OEM 2003 Ford Taurus Oil Pan

2003 Ford Taurus Oil Pan Parts Q&A

• Q: How to service and repair the oil pan on 2003 Ford Taurus?

  A: Service and repair of the oil pan begins with disconnecting the battery ground cable and raising the vehicle. Begin by taking out the dual converter Y-pipe and after that remove the starter motor and unfasten the engine rear plate bolt. Use a drain pan to remove engine oil before you uninstall the 16 oil pan retaining bolts along with the oil pan gasket. Surface cleaners should be used to cleanse the areas on the oil pan where seals will rest. The new oil pan gasket requires placement on top of the oil pan during installation. Failure to attach the oil pan within four minutes requires removing the sealant completely while cleaning the sealing area to complete dryness. The procedure includes applying silicone sealant in two locations where the cylinder block connects with the front cover also in two more places where the rear main bearing cap links to the cylinder block. The 16 oil pan bolts should be tightened according to a three-step method: first tighten the four corner bolts to 12 Nm (9 ft. lbs.), then move to the remaining bolts starting from the back end to the front end and tighten each one to 12 Nm (9 ft. lbs.), after this complete a full bolt tightness check. Install the engine rear plate along with its bolt as well as the starter motor and dual converter Y-pipe. Reconnect the battery ground cable when the vehicle reaches its normal position. Add clean engine oil before starting the engine at normal operation while confirming the cooling fan activation at least one cycle before shutting down the engine. After repositioning the vehicle you will need to tighten all oil pan bolts for 12 Nm (9 ft. lbs.) starting at the back then check the oil pan gasket alignment before the final vehicle lowering.