Ecoboost Expy Oil Change

[Brubro]

OK, I'm sure this has been covered, but a quick search didn't reveal anything in the first three pages of results:

What is up with the oil change procedure for the Ecoboost Expys???

Remove the skidplate, four bolts and two fasteners, to access the drain plug, then battle the lack of space created by a hard line right in front of the drain plug, requiring a wrench instead of a socket. Really???

Then, remove another cover with 12 fasteners to access the oil filter. Really???

THEN, after removing the filter, hunt blindly by feel to reinstall the new filter. Really???

AND THEN the residual oil from the filter drains onto the filter tray and spills out in two directions. It took a crazy amount of shop towels to clean up all that mess off the tray. If I did not do so, it would have drained slowly all over the skid plate and onto the ground/driveway/road. I bet motorcyclers would not be happy about those that don't think to do this.


Could Ford have POSSIBLY made the most basic maintenance procedure for a vehicle any more difficult? I'm surprised I didn't have to remove the motor mounts and lift the engine to change the oil. OK, I know that everyone has to make a buck, but engineering basic maintenance so that it just about has to be performed by a shop for the majority of people is just wrong, and makes me really dislike this vehicle. I think they took it too far.

And, since we are on the general subject of oil change, I am old school, and absolutely subscribe to changing out the filter with a QUALITY one, (IE, not Fram, WallyWorld, etc filter, sorry, they suck; research the build quality of these compared to good filters) every oil change and using full-synthetic oil. It is cliche, but oil is the life blood of your vehicle, and the filter is equally important. I had well over 200K on my 2nd Gen Expy with no smoke or other engine issues doing this sort of routine maintenance timely.

Anyone use and trust the Micro-Green bypass filters since I'm posting all of this? They seem to be engineered properly, the documentation seems solid, but I just don't trust changing an oil filter out every other time. Might use this bypass as the primary filter, changed every time, but that may be overkill. Thoughts?

 

[Black]

Yeah, pretty sure you don’t need to do all of that.
Are there not two rubber access panels squares in your skid plate?

 

[16plati]

OK, I'm sure this has been covered, but a quick search didn't reveal anything in the first three pages of results:

What is up with the oil change procedure for the Ecoboost Expys???

Remove the skidplate, four bolts and two fasteners, to access the drain plug, then battle the lack of space created by a hard line right in front of the drain plug, requiring a wrench instead of a socket. Really???

Then, remove another cover with 12 fasteners to access the oil filter. Really???

THEN, after removing the filter, hunt blindly by feel to reinstall the new filter. Really???

AND THEN the residual oil from the filter drains onto the filter tray and spills out in two directions. It took a crazy amount of shop towels to clean up all that mess off the tray. If I did not do so, it would have drained slowly all over the skid plate and onto the ground/driveway/road. I bet motorcyclers would not be happy about those that don't think to do this.


Could Ford have POSSIBLY made the most basic maintenance procedure for a vehicle any more difficult? I'm surprised I didn't have to remove the motor mounts and lift the engine to change the oil. OK, I know that everyone has to make a buck, but engineering basic maintenance so that it just about has to be performed by a shop for the majority of people is just wrong, and makes me really dislike this vehicle. I think they took it too far.

And, since we are on the general subject of oil change, I am old school, and absolutely subscribe to changing out the filter with a QUALITY one, (IE, not Fram, WallyWorld, etc filter, sorry, they suck; research the build quality of these compared to good filters) every oil change and using full-synthetic oil. It is cliche, but oil is the life blood of your vehicle, and the filter is equally important. I had well over 200K on my 2nd Gen Expy with no smoke or other engine issues doing this sort of routine maintenance timely.

Anyone use and trust the Micro-Green bypass filters since I'm posting all of this? They seem to be engineered properly, the documentation seems solid, but I just don't trust changing an oil filter out every other time. Might use this bypass as the primary filter, changed every time, but that may be overkill. Thoughts?

View attachment 31621 View attachment 31622

Drop the plate that covers the oil pan. Remove black fabric under front bumper, look up and in towards the motor to find the filter. I can fit my arm up in there on the ground no lift and I’m 6’3”. You can do it. Remove the oil pan plug and drain. Remove the filter, gently, and allow the oil to drain into the little overflow catch below the filter. Two drain outlets on either side so put out buckets appropriately. Put drain plug back on and torque gently. Put on new filter but fill with some new oil first and carefully screw back on. Fill oil. Turn car on and let it run for a bit. Check oil and add accordingly. Button everything back up. Full synthetic. Get yourself a catch can too

 

[sixsix]

You only need to remove one panel under the car to drain the oil, the flimsy one, not the metal skid plate. I get to the filter from the top. Take out the air box and you have more room to get your hand down there. For me it's much easier than going in from the bottom, and if you go slow enough the oil will only drain out of the rear funnel.

