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

[pentode]

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.

I did forget that this was a repurposed car engine when I first posted... Makes sense. I've been thinking about a relocate kit since the first oil change I did on the truck.

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.

The big problem doing mine is that in going through all the contortions to maneuver the filter around and into position, I always manage to bump it up against something dirty or rusty, usually the manifold, which risks dumping rust flakes into the filter, which is what happened this time. IIRC, Yes there's a way to insert it into position with the holes down, but that requires a one-handed 270 degree flip with another 90 degree flip to get it lined up... With greasy hands/gloves, and usually a warm manifold. In fact I still have burn scars from the previous time and I was wearing gloves.
I guess I need to wire brush everything before I do the next change.

 

[Curious Hound]

That u-joint and boot position make me think it's a totally different steering setup.

Steering is in the same location. When my rag joint wore out a few years ago, I rebuilt the steering shaft with real u-joints at top and bottom. It used to have the rag joint and big plastic cover at the bottom end. It's really no different than original and steering for rwd and 4x4 are the same. I've looked at bunches of them in the junk yard. Biggest difference is I don't have big, loose rust flakes hanging out in there. But a plastic bag over it until you get it in position would handle that.

 

[pentode]

Steering is in the same location. When my rag joint wore out a few years ago, I rebuilt the steering shaft with real u-joints at top and bottom. It used to have the rag joint and big plastic cover at the bottom end. It's really no different than original and steering for rwd and 4x4 are the same. I've looked at bunches of them in the junk yard. Biggest difference is I don't have big, loose rust flakes hanging out in there. But a plastic bag over it until you get it in position would handle that.

I hope I'm not sounding difficult but this is interesting. So you changed the location of the u-joint? Any chance the geometry changed there just a hair? I'm going to have to take an old filter and try to jam it in on the engine side and see what I'm missing. I might be impatient but I feel like I've tried every angle possible over the years and never managed it that way.
Yes I should also clean my engine bay. It's not filthy. It's just Canada dirty.

 

[Curious Hound]

You're not sounding difficult. And I hope I'm not being overbearing. I will readily admit it's not as easy as it should be to get that filter out.

Anyway, my steering wheel shaft coming through the firewall did not move or change and my steering box has not moved or changed. Here's a link to my build where I worked on that. The biggest difference is that the bug plastic cover over the lower rag joint is gone. But I worked around that previous to this mod. Start at post #124, I believe.

1993 Splash in SC

One thing that was brought to my attention with the flag deal, some parks require the flag to be on the front of the truck. Badlands just happens to not care as long as it is 2' above the the truck. So if you come up with a good way to do it you might be farther ahead mounting it towards the...

www.therangerstation.com

 

[pentode]

You're not sounding difficult. And I hope I'm not being overbearing. I will readily admit it's not as easy as it should be to get that filter out.

Anyway, my steering wheel shaft coming through the firewall did not move or change and my steering box has not moved or changed. Here's a link to my build where I worked on that. The biggest difference is that the bug plastic cover over the lower rag joint is gone. But I worked around that previous to this mod. Start at post #124, I believe.

1993 Splash in SC

One thing that was brought to my attention with the flag deal, some parks require the flag to be on the front of the truck. Badlands just happens to not care as long as it is 2' above the the truck. So if you come up with a good way to do it you might be farther ahead mounting it towards the...

www.therangerstation.com

Not overbearing at all. I was just trying to process what I was seeing while simultaneously having a cheapskate rage blackout.
Today less rage but genuinely interested in how you all deal with this fitment.
Now I’m going to the driveway to try to jam a filter down through from above.

 

[Curious Hound]

I believe when I have done it from below, I pushed it up through the hole and put it some place it would stay. Then finish from the top.because, I must admit, the only way I can get enough torque out of my wrist to tighten or loosen it is if I reach in from the top.

 

[pentode]

Ok, more confirmation I might be experiencing early onset senility... But you're absolutely right, it is possible to maneuver it in from the front. You can even shove your index finger in the filter to assist dragging it into place and possibly keep crap out of it in the process.

I don't know how I missed that angle but possibly it's a sign I drink too much.

P.s. 6 bucks down the drain, I'm going to regroup and recover.

 

[Bgunner]

On my 94 3.0 2wd the filter is so much easier to get to from the bottom. I just did my oil change last Saturday and was surprised how easy it was on a lift compared to being on jack stands.

 

[Curious Hound]

On my 94 3.0 2wd the filter is so much easier to get to from the bottom. I just did my oil change last Saturday and was surprised how easy it was on a lift compared to being on jack stands.

