Can we talk about the oil filter location on the 3.0?

[pentode]

Seriously, it's sadistic. Worst thing about this truck that I've found by a country mile. I just had to throw away a new filter because during the gymkhana trying to orient the filter under the steering shaft and into position, it slipped (as it does _every_ _single_ _time_ and some various flakes of rust and dirt and crap went down the hole. Infuriating.

 

[cbxer55]

Never had a problem with it myself. Oh well..........................

 

[pentode]

Never had a problem with it myself. Oh well..........................

2WD? What's your trick? Mine's an '05... are there any differences between the 98 and 05 re: steering shaft etc?

EDIT: on mine I have to navigate the filter at a certain angle on one side of the steering shaft and under and around, with one hand because 2 hands are impossible.

I've looked for an angle from underneath and I can't find one.

 

[Curious Hound]

My worst complaint is about the fact that it's directly above the starter and almost impossible to avoid spilling on the starter. But mine is 4x4. That might give me a little easier time.

 

[pentode]

My worst complaint is about the fact that it's directly above the starter and almost impossible to avoid spilling on the starter. But mine is 4x4. That might give me a little easier time.

I've only ever dealt with my Ranger so I don't know how the problem varies from truck to truck but on my 2WD 3.0 fleet truck, the only way I can see to install the oil filter without having a mental breakdown is by removing the steering shaft. I've got the rubber funnel to protect the starter in mine too.

Edit: I did get mine installed as I always have but this is the first time I had to chuck a filter because there's no straight shot in. I forget how much I hate that job every single time. I'd love pics of your trucks to see what's different and what I'm doing wrong.

 

[pentode]

seriously, I'd love to spare myself the headache next time, so if you guys can tell me what I'm doing wrong, please do. These are the 3 cars in my driveway currently. One of them is obviously genius, one is plenty easy, and the other, well, the filter will only fit longitudinally on the fender side of the steering shaft, then needs to be rotated 90 degrees, then moved (with one hand) to the left and rotated back 90 degrees and then lined up with threads you can't see because they're blocked by the exhaust manifold. Please embarrass me by telling me what I'm doing wrong because I like being humiliated. No, the filter won't fit between the steering shaft and the manifold in any orientation.

 

[nickname23]

Mines at an angle and has the drip pan underneath, you gotta put it through the top and gently roll along the starter, getting it into position so the threads catch is tricky at first but not bad once muscle memory takes over.

 

[pentode]

On my truck, there's no angle from the top that the filter will fit through on the engine side of the steering shaft.
Are you going from very far front between the steering shaft and the exhaust manifold and rotating it into position as you move back?
I've just looked at that and it seems like it could work but still a one-handed job.

 

[Curious Hound]

Not trying to humiliate anyone. It's not the easiest oil filter to access. I have 2 methods.

1. From above; unscrew filter and tip 90 degrees with open end up. Then move it toward the front if the truck where there is more room around the front end of the exhaust manifold.

2. From below; unscrew it and tip 90 degrees with open end up. Then move it forward and pull it out through the corner between the frame and cross-frame.

Install in reverse order of either method. You are fortunate to have the plastic diverted protecting your starter. I have to improvise that part. If your afraid of debris falling into the new filter, put a plastic bag over the open end until you get it tipped sideways and ready to screw on. Anything you can do to clean debris out of the way before the job helps also. But that's a difficult place to work.

Looking from above. Looks just like your photo. Left side of photo is where the clearance is going either up or down.

From below. The picture really doesn't show the worm hole that is available. But it's there.

 

[pentode]

Hmmm, I must be missing something because I'm not seeing what you see. My steering shaft looks different than yours. It looks like you have a u-joint close to the firewall, I don't have any near there.
You have a boot right in front of the filter but I don't.
Your steering u-joint is right next to the manifold dump. Mine doesn't look like that to me at all.

 

[racsan]

I think the 3.0 was originally intended for the taurus chassis & then made its way into the areostar/ranger platform. Its not bad to change in a taurus, in fact you can even put the larger FL-1A filter on. Not in a ranger chassis though! Im not sure if there is a filter relocation kit that would work, but Id go that route myself if I had that engine.

 

[nickname23]

On my truck, there's no angle from the top that the filter will fit through on the engine side of the steering shaft.
Are you going from very far front between the steering shaft and the exhaust manifold and rotating it into position as you move back?
I've just looked at that and it seems like it could work but still a one-handed job.

Yes it's one handed I tried from the bottom I'm very thin too and that didn't work, so I just roll it down until it plops through, it really tested my patience at first
Haven't thought about it but I wonder if I just removed the drip pan would it fit through the bottom.
If you go from the front near the exhaust between that and the steering you'll see it will barely roll through against the starter. Just nudge it through and keep the threaded part facing where it needs to be, but lining it up is hard because it's angled on the block on mine not a straight connection.

 

[Curious Hound]

Hmmm, I must be missing something because I'm not seeing what you see. My steering shaft looks different than yours. It looks like you have a u-joint close to the firewall, I don't have any near there.
You have a boot right in front of the filter but I don't.
Your steering u-joint is right next to the manifold dump. Mine doesn't look like that to me at all.

I rebuilt my steering shaft when it wore out. My oil change procedure has been the same all along.

 

[Curious Hound]

Doing an oil change right this minute and I will confirm it comes out the top pretty easy. Thought I was going to need the wrench. But slow, steady pressure and it came loose by hand. I use a Wix 51516xp. Put a large Zip-loc bag over the starter.

 

[pentode]

Doing an oil change right this minute and I will confirm it comes out the top pretty easy. Thought I was going to need the wrench. But slow, steady pressure and it came loose by hand. I use a Wix 51516xp. Put a large Zip-loc bag over the starter.

You said yours was a 4x4 right? I'm thinking the steering gear must be positioned differently because there's no way my FL400s will come out the top. That u-joint and boot position make me think it's a totally different steering setup.

Edit. Maybe someone who's done both will comment and confirm I'm crazy, but either way it's no big deal... I was just venting when I posted because I had to trash a filter and I'm cheap.