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7 3 powerstroke oil pan rusted through

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bnrhuffman
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 107 Falling Waters WV
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2004-04-16          83346

Ive got a 97 F350 with Powerstroke. It was a plow /salt truck before I got it last year. Anyways, a couple of days ago I noticed that it was leaving drips in the drive. Today I got under it and thought I had a leaky rear main until I cleaned the pan off. After getting all the grime off the bottom, I see that the oil is just seeping through the pan near the rear edge. I knew the pan was badly rusted but Ive never seen or heard of an oil pan rusting through before. After a cleaned it, it no longer leaves drips, its puddles now. My temporary solution is to smear some high temp RTV on it but I know thats not permanent. Any ideas on this, short of pulling the pan and replacing it? Welding, JBWeld, Sealer???
Probably not many with experience with this but if I need to pull it, how hard of a job is that and how much does a new pan cost?



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DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000
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2004-04-16          83352

I would drain the oil and let it sit all night. Then a thorough de-greasing and a JB Weld patch should make it good as new.

I would worry though..... if the pan rusted through some of the steering components might be in trouble too. A real good underbody inspection might be in order ....

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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
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2004-04-16          83353

I have never heard of a pan rusting through with out being bent first. I have never replaced a pan on a Powerstroke but in general it is only an hour and 1/2 job. You should be able to find a pan at the wreckers if the cost is too high new. As was said before it is not likely ever to happen again.
If you can get the area clean and free of oil you could JB weld it. I have a hole in my diesel tank of my MF and JB welded it a number of years ago. If you cleaned it up and removed it you could also braise the pan. ....

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AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 882 North Central Wisconsin
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2004-04-16          83357

Please! Don't go cheap or crude! If the truck is worth owning, replace the pan with a new or good used one! This is not a difficult job. At worst a motor mount may need to be loosened and jack up the motor for clearance to remove/install. A patch will only fail when you are as far from civilization as possible! (Directly quoted from Murphy's law) ....

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bnrhuffman
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2004-04-16          83360

I just wanted to make sure there isnt an easy and economical fix that Im overlooking. I figured it was time for a new pan. I just hope that it doesnt take long for me to find a pan and scrape up some time to do the work because Ive got a couple of jobs for the truck coming up next week and a couple the week after that. I hate paying someone to fix my junk but this may be one of those times when I just have to. I like this diesel but I have to admit that Im mechanically intimidated by it for some reason. ....

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AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
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2004-04-16          83363

Don't be. Remember a diesel is much simpler than a gas motor. Never done a 'pan on a p-stroke but couldn't be any worse than a 4x4 with a 460. Just be careful where you put your fingers!! ....

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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
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2004-04-16          83366

I would have to second AV8R.........especially his quote from Murphy's Law. ;o) ....

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bnrhuffman
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2004-04-17          83386

Ive done some research on it now and I think its time to bite the bullet and brush the cobwebs off the wallet. The info Ive seen so far suggests that the engine must be R&Red to get the pan off. Were not talking loosening a motor mount, were talking removal. 20 flat rate hours for labor plus a couple hundred for the pan, $1400 minimum Id say.
When I first crawled under it, I was worried about it being a rear main leak. Now I wish it was. ....

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DRankin
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2004-04-17          83415

JB Weld. Once that stuff is set up its almost chisel proof. Even the RTV should work since the pan is not pressurized.

As far as it being ugly... don't crawl under there and look at it. ....

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
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2004-04-17          83419

The problem with repairing it is that you don't want rust particles breaking off and messing up engine internals. ....

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Chief
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2004-04-17          83422

