Changed the oil about a week ago and I’m seeing my new oil in the driveway. I went and did a transmission fluid change and believe I found my problem. Small leak on the backside of the oil pan. Video is showing leak.

Question: How hard is it to change an oil pan? Any tips, videos, step by step? Anything will help. Also, is there a temp repair that can be done as well?

Dealership quoted $1500 and I’m not that mechanically inadequate to not try for free labor.

 

There are three different engines available for a 1998 Ranger, and a different oil pan for each. There are also different frames between 4x2 and 4x4 trucks, so it would help to know whether it's a 4x4 or 4x2 as well. The removal of the oil pan depends on both of these factors.

 

Mine is a 4x2. 1998 Ranger XLT. Does this help? And no oil level sensor either.

 

We still need to know what engine you have. 2.5 4 cylinder, 3.0 V6, or 4.0 V6.

 

It’s a 3.0 6 cylinder. Hope this helps a little more.

 

$1500 Stealership! First thing I'd try is a retorq on the pan bolts; clean off any old oil, watch that for a few days.
If that doesn't work: drain oil, drop pan, new gasket, reinstall pan, optional Fumoto DrainValve, new oil;
simple but messy task, if there's no interference with exhaust\frame? Crawl under & take a look.

 

There should be enough room to lower the pan to install a new gasket if it comes to that. I know you can completely drop the pan on a 3.0 with a 4x4 frame (after you remove the front axle), but on the coil sprung trucks like yours, I don't think there is as much room. You'll have to crawl under the truck and see how much room you have to work with. The dealership is probably planning on yanking the engine to replace, hence the high repair cost.