How to Remove the Oil Pan on a 1994 F-150 5.0L

In 1975, Ford released the F-150 as the bridge between the F-100 and F-250 pickups, formerly known as the F-1 and F-2 pickups. In 1984, Ford replaced the F-100 altogether with the F-150. The 5.0-liter V-8 was available as an option on the 1994 F-150. The close-to-the-ground positioning of the oil pan at the base of this engine means the pan may be subject to serious damage. Replacing the pan is a fairly difficult task and only experienced do-it-yourself mechanics should attempt the procedure.

Instructions

Removing the Oil Pan

1

Disconnect the negative battery cable from the battery with a combination wrench.

2

Raise the front of the F-150 and place jack stands under the frame rails. Lower the truck until only the jack stands support its weight.

3

Place a drain pan under the coolant drain plug on the bottom of the radiator. Remove the drain plug with a combination wrench and allow all of the coolant to drain into the drain pan.

4

Remove the bolts securing the fan shroud to the F-150's radiator with a ratchet and socket. Pull the fan shroud towards the rear of the truck and over the cooling fan.

5

Remove the bolt securing the black plastic cover over the throttle body, using a ratchet and socket. Loosen the air intake tube connecting into the throttle body, using a flat-head screwdriver, and pull the air intake hose from the throttle body. Pry the accelerator cable from the throttle body using a flat-head screwdriver. Remove the kickdown linkage from the throttle body by removing the nut with a ratchet and socket and pulling the linkage from the throttle body.

6

Mark all of the electrical and vacuum connections plugging into the upper intake manifold and the throttle body, using a permanent marker and masking tape. Disconnect all electrical and vacuum connections plugging into the upper intake manifold and throttle body.

7

Loosen the clamps securing the heater hoses to the upper intake manifold, with a flat-head screwdriver, and pull the hoses from the intake manifold. Remove the EGR valve bolts securing the EGR valve to the EGR tube with a ratchet and socket.

8

Remove the six upper-intake manifold-to-lower intake manifold bolts, with a ratchet, 6-inch extension and socket and pull the upper intake manifold and throttle body off of the lower intake manifold. Remove and discard the upper intake manifold gasket and EGR valve gasket.

9

Remove the nuts and bolts securing the exhaust pipes to the exhaust manifolds, using a ratchet, socket and combination wrench. Pull the exhaust pipes from the manifolds.

10

Crawl under the truck and place a second drain pan under the oil drain plug. Remove the oil drain plug from the oil pan, using a combination wrench, and allow all of the oil to drain from the plug and into the drain pan. Do not use the same drain pan as used for the coolant, as used automotive fluid recycling centers will not accept oil mixed with coolant. Tighten the drain plug with a combination wrench.

11

Slide the drain pan under the transmission cooler lines on the left side of the radiator, if equipped with an automatic transmission. Remove the transmission lines using a line wrench. Wrap the ends of the lines with clean, lint-free cloths to prevent debris from getting in the transmission lines.

12

Remove the nuts, bolts and washers securing the two engine mounts to the two frame brackets, using a ratchet, socket and combination wrench.

13

Place a 6-inch-long 2-by-4-inch block of wood on the floor jack and raise the engine about 2 inches and place a 6-inch-long 2-by-4-inch block of wood under each engine mount to keep the engine raised. Lower the floor jack so the engine sits on the blocks of wood.

14

Place the floor jack under the transmission, and raise the jack until it supports the transmission. Remove the bolt and nut securing the transmission mount to the transmission crossmember, using a ratchet, socket and combination wrench. Remove the bolts securing the crossmember to the frame rails and remove the crossmember, with a ratchet and socket.

15

Remove the bolts securing the oil pan to the engine and pull the oil pan downward until it rests on the crossmember under the engine. Remove the two bolts securing the oil pump to the oil pickup tube and the one nut securing the pickup tube to the crankshaft main bearing bolt. Pull the oil pan with the pickup tube from the F-150.

Installing the Oil Pan

16

Clean the gasket-mating surface on the engine and the oil pan with a plastic gasket scraper. Never use a metal scraper, as this may cause damage to the mating surface, creating a leak.

17

Place the oil pump screen and tube assembly, along with a new gasket, on the oil pump and tighten the two bolts, with a ratchet and socket. Tighten the nut securing the tube to the main bearing stud.