Let me preface this right up front as being half a$$. ;o) If you are looking at a $1400 repair bill, you could try draining the oil from the pan. Follow up by flushing thr residue oil and crud out the pan by dumping a few gallons of kerosene through the engine with the drain pan plug removed. Let sit over night. Wire wheel and clean up oil pan removing ALL rust and loose paint. Take inventory of rusted through or questionable areas. Clean them ABSOLUTELY clean with spray type brake cleaning solvent or laquier thinner. Let dry and ensure ABSOLUTELY NO oil seepage. Sand and rough up areas to repair in order to give the expoxy a goo bonding surface and reclean again with solvent. Pick your poison as to which brand/type of expoxy but JB Weld seems to come up more than others. Apply liberally and uniformly to repair areas and let cure up overnight. Sand down and smooth up. Primer the oil pan with a good automotive type primer paint and repaint with your choice of color of a good quality spray paint. This repair could last the life time of the truck or poop out next week. For $1400, I would sure give it a try. Typically, the rust is all on the outside of the pan as the inside remains coated in engine oil. If you do a good clean up, repair, and paint job; it should hold up. Just keep a close eye on it. The proper repair would be to replace the pan but if the truck is old and not worth putting the $1400 into; this half a$$ repair might see you through. I am sure I will hear some grief over this ;o) but if it is a clunker, what the heck. I have read where JB Weld repairs on cracked engine blocks held up for many years and some permanently. Definitely worth a try! ....

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AV8R
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2004-04-17          83468

Maybe I'm just stupid, but who told you that the motor HAS to come out to do this job? A mechanic who wants the $1400?

Try some other places which are NOT a Ford dealership for another opinion. A small repair shop may be more interested in the job (that quote sounds like a brush-off). Try some of the "Big Truck" mechanics. Many of these folks do small jobs like this on the side for cash.

Patching: It is impossible to clean the loose material (and it is there) from the INSIDE of the old pan, it WILL come loose eventually and clog the oil pickup on the oilpump and then the whole motor will be junk. Bad idea in general. ....

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JAZAK5
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 276 coxsackie,ny
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2004-04-17          83472

I have replaced 4 ford truck oil pans !!!
1 1987 4wd gas 302 f150 2 1990 2wd gas 300ci f250
3 1997 2wd 302 e150 and 1993 f150 302 gas

no you do not need to pull the engine but close !!!!!!
on the gas v-8 you need to drop the oil pump into the pan befor removal and the reverse to install it!!!!!!
pan $80
oil pump $30
one piece pan gasket $ 43

and the pans were NEVER DENTED
matter in fact I picked up the low mileage conversion van cheap because it had sat and the the pan rotted in the driveway !!!!!!!

....

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bnrhuffman
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2004-04-18          83480

Actually Im not SURE the engine needs to be pulled out. My info is from internet research only. I didnt recognize what the problem was until Friday evening so being the weekend, Im sorta limited right now. Monday will be the day I start talking to people face to face about it and find out what the true scope of my problem is. It does look like a bear of a job. That engine is really wedged in there. Theres, at most, 1/2" clearance between the pan and a huge crossmember under the pan. What Ive been reading is that the engine and tranny need to be seperated, the exhaust needs to be seperated, everything off the top of the engine needs to be pulled off, the engine needs to come completely off the mounts and hoisted up about 6" to 8". All but completely removing it. To top that off, everything under it has a liberal coating of rust, insuring that the job wont go easy.
I always work on my vehicles because I got tires of shop monkeys messing my junk up but Im not sure Im ready to tackle this, mainly because Im anticipating a month long marathon project in patience, grease, beatup knuckles and broken parts. Maybe Im getting old. I think Ill just work some overtime(ouch, that hurt) and pay someone to screw it up for me.
Im not a big fan of temporary fixes but something temporary may be in order until I can get this thing done right so I can keep the truck on the road.
The truck is definately worth fixing. I looked long and hard for it last year until I found exactly what I wanted (except for the rust). Its only got about 58000 miles on it and the only thing wrong with it is the rust coating on the bottom from spreading salt. I figured that down the road a few years the rust may become a problem, this is just sooner than I expected.
I would like to thank everyone for their input. ....

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DK35vince
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 689 Western,Pa.
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2004-04-18          83496

Once you stop your oil pan leak, to stop the rust from getting worse I would recommend you have the entire underneath of the truck sprayed with oil.
To stop the rust in my truck I sprayed under it with motor oil once a year for a couple of years. I then used Lindseed oil every year after that as it gets sticky and stays better.
I bought my 1991 truck used in 1995 with a fair amout of rust starting, I have sprayed it with oil every year that I have owned it, and in the 9 years I've owned it I have all but stopped any rust. ....

