Oil change where is the bolt to drain?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

MuddySpokes

Full Access Members
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Posts
56
Reaction score
21
Location
There & Here
Geeze . . .

Aside from all 60 seconds to take the felt pan off, dumping the oil is fairly easy. Drain is on the passenger side and just to the rear of the cross member which holds the felt pan in place. I do not remember what size socket as I replaced the plug with a quick drain.

As mentioned by others, the pain is the filter. There are some white tabs (near the stamp which states not to remove the metal plate for oil changes) which turn and expose a flap for where you reach into the cavity to get at the filter. Before removing the filter, remove the black cap in the metal plate (the one under the filter) as this is where the filter's oil will dump. With the cap out of the way, go ahead and change the filter. Might want to have a filter wrench or filter plyers at the ready.
 
OP
OP
A

adamsdaddy

Full Access Members
Joined
May 13, 2017
Posts
178
Reaction score
79
Location
Orange County
@MuddySpokes
Thank you for the tip about the bolt being near the back support bar on the passenger side. I spotted a bolt with a blue mark near it. Maybe I’ll give it another try.
 

mquick5

Full Access Members
Joined
Aug 27, 2018
Posts
586
Reaction score
151
Location
Buckeye Country
Be prepared for the oil to shoot out a good 18" or more from the bolt. I missed my pan by a few inches.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:

creef14

Full Access Members
Joined
Oct 11, 2016
Posts
161
Reaction score
52
Location
VA
Time, effort, and materials...at this point I don't know there is any benefit left from you doing this service yourself.

Sometimes you just have to suck it up and pay the people who can get it done in 15 minutes. Never forget your time is worth something too.
 

cmiles97

Full Access Members
Joined
Apr 5, 2018
Posts
457
Reaction score
191
Location
Tampa, FL
With my extended warranty from Ford (yes I know you can save receipts), living in apartment complex, general laziness and $43 the works at the dealership with Ford's synthetic blend oil change and tire rotation. I take it to the dealer. Heck they fixed a rattling heat shield for free last time.
 

MuddySpokes

Full Access Members
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Posts
56
Reaction score
21
Location
There & Here
Yes, some outfits make the price an easy decision to let them do it. And agree with the point about not having access to space or tools. At the same time, it is not likely that the same person will do the job every time or remember your vehicle from the many others that go through the shop, so at best you get a snapshot and no history.

For anybody that cares about what filter goes on / lube goes into the motor and does not want the discount bulk-buy item that shops typically carry, doing it yourself really really the better way. Bonus to doing this yourself is the opportunity to see the undercarriage, take mental notes of things as they change, and build a plan of when to repair other things.
 

16plati

Full Access Members
Joined
Mar 22, 2019
Posts
1,359
Reaction score
448
Location
VA
Any idea why the skid plate says “do not remove for oil change” printed on it? From other pictures and videos the drain pan bolt might be plastic and at the front of the vehicle. I’ll crawl back under there tonight with a flashlight.
Bc you don’t need to. Remove the carpeted piece to get to from plug and remove the plug. Go to the front of the vehicle and remove the piece of black fabric covering behind the front air damn by turning the quarter turn clips. Look up in there and you will see the filter mounted to front of the motor. Remove the two rubber pieces on the metal skid plate and then remove the filter. THe oil will drain from two sides of the secondary catch basin under there so be prepared with two means of catching that oil. Reinstall the drain plug, install new filter, and button everything back up
 
OP
OP
A

adamsdaddy

Full Access Members
Joined
May 13, 2017
Posts
178
Reaction score
79
Location
Orange County
A few years ago we took our Odyssey (replaced by the Expy) to a couple of the coupon cheap oil change places. Next thing I know oil is dripping on the driveway. Took the Odyssey to our mechanic only to find that the drain bolt had been over-tightened and the threads in the oil pan stripped. One new $400 oil pan later...I vowed to take it to our mechanic (kind of a pain 'cause he only works M-F) or learn how to do it myself.

I had watched the 2015 Expedition EL video a few times only to find (after I'd crawled under our 2016) that its oil drains from the front whereas my 2016 non-EL apparently drains from the passenger side near the support bar.
 
Top