Stupid question time - rusty oil pan

[dhermesc]

I have an old F700 Ford that had the 391 engine replaced with a 330 V8. I changed the oil in it the day we bought it and I recall the oil plug had an issue but have since forgotten it - was changing the oil last night and suddenly remembered. There are barely any threads left in the pan for the plug and you have to be very careful to tighten it just enough to seal -without stripping out the few reaming threads. Jumped on Ebay and found a used oil pan with the full length sump for $65 (includes shipping). Only problem is this oil pan has been off for years and has a fair amount of rust. Clean it with steel wool and rinse with diesel fuel or should I even touch it and just leave well enough alone?

 

[bc]

I don't know. Maybe spray it with WD. Going to get an oil coating anyway.

At least your question is less stupid than a bunch of others here. About a 1 on the 1 to 10 stupid question scale.1 being the least and 10 the most.

 

[teddy52food]

I would just put in a self tapping oversized oil plug.

 

[DRussell]

I have an old F700 Ford that had the 391 engine replaced with a 330 V8. I changed the oil in it the day we bought it and I recall the oil plug had an issue but have since forgotten it - was changing the oil last night and suddenly remembered. There are barely any threads left in the pan for the plug and you have to be very careful to tighten it just enough to seal -without stripping out the few reaming threads. Jumped on Ebay and found a used oil pan with the full length sump for $65 (includes shipping). Only problem is this oil pan has been off for years and has a fair amount of rust. Clean it with steel wool and rinse with diesel fuel or should I even touch it and just leave well enough alone?



View attachment 81694

I'd go over it with a wirebrush on a drill to remove as much loose particles of rust as possible, then rinse the loose particles off and install it.

 

[stevieb49829]

Or uses Scotch brite pads to assure yourself there is nothing loose on the surface to contaminate your oil. Steel wool tends to leave steel shavings in hard to reach areas such as your baffles. Scotchbrite, air and multiple rub downs with engine oil until your towels come back clean. steve

 

[bc]

Or maybe thread a reducer bushing with loctite or jb weld into the bottom of the pan. Sounds like you haven't bot the ebay pan yet.

 

[MJMJ]

I would just put in a self tapping oversized oil plug.

I would do this as well. They also make "universal" plugs or this very reason.

 

[Janicholson]

I don't know. Maybe spray it with WD. Going to get an oil coating anyway.

At least your question is less stupid than a bunch of others here. About a 1 on the 1 to 10 stupid question scale.

Not a flame. Normal WD is not an oil. It evaporates to nothing in 10 days or so. There are several WD Products now some may be conventional lubeish stuff. some are PTFE dry lube, and some penetrating oil (actual). Jim

 

[bc]

Not a flame. Normal WD is not an oil. It evaporates to nothing in 10 days or so. There are several WD Products now some may be conventional lubeish stuff. some are PTFE dry lube, and some penetrating oil (actual). Jim

I meant the penetrating oil.

Thanks. Guess I can rank my answer as an 8 on the 1 to 10 stupid answer scale.1 being the least and 10 being the most.

 

[timcasbolt]

I would just put in a self tapping oversized oil plug.

same here

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I have an old F700 Ford that had the 391 engine replaced with a 330 V8. I changed the oil in it the day we bought it and I recall the oil plug had an issue but have since forgotten it - was changing the oil last night and suddenly remembered. There are barely any threads left in the pan for the plug and you have to be very careful to tighten it just enough to seal -without stripping out the few reaming threads. Jumped on Ebay and found a used oil pan with the full length sump for $65 (includes shipping). Only problem is this oil pan has been off for years and has a fair amount of rust. Clean it with steel wool and rinse with diesel fuel or should I even touch it and just leave well enough alone?


This steel rim was solid rust. Notice the rust pits.
View attachment 81694

 

[rustred]

I have an old F700 Ford that had the 391 engine replaced with a 330 V8. I changed the oil in it the day we bought it and I recall the oil plug had an issue but have since forgotten it - was changing the oil last night and suddenly remembered. There are barely any threads left in the pan for the plug and you have to be very careful to tighten it just enough to seal -without stripping out the few reaming threads. Jumped on Ebay and found a used oil pan with the full length sump for $65 (includes shipping). Only problem is this oil pan has been off for years and has a fair amount of rust. Clean it with steel wool and rinse with diesel fuel or should I even touch it and just leave well enough alone?



View attachment 81694

give it to old and he will fill it with vinegar! actually now he said vinegar dont work in his 88. just use scotch brite pads and yes spray it with wd while using the scotch brite pad. the rust will come off. and also a person could buy oversize rethread plugs back them . think they came in 3 sizes. A, AA. AAA, something to this effect from what i remember.

 

[bc]

give it to old and he will fill it with vinegar! actually now he said vinegar dont work in his 88. just use scotch brite pads and yes spray it with wd while using the scotch brite pad. the rust will come off. and also a person could buy oversize rethread plugs back them . think they came in 3 sizes. A, AA. AAA, something to this effect from what i remember.

Auto parts stores and amazing sells them. SAE and metric.

 

[Brown David]

I don't know. Maybe spray it with WD. Going to get an oil coating anyway.

At least your question is less stupid than a bunch of others here. About a 1 on the 1 to 10 stupid question scale.1 being the least and 10 the most.

It's not a stupid question if you don't know the answer.

How is one supposed to learn about procedures, etc? Should they just blunder blindly ahead and potentially destroy something or should they ask for advice before acting?

No one knows everything, although some think they do.

 

[Duner Wi]

If you want rust reduced or gone check out electrolysis.

 

[shaun wallace]

Muriatic acid , CLR, Kaboom will take a bunch of it off but will rust back to that if not oiled . Actually over time oil will clean up some of the oxidation in it.

 

[bc]

It's not a stupid question if you don't know the answer.

How is one supposed to learn about procedures, etc? Should they just blunder blindly ahead and potentially destroy something or should they ask for advice before acting?

No one knows everything, although some think they do.

I was making a joke based on what the op titled his thread. I've read a lot of the op's posts and he is pretty sharp with tractors and things. Similarly I think he was making a joke when he came up with his thread title.

 

[Randyscottsboro]

Carry it to automotive machine shop and let them bead-blast it and run it through the hot washer tank.

 

[urbancase]

fill with 5-10% phosphoric acid in about 12 hours it will be clean, rinse apx 2 times and dry. then coat with oil and like new. i do the same with motor blocks in a tank and some times take a few days to clean, then the blocks i dip in a RP for a day.

 

[Brown David]

I was making a joke based on what the op titled his thread. I've read a lot of the op's posts and he is pretty sharp with tractors and things. Similarly I think he was making a joke when he came up with his thread title.

Maybe so.

My thoughts on so called "stupid questions" remain the same though.