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trbomax
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 133 Starvation Lake, Mi
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2004-04-18          83499

This is a common problem with the PSD.My 2k is the same way. Ford will replace the pan under warrenty, but that wont help you now. The motor does have to come out. For a lot more on the subject go to www.DieselStop.com [formerly The Ford Diesel Website}. ....

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2004-04-18          83501

Is Ford the only one with this problem? Does it only seem to happen in regions that use salt? I'm curious why it's happening. ....

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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2004-04-18          83531

I find it hard to believe that you need to remove the engine to replace the pan. I realize I need to on the MF65 but the pan is part of the frame. The Ford? Let me check the Cummins? I did it not that long ago on a boy's 350 GMC not easy to get in and out but it can be done. ....

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unit5alive
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 250 Latrobe Pa
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2004-04-19          83667

I had a friend with a 7.3l have the same problem 96 f250 with 18k on truck bought new, and used as plow truck in winter ,his rusted out and dripped ,but what we believe caused it was lack of paint on most of the pan. ....

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bnrhuffman
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 107 Falling Waters WV
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2004-04-20          83694

Here's the plan. My nextdoor neighbor has a good hunting friend that is a mechanic and specializes in Diesel applications. He is getting a price to R&R the engine (and yes, every indication is that the engine needs to come out, or at least come up. I found a very detailed step by step for whats involved in installing a new pan and it does include pulling the engine).
In the mean time, I've got some JBWeld, some kerosene, a new filter and 14 qts of oil, some fiberglass cloth, a couple of wire brushes, emery cloth, files, some naval jelly, soap & water, primer and some black engine paint.
Am I missing anything besides time?
Whats everyones thoughts on pouring mineral spirits down the filler tube to flush all of the oil out so the holes dry up. Thats what the kerosene is for but mineral spirits wont leave any oily residue as Im trying to keep the last bit from dripping out the rust holes. ....

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shortmagnum
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 848 Wisconsin
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2004-04-20          83699

I don't think you'll be very successful in cleaning out the sludge at the bottom of your oil pan by pouring mineral spirits or kerosene down the filler tube. If you have a paint gun you can put some lacquer thinner in the gun and force it up through the hole from the outside with high air pressure. Lacquer thinner really dries oil nicely and you can get in in any home center. After some number of applications the hole should stay dry. Then put the JB weld on from the outside after you clean and roughen the metal with emory cloth. This cure has worked with my 350 chevy now for over six years.
Dave ....

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tom.jelly
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2004-04-21          83827

Whatever you do, don't use rtv silicone seal- you should never use rtv on steel exposed to water, as it has acetic acid in it that will accelerate the rust. Maybe urethane car window sealant might work until you can get it fixed properly???

T ....

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BillMullens
Join Date: Jun 2000
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2004-04-21          83832

I'm not a big fan of JB Weld, but...
it worked great on my latest Farmall tractor gas tank. Drained the tank, cleaned up the surface of grease and rust, applied and let it set a day or so, then ground it smooth with a flap disc on an angle grinder, primed and painted. Started as a temporary fix, but unless it vibrates loose this summer, it will probably stay the way it is.
Let us know what you decide & good luck,
Bill ....

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Andy_H
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 15 Grass Lake, Michigan
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2004-04-21          83892

The engine does need to be removed to replace the oil pan on the PSD, not only because there is no room, there is no pre-formed gasket, only silicon. The stuff that Ford uses is so strong I doubt it could be separated while in the vehicle. The diesel tech I worked next to at the Ford dealer had a PSD on a stand, prying on the pan with 4' long prybar and it still would not come loose. (yes all the bolts were out) Only use the Ford silicon, it is grey in color and comes in what looks like a half size tube of caulk. Some guys refer to it as diesel silicon. ....

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bnrhuffman
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 107 Falling Waters WV
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2004-04-21          83897

My neighbor got back to me about his mechanic friend. The dealer wants about $1200 plus parts for the job. My neighbor's friend will do it for $600 plus parts. I think thats the route Im going to go but not until fall when things slow down some. Im still going to do the JBWeld thing to get me through the season. Ive got some other stuff made by Loctite called Metal Magic Steel that I got from work. Its more of a putty that you work with your fingers. Ive got the oil drained, the pan all scraped, wire brushed, sanded and cleaned. I got a couple of test areas of the JBWeld and that Metal Magic curing on a scrap piece of metal to see how they setup and work. If I just had a little hole to fill, I think the JBWeld would definately be the way to go but after cleaning the pan off, I can see that the metal is pretty thin along the whole back edge of it. Im thinking the putty may work better to cover the larger area. I was going to use a fiberglass cloth sandwiched between layers of JBWeld covering the bottom of the pan but that now seems like a mess in the making. ....

