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Messy Oil Change

Anyone who has serviced late model Ford F-150 trucks is already aware of this. When performing an engine oil change on a 3.5L/2.7L EcoBoost or 5.0L, things can get pretty messy. The ABS plastic oil pan features a twist-in drain plug that faces the rear of the vehicle and features poor access due to the nearby location of the front anti-sway bar. When the plug is removed, oil splatters onto the bar, diverts and runs all over the place, overwhelming even the biggest oil drain tray. Why Ford didn’t place the plug on the bottom of the pan is anyone’s guess.

Here's a tip: Obtain a formable plastic flexible oil drain “funnel.” You can jam this into place (bend and flex it to the desired shape) below the drain plug and bend the flexible trough to shape. When the plug is removed, it travels through this temporary “funnel” into your shop’s oil drain. It may look somewhat makeshift, but it works.

Since the oil filter is mounted horizontally at the left front of the engine, you’ll still have oil swarming over your arm when removing the filter, but at least you’ll have control when draining the pan. The formable “funnels” are available from a variety of sources. By the way, the factory drain plug is plastic. Through repeated removal, there’s a chance it could break. An upgrade made of stainless steel with a billet aluminum O-grip is available from sources such as CJ Pony parts and is much more durable and easier to remove and install.

Tpms And Flat Fixer

Anyone who services today’s vehicles already knows that since about 2007, TPMS has been a feature of production vehicles. One aspect to be aware of involves the use of a chemical goo that can be used in an emergency to seal a small puncture (pressurized canister injects the sealant through the valve). While this can successfully seal a small leak, it’s best to have the tire repaired or replaced soon afterwards. The sealant should be viewed as a temporary fix. However, the sealant can easily contaminate and damage a TPMS sensor.

Before servicing the customer’s tire, ask them if they used a sealant. If they did, let them know it’s possible the TPMS sensor may need to be replaced. If the sealant gets into the sensor’s circuit board, the sensor is toast. Also, knowing ahead of time that a sealant was used can prepare you for a bit of a mess when breaking the bead to remove the tire.

Of course, if a sealant was used, you’ll need to thoroughly clean the tire and the wheel before reassembly.

The Dawn Of Brakes

This is a tip for brake technicians that bears repeating. When servicing disc brakes, before installing new or refinished rotors, wash/scrub the disc surfaces using hot water and Dawn dishwashing liquid.

Spray-on brake cleaners have their place and do a good job, but Dawn and hot water really does the trick. It does a great job of removing surface contaminants (oils, storage protective coatings that are factory applied, etc.) Scrub, then rinse with hot water, then rinse with cold water and dry. Instead of just any dishwashing liquid, use Dawn specifically. It’s actually recommended as the rotor cleaning prep by some leading brake parts manufacturer training specialists.