Position is everything.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So, my first vehicle was the 2000 Ranger in my sig. Complete with the 3.0. First time I tried doing an oil change with the engine warm and I discovered that it’s a fabulous way to burn yourself and a terrible way to change a filter.

Mind you, I grew up helping my dad do oil changes and stuff. For mom’s car I remember he used a stack of 2x10 for a ramp and it wasn’t all that difficult for any of the ones I remember. His trucks were all F-series and all had the FL-1A filter out in the open where it should be. So finding the location of the 3.0 filter was vastly disappointing.

After that first time, I always changed the oil cold. If I had to change it in the winter, I’d get it warm by driving somewhere and would let the engine cool until I could touch the exhaust manifolds without burning myself. Or find a garage to put it in. I had figured out how to work the filter in and out from the top, mostly using fingertips and feel. Mine had the funnel thing under the filter and I found you could rest the old filter in it to rest your fingers before fishing it out and do the reverse putting the new one in. Took a lot of patience and I often thought an oil filter relocation would be nice.

Then I started collecting toys. Aside from my 3.0, which is the worst, the closest runners-up are my F-150 (I’m still not sure why Ford decided to put the filter straight out the side of the block instead of putting a 90* adapter on like the 2.9 and 4.0 OHV use, and I’ve thought about seeing if it was possible to do), and the other is my Ferguson TO-20 farm tractor where you have to pull a cover off the bottom of the oil pan and pull the filter down from inside the pan. So they’re annoying, but not even close to the 3.0 design.

The worst design I think goes to the Nissan Murano that mom currently has. To do an oil change you have to remove the passenger front tire and the plastic trim behind it to get to a filter that is smaller than the one my Craftsman lawn tractor with a 24 hp Kohler. All on an engine prone to oil sludge screwing up the VVT system. You’d think they’d want a filter the size of a 5-gallon bucket…

 

[pentode]

Having to remove a wheel to do an oil change is nuts. Reminds me of the Chrysler "cab forward" cars from 20 years ago that made you remove a wheel and the fender liner to change the battery. To do the same for an oil change is even worse. As a Datsun fan and owner, I had already ruled out Nissans based on the CVTs alone.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Having to remove a wheel to do an oil change is nuts. Reminds me of the Chrysler "cab forward" cars from 20 years ago that made you remove a wheel and the fender liner to change the battery. To do the same for an oil change is even worse. As a Datsun fan and owner, I had already ruled out Nissans based on the CVTs alone.

GM did a good one with a certain vintage of the 1500-3500 trucks, back about 15 years ago I think it was. To change a headlight or turn signal bulb was a 3-4 hour job of tearing the front clip apart.

I also have a hatred for Chrysler with those cars, I refuse to touch them.

Cadillac did a good one too with their NorthStar V-8 motors. The starter, is conveniently located in the middle of the block under the intake…

Oh, and the Murano will be on its way down the road once we can get a replacement Explorer for mom.

 

[SenorNoob]

This thread makes me glad I did a 4.0. I use a FL1A (or equivalent) and just stick it straight up to the adapter from underneath. Don't even have to think about. If I concentrate on the level I can even take the old one off without spilling a drop. Sideways filters are dumb.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

This thread makes me glad I did a 4.0. I use a FL1A (or equivalent) and just stick it straight up to the adapter from underneath. Don't even have to think about. If I concentrate on the level I can even take the old one off without spilling a drop. Sideways filters are dumb.

The 2.9 uses the exact same filter in the exact same location as the 4.0, which is a beautiful thing.

I will say though, the 3.0 with a manual transmission will get up and scoot pretty good. I’d kinda really like to get my Ranger with the 3.0 put back together just to use for a runner. Made for a good highway truck too. Only has something like 60k on the odometer, and it’s legit because I’ve owned it since new.

 

[stmitch]

ericb's truck is a 93, which has ibeams and a steering box. The OP's truck is a 2005 which has control arms and rack/pinion steering. That's probably why things look different.

On my 2000 2wd, I used a universal relocation kit from Summit to move my filter to the frame rail. I think it may have been this one:

Summit Racing SUM-G4985-1 Summit Racing™ Oil Filter Relocation Kits | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Summit Racing™ Oil Filter Relocation Kits with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Oil Filter Relocation Kits at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

I get a bit more capacity with the oil in the lines, I can use larger/more common filters, it doesn't drip on the starter, and it's much easier to change.