How to Change the Oil Pan on an F250
by Ken Parelius
If you have a damaged or faulty oil pan on your Ford F250, it can cause your engine to leak oil. Oil pan damage is often caused by impact from road debris or off-road driving. With the proper tools and ample workspace, you can install a new oil pan on your own. This will save you money that would normally be spent on labor with a professional mechanic.
Step 1
Park the truck in a level place. Activate the parking brake and set blocks behind the rear wheels to prevent the truck from rolling. Make sure the engine is off.
Step 2
Disconnect the negative battery cable. Jack up the front of the truck and place it on jack stands. Use two jack stands, placing one under each axle.
Step 3
Place the oil catch pan under the oil pan drain plug. Remove the oil plug with the correct size socket or wrench and allow the oil to drain into the pan for about 10 minutes or until the oil stops dripping.
Step 4
Move the oil catch pan and place a large piece of cardboard under the oil pan area. This will prevent the oil that is left in the pan from dripping on the ground.
Step 5
Using the correct size socket and ratchet and remove all the bolts that attach the oil pan to the engine. Set them aside. You will use them to secure the new oil pan.
Step 6
Pull off the old oil pan. It will probably stay in place when the bolts are removed. You may pry it off with a flat-head screwdriver. It is a good idea to check the inside of the oil pan for debris from the engine. If there is large debris or metal shards, have your truck serviced by a professional mechanic.
Step 7
Using a wire brush and a flat-head screwdriver, remove the old gasket from the oil pan mating surface on the engine. Use caution not to scrape the surface too hard and cause deep marks. A damaged mating surface will cause oil leaks.
Step 8
Clean out the inside of the new oil pan. Place the new gasket on the mating surface. Make sure the shape and holes in the oil pan gasket line up exactly with the surface of the oil pan.
Step 9
Place the oil pan and gasket on the engine mating surface and tighten the bolts. Tighten them evenly and securely in a crisscross pattern but not so tight that the gasket splits. A split gasket will leak oil. If your new oil pan came with a drain plug, install it. If not, you may use the drain plug from the old oil pan.
Step 10
Refill the engine with fresh oil. Check for leaks with the engine cold first. Then start the engine and let it idle until warm, again checking for leaks.
References
Tips
- You may want to change the oil filter as well, depending on how long it has been since your last oil change.
Things You'll Need
- Socket set with ratchet
- Wire brush
- Flat-head screwdriver
- New oil pan
- New oil pan gasket
- Funnel
- Motor oil
- Oil catch pan
- Floor jack
- Jack stands
- Large piece of cardboard
Warnings
- Never run your engine without oil or outside the specified oil level.
Writer Bio
Ken Parelius has been writing professionally since 2009. He enjoys teaching, which inspires him to write instructional articles for various websites. He is also a freelance copywriter who creates website content for local businesses. He attended McHenry County College for business management.