18

Place a thin bead of RTV silicone on the front and rear corners of the oil pan and set the gasket on the oil pan, lining up the holes in the gasket with the holes in the oil pan.

19

Set the oil pan on the bottom of the engine and hand-tighten all of the bolts. Torque the bolts to 10 to 12 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket, in a crisscross pattern, starting with the center bolts and moving outward.

20

Set the transmission crossmember back on the frame rails and tighten the crossmember-to-frame rail bolts to 70 to 100 foot-pounds, with a torque wrench and socket. Lower the transmission until the transmission mount seats in the bracket on the crossmember and tighten the transmission-to-crossmember bolt and nut to 64 to 81 foot-pounds with a torque wrench, socket and combination wrench.

21

Raise the engine, using a floor jack and a 6-inch-long 2-by-4-inch block of wood, and pull the blocks of wood from under the two engine mounts. Lower the engine until the holes in the mounts line up with the holes in the brackets on the frame rails. Insert the engine mount bolts through the holes, and tighten the nuts and bolts to 100 foot-pounds, with a torque wrench, socket and combination wrench. Remove the floor jack from under the engine.

22

Reinstall the exhaust pipes to the exhaust manifolds and tighten the nuts and bolts to 24 foot-pounds, with a torque wrench, socket and combination wrench.

23

Reconnect the transmission oil cooler lines to the radiator, if equipped with an automatic transmission. Tighten the oil cooler lines with a line wrench.

24

Raise the F-150 off of the jack stands with a floor jack and pull the jack stands from under the frame rails. Lower the F-150 to the ground.

25

Clean the mating surfaces on the upper intake manifold, lower intake manifold, EGR valve and EGR tube with a plastic gasket scraper.

26

Set a new upper intake manifold gasket on the lower intake manifold, lining up the bolt holes in the gasket with those in the manifold. Place a new EGR valve gasket on the EGR tube. Place the upper intake manifold on the lower intake manifold and hand-tighten the bolts.

27

Torque the upper-intake manifold bolts, in a crisscross pattern, starting in the center and working outward to 12 to 18 foot-pounds, with a torque wrench and socket. Tighten the EGR valve-to-EGR tube bolts with a ratchet and socket.

28

Reinstall all electrical connections, vacuum hoses and heater hoses to their respective receptacles, according to the labels attached to each one.

29

Reinstall the kickdown linkage to the throttle body and tighten its nut with a ratchet and socket. Press the accelerator cable onto the throttle body until it clicks into place. Set the plastic cover back onto the throttle body and tighten its bolt with a ratchet and socket.

30

Set the fan shroud on the radiator and tighten its bolts with a ratchet and socket.

31

Reconnect the negative battery cable, and tighten it with a combination wrench.

32

Remove the oil filler cap and place a funnel in the oil filler tube. Pour in 5 qts. of 5W-20 engine oil, and check the oil level is within specification, according to the dipstick. Remove the funnel and close the filler cap. Start the truck and allow it to run for about 1 minute and recheck the oil. Add oil as needed.

33

Check the transmission fluid level, and add Mercon transmission fluid as needed.

Filling and Bleeding the Cooling System

34

Fill the radiator with 50-50 premixed coolant and start the engine. Allow the engine to run for several minutes until the coolant begins to circulate and add coolant as the level drops. Once the coolant level stays steady, shut the engine down and allow it to cool.

35

Raise the front of the truck with a floor jack and place jack stands under the frame rails. Lower the truck until only the stands support its weight.

36

Crawl under the truck and place the drain pan that has coolant already in it under the water pump outlet hose. Loosen the clamp securing the outlet hose to the water pump, with a flat-head screwdriver, and remove the outlet hose to allow trapped air to escape.

37

Reattach the water pump outlet hose and tighten the clamp with a flat-head screwdriver.

38

Add 50-50 premixed coolant to the radiator until it's at the top of the filler neck. Replace the cap.

39

Start the engine and allow it to reach operating temperature. Let it run at this temperature for about 5 minutes. Stop the engine and allow it to cool.

40

Check the fluid level in the radiator; it should be about 1-1/2 inches below the cap. If not, add coolant as needed. In total the F-150's engine holds 4.25 gallons of coolant with standard cooling and 4.5 gallons with the super cooling system.

41

Take the drain pans holding the used coolant, engine oil and transmission oil to a used automotive fluid recycling center for proper disposal. Many auto parts stores perform this task free of charge.