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bnrhuffman
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Posts: 107 Falling Waters WV
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2004-04-24          84117

Done.
It took me about two days and $40 (not including an additional $30 for oil and filter).
I tried using the Loctite product but it didnt seem to setup very well for some reason so I scraped it off and smeared some JBWeld about 1/8" thick all over the bottom of the pan, threw the 500 watt lights to it so it would setup good and hard and put some good primer and high temp paint on it.
So far its doing well. Judging from the way the JBWeld went on and the way it setup, It will be on there for some time to come.
If I can stop the further progression of rust, I dont see this repair ever being a problem again. ....

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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2004-04-24          84126

Glad to hear that your repair turned out OK. Sure would have been nice to be able to remove the oil pan and replace with a new one but those power strokes are shoe horned into the engine bay it seems. At least from the ones I have looked at. A Cummins oil pan can be removed (engine in truck) but it still is a VERY difficult task. Hopefully the repair will last a long time and save you some money. I would just keep a close eye on it. ....

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AV8R
Join Date: Oct 2003
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2004-04-24          84131

Best of luck on the "bandaid." Glad to hear you plan to replace the pan though. Make sure to keep lots of spare oil in the truck if you go very far from civilization with it in case of another failure.

With so many of the Ford PSD trucks on the road I'm surprised (well, maybe not...) that they have this problem so often. Lack of paint, huh? Did your truck seem to have any paint residue where the rust was/is?

Unfortunate the design of the install is so cramped that all that work is required to do the repair. Boy, do I love my Dodge/Cummins even more now. ....

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bnrhuffman
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Posts: 107 Falling Waters WV
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2004-04-24          84135

The paint on the pan seemed to be fine (except where the rust had taken over). I think it was just a case of years of heavy salt use. Im not sure its strictly a Ford problem, I think it may happen to more Fords, maybe, because more Fords are used for "working" applications where they are subjected to more extreme conditions. Think about how many more Ford utility, dump, plow/salt trucks you see on the road than Chevys and especially Dodges. Thats not a bust on Dodge, I wouldve actually preferred a Dodge but I couldnt find a 4X4 Dodge dump truck anywhere.
I suspect that my next rust related issue will be with the brake lines or hydraulic clutch lines. Theyre looking bad. Im going to start working on that problem before it becomes a problem. ....

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itsdasmoke
Join Date: Jul 2013
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2014-07-22          190755

I know this is way too late to help the original poster but it may help someone else.................

oilpanrepair.com
Maker: Damian Diesel, Avon MA, 1-508-588-5970
Youtube Vidieo:www.youtube.com/watch?v=slnFCb46IO8
He only make them for diesels............
For the gas engines: drain the oil overnight,this part will sound strange,trust me.it works................put the drain plug back in.............
drag you shop-vac over to the truck and stick the suction hose on the OIL FILL TUBE...turn on the shop vac,let it run a few minutes...get under the truck and use a good cleaner........brake cleaner works great,clean it really good then use a wire brush to remove any loose rust or dirt,clean it again with brake cleaner the use either or permetex item called "the right stuff"gasket maker,it comes in a tube like caulking.
Get you caulkikng gun and a heavy pair of rubber gloves don't use the thin gloves this stuff is thick and sticky!
Get under the truck and "smear"a good,heavy coat on the oil pan,smooth it up with you hands,don't cover the drain plug!
I always let it set for about an hour with the shop vac runnig...tighten the oil plug,add oil,check for leaks....I found this on youtube a while back but couldn't find it today.
I have done two of my trucks and two for friends and they have never leaked.
Oh yeah,the shop vac creates vacum in the engine and keeps residual oil from ieaking out and contaminating you patch material......JB weld works,I prefer "the right stuff" 'cause ya don't have to mix anything and it cures reall fast. ....

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