50k+ vehicle with Plastic Pans... ? why?

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ExplorerTom

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I did a google search and found several posts talking about it. No official word from Ford that I saw in my 2.5 minutes of looking.
 

edizzle

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Ford acknowledged they have a problem with the plastic pans leaking and they are replacing them all with aluminum pans if your plastic one leaks. I'm not sure how much clearer this KNOWN issue can be. There's no hidden secret or something here, just facts from FORD themselves. My dealer fully expects to replace mine as they've replaced many on their other vehicles recently.....

So a single ford service manager admitted a problem?!?! But regardless, even if there is, that is not saying the material is at fault. It could absolutely be a manufacturing defect. All I am saying is people are acting like it is just regular old plastic. It is not! The plastics and composite materials used in today’s vehicles is probably more advanced than most of the metals being used. There are manufacturers experimenting with composite engine blocks.
 

Deadman

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So a single ford service manager admitted a problem?!?! But regardless, even if there is, that is not saying the material is at fault. It could absolutely be a manufacturing defect. All I am saying is people are acting like it is just regular old plastic. It is not! The plastics and composite materials used in today’s vehicles is probably more advanced than most of the metals being used. There are manufacturers experimenting with composite engine blocks.

Sorry for assuming a FORD SERVICE MANAGER might know...... Maybe I'll have to ask around on the internet to find the real answers! You guys never cease to amaze me! lol.
 

coupe11

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They are always trying new stuff. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. That's one reason they keep coming out with modified stuff or modified ways of installing it, changing it, etc.

It's not just Ford. My 95 S10 Blazer had to have some plastic parts replaced on the engine when it was rebuilt (timing cover and the whole fuel injection spider, they called it, due to deterioration from under hood heat).

Battery/computer issues? My 1990 F150 would act crazy for about 3 days after the battery was disconnected for maintenance or a new battery installed. I was told that was "normal". It would eventually (after about 3 days) straighten itself out and run normal again.

Any gun people on the forum? What two guns do you see the most pictures of "blown up" at the range? Glocks and AR15s. I know there are a lot of them out there but they are also plastic and aluminum. Light, cheap, easy to produce and not quite as durable as heavier, harder, more expensive steel.

Saw a picture the other day of a generator gas tank (plastic) a squirrel had chewed a hole in. I'll bet he'd have worn his teeth down pretty good trying to chew through a steel gas tank. What's up with a squirrel chewing on a gas tank anyway?? Do squirrels feel the need to huff gas fumes???
 

Flexpedition

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Most of our bake ware is silicone, I learned professional chefs have been using it for years. I'll admit it was bizarre to see a floppy rubber looking cookie sheet go in the oven.

Speaking of oven, our microwave has a chrome plated metal rack inside of it. In the 1980's this would have blown up and killed you instantly according to my mom.

Just wait till you find out your gas and oil isn't from decaying dinosaurs but rather.... algae and plankton. Damn you Sinclair logo.
 

rjdelp7

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Ford had a recall on plastic intake manifolds cracking. The Ford moto seems to be, put out a inferior product and fix it later. I don't see any weight or money savings either. My 2000 has a stamped metal one and looks brand new.
 

Raptors

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It’s been a problem. They were using plastic oil pans on F-150s with V6 engines until February 2018, then they quietly switched back to metal. So it’s based on when your F-150 was built, not model year. At least for Raptors. My 2017 Raptor has a plastic oil pan and drain plug. My 2018 Expedition is metal.

Lots of guys reported leaks on the Raptor forum the last couple years. But my understanding is if it leaks, they don’t replace it with metal. If you had plastic going in, you get it back with plastic.
 

Deadman

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It’s been a problem. They were using plastic oil pans on F-150s with V6 engines until February 2018, then they quietly switched back to metal. So it’s based on when your F-150 was built, not model year. At least for Raptors. My 2017 Raptor has a plastic oil pan and drain plug. My 2018 Expedition is metal.

Lots of guys reported leaks on the Raptor forum the last couple years. But my understanding is if it leaks, they don’t replace it with metal. If you had plastic going in, you get it back with plastic.

There's a whole thread on this in here. There's a lot of early 18 expeditions with the plastic pan. later in 18 they went to metal.
 

edizzle

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Ford had a recall on plastic intake manifolds cracking. The Ford moto seems to be, put out a inferior product and fix it later. I don't see any weight or money savings either. My 2000 has a stamped metal one and looks brand new.
there has never been a recall on a metal part
 
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cgcg

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Any gun people on the forum? What two guns do you see the most pictures of "blown up" at the range? Glocks and AR15s. I know there are a lot of them out there but they are also plastic and aluminum. Light, cheap, easy to produce and not quite as durable as heavier, harder, more expensive steel.

I read this, and I actually think I am more comfortable with my plastic Trans pan now.

I used to hate glocks, until I realized it was the only thing I could hit anything with - and its more reliable than anything else I've owned. But dont get me wrong all steels are so much more fun at the range /nostalgia.

I appreciate all of the responses and chatter. I didn't realize the other mfgs are going this way as well (perhaps even more aggressive). It might be something we live with.... just like everything is "throwaway and buy new" so why shouldn't your 60 thousand dollar car be too !!! :)

Thanks all, I guess we're slaves to the manufacturers here if we keep buying new. but hey - I did and we like it- so what am I going to do.
 

duneslider

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We all know that if you have metal pans on the engine and transmission they will never leak or break. I just wish someone would have told all my oil pans and transmission pans that...my experience has been that anywhere there is a gasket its going to leak at some point and anything on the bottom of the car is bound to get a hole punched in it if you drive offroad long enough. I have skid plates on my metal pans too cause for some reason they get holes punched in them. I guess they just make crappy metal now days too? But then I remember even the old "real" metal pans leaked and got damaged.
 

Artie

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We all know that if you have metal pans on the engine and transmission they will never leak or break. I just wish someone would have told all my oil pans and transmission pans that...my experience has been that anywhere there is a gasket its going to leak at some point and anything on the bottom of the car is bound to get a hole punched in it if you drive offroad long enough. I have skid plates on my metal pans too cause for some reason they get holes punched in them. I guess they just make crappy metal now days too? But then I remember even the old "real" metal pans leaked and got damaged.
Gaskets do fail, no question about it. The metal pans I’ve seen in the past that leaked were, more often than not, over torqued causing the pan around the bolt holes to warp which lead to premature leaks..... easy fix. I wonder how the plastic fairs to over torque, I’d assume cracking. I’m not concerned about the plastic vs metal debate. I’ll be placing skid plates on mine and never think about it again.
 
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