I'm looking forward to my first oil change in my new (to me) truck! Until now, I've only driven German cars, which specify oil changes using the "topsider" method. This involves pumping oil from the dipstick tube. I have no problem going under the truck to drain, as I'll be down there anyway to swap filters, but I don't currently have a drain pan big enough to capture it all in one go. I do have a 12v pump and 5 gallon bucket, however.

Can anyone tell me if the dipstick tube routes to the bottom of the pan? Would it be better if I tilted the truck in some way (jack or park on a hill) to feed oil toward the bottom of the dipstick tube? It won't kill me to spring for a bigger pan, but I figure since I already have the pump, I might as well avoid the risk of stripping the oil pan threads when re-installing the drain plug.

 

No reason you can't use the "boaters way" to change oil
The dip stick does not go to the bottom of the oil pan but you can use a hose to slide down the dip stick tube to the bottom of the pan

Very rare to strip or have any problems with oil pan drain plugs, they are removed every 6 months or so usually so don't rust
Over tightening is the primary cause of drain plug failure, 25ft/lb is the torque spec on most drain plugs
So I would invest in a plastic dish pan, google: plastic dish pan
You can get them for $4 at Walmart, I have had a Rubbermaid dish pan for 20+ years and its still in good condition, so spending a couple of bucks more can be worth it

And drain the oil using drain plug, needs to hold 5 quarts of oil so I would get 8-10 quart pan


Topsider and boaters way are the same, inboard motors on boats are very popular but also very hard to change the oil on these, no clearance for a large enough pan to catch the oil
So the dip stick method is the only practical way to change the oil

 

I have to assume that you did your oil change by now; I have heard of the Top-Method but have never done it.
My only problem with the method is letting the engine drain out some before adding new oil.
There is sediment on the Bottom of the pan, some of which gets washed out when the drain plug is removed, so the "Bottom-Method" has its advantages.

If you purchased an actual Oil Drain Pan now, it will be there for future oil changes, just make sure to get one that is larger than the oil capacity of your vehicle, and get a good one; nothing worse than having a full oil drain pan and it twists and pours out its contents. Some of the Pans are very thin and can not hold their own shape, little lone the oil coming from the engine, hot or cold !

Do the usual warm up the engine, well... get the engine hot, take out the drain plug, let it drain for a while, change the filter with a good grade filter, Motorcraft is my choice, good as any of the top brands.
Just curious, what type pf oil are you using, Dino-Oil or Synthetic ?

I changed over to synthetic, 8 years ago, and the truck runs and sound good.

Good Luck on the next Oil Change, hope you have all the right tools ahead of time.

Ltr

p.s. When attempting to put the Drain Plug back in the Pan, place the Plug in place, twist the Plug in the reverse direction, i.e. "Rightly-Tighty, Lefty Loosie", so instead of turning it to the right, turn it towards the left and listen or feel for a slight click, which will indicate the threads are in place, then turn it to the right, slowly at first, checking for a smooth movement and connection of the threads. After that screw it in, and tighten to specifcations.
Do not over tighten, damage to the threads and deformation of the Pan can happen, (depends on the pan) !
The biggest thing, take your time... Do It Right The First Time !

 

Thanks for the quick replies! I haven't done it yet; just bought the truck, and the last change was ~2,000 mi ago. I plan to use synthetic 5w30, and am leaning towards Castrol GTX and a motor-craft filter based on what others are saying and cost.

I suppose you have me leaning towards the traditional method. I'm thinking the cars I've owned may have a channel near the dipstick tube to collect undesirable components that end up in the crankcase. I suppose if Ford Engineers had designed it that way, they'd have specified the dipstick method. I certainly don't want to sacrifice a complete flush of sludge, sediment, and metal filings for a little convenience and a couple bucks on a collection pan. My main concern is that I don't want to damage the threads, as I've heard replacing the oil pan requires pulling the motor... If I ever have to do that, I hope it will be to drop in a Windsor V8!

 

Stripped oil pan drain plug is a non-issue IMO, as far as worrying about it, there are literally dozens of ways to fix that without dropping the pan

There is no "pressure" in the oil pan, just the weight of the oil and gravity, which is why "snug tight", 25ft/lb, is spec'ed

I have used these types of drain plugs on a few engines: https://www.lawsonproducts.com/lawso...lug/KT11778.lp
But not because of stripped drains, because its just easier to loosen it to drain the oil and re-tighten it to re-fill, mostly diesel because you have to change oil more often, but a few gas engines as well

 

What weight oil have you been using ?

I found, using the 5w30 or the 10w40 caused my lifter to get loud, also happened in my 5.0L !
Double check but I would run the 5w20, as prescribed by Ford for my '03, 3.0L.
Ive been using the Mobile1 for 8+ years and find it makes me think the engine is running quieter, smoother, and more responsive.

Just to note: I start by changing the oil and filter, at the 3 to 4 K mark I change the filter only and add oil, at the 7 to 8 K mark I do a complete oil change.
Using the Costco Mobile 1 Package I get six quarts of oil, five for the initial change and one for refill, after the filter change.
Costco Price, $27.00/6 qt., the filters approximately $4/ea. x 2, so that equals $35.00 a year for oil changes, not too bad and I could go longer but this sequence works for me.

 

Get a catch pan with a slender pour spout. It eases pouring the waste oil back into the gallon jug for transport.

Many for sale have a larger spout with a large, garden hose sized screw cap.
I could employ the large spout as I use an old, square US Navy 8 gallon water can to reduce the number of trips to recycling. It has a large, drum sized opening.

Whatever you do, DO NOT try balancing a funnel in your empty oil jug and try to pour the waste oil into it. The funnel will always jump out and make a big mess.
A slender spout sticking into the jug is what you want for clean transfers.

Also, DO NOT buy one of those pans with a "surface". Many pans which claim "you can pick 'em up like a suitcase when you're done" are like this.
Sliding the pan out from under your car then holding and pouring it level (into whatever transport vessel you choose) is no big deal.
You want an open pan. The draining oil exits fast and those pans with a surface cause splashing ALL THE TIME.

One more suggestion? Get a decent quality 6 point socket for your drain plug. This avoids rounding the hex head.
It is conceivable you'd grab a cheap tool since it's "only an oil change". Cheap tools frequently don't fit solidly.