Hi everyone,

I have a 1998 f150 xlt extended cab truck. I went to turn it on yesterday and her a crack/pop sound and the truck seemed to shake and want to turn off on me. Anyway, I turned it off and looked underneath and saw a piece of metal underneath the middle of the two tires(front) and oil draining out. Came to find out that the oil pan broke towards the right(passanger) side and drained the oil out. Has this happened to anyone else and is it easy to fix or should i take it to a mechanic to do it ? I called a couple of auto parts store and they informed i had to go to the dealer to get the oil pan.

Any advice?
Thanks,
Mirta

 

If your truck was shaking and wanted to stall, It seems that the hole popped through the oil pan was likely caused by something coming apart internally in the engine. Also, if a piece of the oil pan was laying under the truck, the impact that caused it happened while you were sitting there. Again, this indicates an internal engine failure. Where is the hole? On the side or bottom of the pan? If it was on the bottom and pushed in, it could have been caused by an impact with something on the road or trail, but if that happened, you would have noticed a big stripe of oil leading up to where your truck was parked. If it is on the side or bottom and pushed out, your in big trouble. If that was my truck, I would be shopping for a new engine to drop in because I could almost guarantee you that something bad just happened. GlennMc.

 

HI Glenn,

thanks for the news (good or bad) ... the crack and pieces that broke off were from the side of oil pan... it seemed to just crack from top to bottom like it didn't seem to have any type of puncture ? i don't know i can't do anything right now since it's sunday good thing i don't work tomorrow .. i will see what my friends think? if they see it today

 

I agree it sounds like internal engine damage - however.............

When my tranny was repaired under warranty (appx 35K miles), the work order included a new oil pan. I asked about this thinking the guy pulling the tranny broke it.

Dealer said the mechanic noticed a crack in the pan and replaced it.

Scott D

 

Please don't kill the messenger here. But it sounds as if you have suffered from a hydro-locked cylinder which has in turn broken the rod in that cylinder. This was caused from a lower intake gasket leak, which in turn fills the cylinder with water. It usually occurs suddenly and shows up in the form of an engine start-up which is immediately accompanied by the sounds and symptoms you describe. It most likely was actually leaking a smaller amount but was simply being burned out in the combustion process. It then fails more substantially and fills the cylinder up when the engine is turned off for the day, to fill up a cylinder with enough water to cause the catastrophe we are describing here.

The oilpan is simply the result of the rod impacting it when you start the engine and the rapid sequence of events that follow.

Right now if you check your engine coolant level it will be low.

Sorry dude, this is a new engine you are faced with.

I know all about these engines. Been through 3 of them now. Mine I owned myself and 2 others I have helped.

By the way it only affects the entire 97 model year and the partial 98 model year. Ford revised the gaskets in mid 98 engine builds.

 

Howdy,

Yep, what Tall Tom said.



Time to get a new engine. Look at he post about engine knock.

Paul