 

[adamsdaddy]

https://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/2016-expedition-oil-change.39684/

 

[Brubro]

Thanks everyone. I will try these suggestions next time. I still contend that the procedure is overly complicated.

Drop the plate that covers the oil pan. Remove black fabric under front bumper, look up and in towards the motor to find the filter. I can fit my arm up in there on the ground no lift and I’m 6’3”. You can do it. Remove the oil pan plug and drain. Remove the filter, gently, and allow the oil to drain into the little overflow catch below the filter. Two drain outlets on either side so put out buckets appropriately. Put drain plug back on and torque gently. Put on new filter but fill with some new oil first and carefully screw back on. Fill oil. Turn car on and let it run for a bit. Check oil and add accordingly. Button everything back up. Full synthetic. Get yourself a catch can too

Yes, I did do all of this. I am just shocked at how unnecessarily complicated and messy the entire process is. I have to clean up the drain plate, personally. I don't want the residual oil dripping out gradually, and access just sucks for all of this. I'm 6' & 52 yoa and have to say that it is the most complicated and messy procedure of any car I have ever owned or worked on, and more complicated than any skid steer, tractor or the host of any other myriad of heavy equipment that I have worked on.

 

[17limited]

They make Ford dealers to do that work for you. Reasonably priced for that kind of service

 

[16plati]

They make Ford dealers to do that work for you. Reasonably priced for that kind of service

Not if you want full synthetic. $90 from ford or 40-50 if you do it in your driveway. Literally takes less than 15 minutes in your own if you know what needs to come off and what can stay on

 

[chuck s]

The Works costs me $72.55 with full synthetic motor oil. With my annual mileage it's once a year and full synthetic is completely unnecessary but gives me a warm fuzzy feeling just knowing it's in the engine. I don't even get my hands dirty.

-- Chuck

 

[1970Maverick]

I have been changing my own oil since the 60s and it was always pretty easy on all the cars I've owned but my current 2017 Expedition has been a challenge.
After a few oil changes I have a method that works for me and it's the least messy and least frustrating.
I will be installing a Fumoto or EZDrain valve at next oil change
Hope this helps you.

1) Remove both soft shields under engine. 8mm four screws(rear cover) and 1/4 turn clips plus several plastic plugs that pry out.(front cover)



2) Place oil catch pan under drain plug.


3) Remove drain plug 15mm, drain oil then install plug hand tight and start engine 30 seconds to drain filter.



4) Remove plug again finish draining oil. Install plug and tighten.



5) Remove large square rubber access toward front of metal cover under engine.


6) Install plastic cup in the square opening to catch oil when filter is removed. Use a plastic container/cup that can be squeezed into a square without cracking. Only a 1/4 cup should drain into cup



7) Move catch pan to front under metal cover see spout at front of metal cover. Loosen filter allow to drain several minutes. Remove filter. some oil may drain out of the spout depending on the amount of oil left in the filter after step 3


8) Install new filter


9) Remove cup from square hole and replace rubber cover.


10) Add oil + replace both soft shields

 

[rich6655]

I feel you pain. I think the Ford Engineers don't think about maintenance until after the design. I did my first 2 oil changes by only taking of the metal skid plate and the fabric plate next to it. The front rubber piece I left in place and only opened up the side to get me hand in and remove the oil filter. I did do this- I removed the drain plug and installed a F107N: Long Nipple Valve with 12mm-1.75 Threads with Lever Clip with a drain hose. Now all I do is pull down the hose, flip the lever on the drain. No more pulling off the skid plate, spraying oil everywhere when you take out the plug. Small mess when you unscrew the filter but that is a small easy mess to handle.

 

[lbv150]

With 30,000 on my '16 and changing the oil every 3,000 it has gotten easier and routine. The very first change sucked. During the summer months I keep the fiber shield off for better cooling. Put it back on in the fall to keep the road salt out. The biggest hassle I find for doing the oil change is the the fiber shield...

 

[sixsix]

They make Ford dealers to do that work for you. Reasonably priced for that kind of service

I went that route after the first 2 changes. Even with them doing it I still had to come home and clean up after them cause they didn't wipe the drain pan at all. So I figured if I still have to clean up I might as well go back to doing it myself.

The Works costs me $72.55 with full synthetic motor oil. With my annual mileage it's once a year and full synthetic is completely unnecessary but gives me a warm fuzzy feeling just knowing it's in the engine. I don't even get my hands dirty.

