for 16.40mm ID ... not my traditional aluminum. So this time I used the solid copper ... for $1 each!

Today I searched high and low on internet for solid aluminums again, which are typically $0.25 each.

Finally found them.

http://www.cgenterprises.com/gaskets_aluminum.htm

Part# 2405 - 16.4MM


I ordered a dozen ... hoping the right thing arrives.

[philip]

Finally found them.

http://www.cgenterprises.com/gaskets_aluminum.htm

Part# 2405 - 16.4MM


I ordered a dozen ... hoping the right thing arrives. (July 27)

Arrived today (Aug 8 ). The correct aluminum solid gasket arrived and just what I ask for!! Amazing!

They are: 16.47mm ID x 24.75 OD x 1.5mm thick

[asavage]

http://www.cgenterprises.com/gaskets_aluminum.htm

Part# 2405 - 16.4MM

Arrived today (Aug 8 ). The correct aluminum solid gasket arrived and just what I ask for! They are: 16.47mm ID x 24.75 OD x 1.5mm thick

I just ordered (20). That's the minimum number before the order's total price begins to rise (ie order one = $10, order twenty = $10, order (21) = $10.25).

[philip]

I ordered 10 pcs .... and there was no further discussion. Of course, a larger amount was still the $5 mail envelope charge. Each piece is $.25 and $5 mailed regardless amount. I sent $7.50 via VISA at CGC web.

I've been replacing the aluminum gaskets every 4th or 5th time that I do an Lube Oil Filter change.

[asavage]

You're right: I went back and pretended to order them again, and got different behaviour from their shopping cart application. So there was no minimum order -- but is sure looked that way the first time I ordered.