2001 Ford 150 oil filter developed leak.
Oil pressure guage never indicated a problem and engine trouble indicator never lit. But I had to add 5 qts of oil so it must have been oretty empty is the engine toast?
If the engine is not toast or severely damaged I would be absolutely floored.
Odds are the oil filter may not be what is leaking. It could be the fiber block between the engine block and oil filter flange assuming you have the 4.6 or whatever.
If the truck were mine I would run an oil pressure test with an external gauge and probably would not be very optimistic while doing so.
What is the crankcase capacity of that engine?
If it is 5 qts., then–yes, the engine is toast if it was run that way for more than 2 or 3 minutes. Even if the capacity is 6 qts., there is still likely to be engine damage, unfortunately.
Just on the chance that you were wrong about how much oil it needed, I suggest that you check the dipstick again to make sure that it is not overfilled. Overfilling can potentially be almost as damaging as running an engine without oil. If it is overfilled, drain the excess a.s.a.p.
Did the “OIL” light ever come on?? What made you check the oil?? The oil pressure gauge on these vehicles is just a yes or no indicator, like the warning light. It does not really measure pressure.
Any high speed driving involved? Is this associated with an oil change? We need to know HOW LONG it was run low on oil…
I seem to recall that these take an enormous amount of oil, so maybe you’ll be okay. How long did you drive around with the oil low?
The 4.6 in my Lincoln takes 6 quarts. Being 5 quarts down means there is zero oil capacity for the oil to pull from as that remaing quart will be in suspension; and even more oil would be in suspension if it existed.
If the Red Oil light was not illuminated (means low oil pressure) you may be fine. Maybe some excess wear. Whatever oil left in the sump is likely really beaten up. Remember the engine needs some oil to maintain oil pressure the rest as reserve and to spread/dilute the wear.
You might want to make sure the bulb for the oil pressure light isn’t burned out.
Yesterday I was at the parts store disposing of used motor oil. I saw a young woman . . maybe 20 or so . . . carrying out 4 quarts of cheapo 10w40 and put them on the ground in front of her Chrysler or Plymouth Sebring . . a mid-size newer mopar anyway. I watched her pour 4 full quarts in . . . she seemed like she knew what she was doing. I waited for her to start it up . . . which she did . . . and drove away. I thought that 3-4 quarts low was fatal. I’m with OK on this one, but maybe you got lucky like the girl with the 4 quart top-off. Rocketman
Towed vehicle to Ford service. Leak was in the oil filter–it had small crack
Ford changed the oil AND THE OIL FILTER. did test drive and pronounced it maybe OK
This 150 has a dashboard guage which purports to show oil pressure. The guage always indicated “normal”, moreover right in the middle of “normal”.
Currently, the truck runs OK, sounds OK, doesn’t smoke. I’m keeping my fingers crosses. And thanks to everyone who responded. It’s comforting knowing that there are people out there who care enouigh to reply
Stuart
Would you of liked to have had a protection circuit that would have kept the engine from running if it had low oil pressure?
I don’t know if this is true on this truck, but on some Ford vehicles, the oil pressure gauge isn’t actually a gauge-- it only has the zero position and the “normal” position.
Although I know some Fords also have actual oil level sensors too, which would have been nice, but I presume this isn’t one of them.
Or at least made a loud annoying noise
stuart
I’m not buying that it’s ok for one minute. Five quarts down means the oil pump was sucking nothing but air because there will be zero oil in the pan.
Any oil film on the crankshaft journals will burn off in seconds and the bearing overlay will be wiped out.
Considering the circumstances it baffles me why the Ford dealer did not perform an oil pressure test.
I’m also not sold on the “cracked oil filter” diagnosis because if this truck has any engine option with a bolt on oil filter flange it’s entirely possible that someone could think the problem is filter related when it’s not.
The only way a filter should crack would be if whoever changed the oil last overtightened the filter with a large pair of Channel Locks or a metal band oil filter wrench.
You might eyeball this oil filter area in a day or so to see if it’s wet with oil again. If so, then the oi filter flange gasket should be considered.
(These are 1/8" thick fiber blocks with rubber inserts. Eventually the rubber inserts flatten and harden with age which then leads to oil leaks; both externally and internally.)
All of you have made sound observations, however I’m not totally convenced. If the oil light/gage never signaled a loss of oil pressure, then there was sufficient oil being circulated to lubricate. If you think about it, if for example there is always one quart of oil in circulation, the remaining 4 (or 5) quarts are in the oil pan cooling their heels while “waiting their turn” to be circulated. Once oil pressure is lost, that is another story.