-- Chuck

Havoline ProDS full synthetic 6 quart box is $19.99 and like 6 bucks for the motorcraft filter at wal mart. I'm changing mine every 5k miles which for us is about every 3-4 months.

 

[coolzzy]

I have the dealer change the oil every 5k miles with Motorcraft 5w30 semi synthetic and Motorcraft filter. I do this twice a year, and it costs $51 and they rotate my tires and check brakes and fluid levels AND this service shows on a carfax. I have a CPO warranty and feel dealer oil changes means they could not deny a warranty claim bases on poor maintenance. I change my other three vehicles oil myself in the driveway on the same schedule with full synthetic. TBH, I've never even been underneath the expedition.

 

[Brubro]

AND this service shows on a carfax.

That is about the only reason I'd bring it to the dealership. To me, it's a time thing. I own a business that takes up a ton of my time and just don't have the time to deal with the dealership for an oil change and the potentially shoddy work (not mopping up the 1/2 cup of oil that sits and slowly drains from the filter catch pan). Guess I'll get used to it. I keep all of my service records, so warranty shouldn't be an issue. It's a good point though. Thanks!

And, anyone else with advice, please do so, but remember, I'm an old-school gear-head, am fully capable, and already did change the oil, so reiterating the basic procedure is not necessary. I will try to only remove the rear felt panel next time.

To those that mentioned the square access panels- Videos show people changing oil leaving the skid plate on, and residual filter oil comes out of the center access panel, but also a hole in the depression closer to the driver's side, which has a hole in it, about 3/8" diameter, maybe. The vehicle was on jack stands. It appears that there will be an inevitable mess, and I absolutely don't want that on my driveway or slowly draining on the road. That's just not cool. I used to ride motorcycles. So, looks like I'll take the skid plate off and see if I can control filter drainage by removing the filter slowly so that it only comes out of the back drainage area. Hopefully, I can get a rag in there to clean the filter drain pan from the front felt cover area. If that is the case, then only the rear felt panel will have to be removed (four 8mm bolts). I could live with that I guess.

As far as removing the air-box to access the filter, I'll look into that next time, but since I am already under the vehicle, it seems easier to detach the front felt corner with the 90 degree hand screws than taking the entire thing off like last time. I wanted to see what I was dealing with, and another person somewhere said it had to go, so I took it completely off. Next time, I plan on trying to only move that side out of the way. I can't imagine being able to easily clean the filter drain pan from the top, but I'll check it out.

 

[sixsix]

As far as removing the air-box to access the filter, I'll look into that next time, but since I am already under the vehicle, it seems easier to detach the front felt corner with the 90 degree hand screws than taking the entire thing off like last time. I wanted to see what I was dealing with, and another person somewhere said it had to go, so I took it completely off. Next time, I plan on trying to only move that side out of the way. I can't imagine being able to easily clean the filter drain pan from the top, but I'll check it out.

I'm 6'6" with long arms, so for me it's much easer from the top. Once you get the top of the air box out (unplug MAP sensor and hose clamp @ flex tube) it opens up and you have a lot more room to work with. I only slightly jack up one side so I can slide by big ass under there, then when I do the filter I jack up the front ever so slightly, just enough to ensure all the oil drains out of the rear of the funnel.

 

[16plati]

Only plate that needs to come off is the one covering the oil pan. Remove that and the fabric liner up front jack the vehicle up and get to work. Y’all are making this seem impossible. I’m about to change my wife’s oil on her 16 and make a video to put you all at ease...

 

[HawkX66]

3) Remove drain plug 15mm, drain oil then install plug hand tight and start engine 30 seconds to drain filter.

4) Remove plug again finish draining oil. Install plug and tighten.

Uh, WTFO?!?!? Nobody else caught this? Are you out of your daggon mind? Good way to smoke your engine quick fast and in a hurry!

 

[Wangle]

I saw that! I sent this "tip" on to my whole family just for conversation. This reminded me of the old oil TV adds where they drained the oil and ran the engine until it seized.
I know it will be said that "this has never been a problem", but PLEASE, for all that is Holy, DON"T DO IT!!! Even a few seconds of running the engine with no oil is NOT a good idea for any reason.

 

[17limited]

Not if you want full synthetic. $90 from ford or 40-50 if you do it in your driveway. Literally takes less than 15 minutes in your own if you know what needs to come off and what can stay on

I hear you, but I happily pay 90 for full synthetic works at my local dealer and its worth the time and effort to me. To each his own, I'm too old now to be rolling around on my back on the concrete