97 Mountaineer Oil Leak

[PRIXTER1974]

97 Mountaineer Oil Leak UPDATED

I noticed a week ago my wife Mountaineer has a small oil leak. When looking from underneath everything is covered so I cant determine where the leak is located. Doeas anyone have an idea where to start? It seems like it might be in the same area as the oil filter. It is the 5.0. Any help would be great , or its going to the dealer

 

[rizzjc]

If it is the oil filter it should be easier to spot the oil leaking from it, and everything after it being covered. But it could also be from pinion seal, left or right diff seals, rear main seal, etc, etc. You'd need to narrow it down a LITTLE bit.

 

[PRIXTER1974]

I think I narrowed it down to a hose that connects the the top where the oil filter screws in. The hose looks like a radiator hose but connects to the oil fliter housing. Any ideas if this could be it and how much do you think it will cost to get it fixed?

 

[410Fortune]

Your truck is equipped with a water cooled oil filter adapter. Ford was pretty smart when they stuffed a 5.0L into your truck, and routed the lower radiator hose right through your oil filter mount. Nothing is more efficient then a fluid/fluid cooler.

You can see it here on my 96 5.0L, it is the shiny black manifold on the bottom right of the engine:

If the hose was leaking it would be leaking antifreeze.

Now the adapter that the filter screws into is bolted to the engine block and there is an O ring in there. It is possible that it has come loose a bit or developed a leak but I doubt it. I would suspect the oil filter itself, MANY times care is not taken when a filter is changed.

When changing an oil filter you must:
CLEAN the mounting surface the new filter O ring will sit flush against
Lube the new filter O ring

It is also common for the O ring from the old filter to stay behind and stick, so when the new filter is threaded on you now have two O rings. Typically this will result in more then a small leak however.

How tight is your filter?
Who did the oil change?
I like to snug my filters just past hand tight with a strap wrench (oil filter wrench)
Also I use only Motocraft filters or equivilant (they have an anti drain back valve built in and do not use a cheapo paper filter material, plus they are not $11 like a K&N or Mobil)

The use of synth oil can also help your engine leak a bit.

Check the filter first, next time you do an oil change. Snugging it up a bit if its not already tight might stop it.

 

[PRIXTER1974]

this seems to be where oil is coming from.
Just had oil changed thats where we saw fresh oil.

 

[410Fortune]

Like I said that is a water hose.
I would suspect the filter, especially if it didnt leak before and you just had the oil changed

 

[Vanquish502]

Go buy a couple cans of brake/parts cleaner and spray everything. Start the truck and climb under, you'll find the leak pretty quickly.

 

[PRIXTER1974]

It leaked before and after oil change