Oil Change 2.3L: Drain Plug and Oil Filter Torque Spec?

[kodiakisland]

I dont think in fact I-know I have never spec torqued an oil filter or plug in 40 years. I like to live life on the edge

Yeah, snug on 40 years of oil changes works just fine.
And removing the filter on the 2.3 is easy. Reach through the wheel well with a normal filter wrench and it comes right off. 5 minutes total time to replace. Nothing to remove. Nothing to Jack up. No mess.

With just the liner pushed to the side with your arm as you reach in. Plenty of room.

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[Dingbat]

What’s the deal with the oil plug on the 2.3? I see it included in kits and tutorials that say it need to be changed with each oil change.

Is this true? Can it not be re-used?

 

[0ne]

What’s the deal with the oil plug on the 2.3? I see it included in kits and tutorials that say it need to be changed with each oil change.

Is this true? Can it not be re-used?

Oil drain plug too??!! Like every removable piece of hardware is one time use on these things!!

 

[Donkeygyrl]

1900 miles today ,literally one of the easiest jobs I've ever done my freakishly long and strong arms were able to get filter off easy no tools.
The hardest part was cleaning the channel of used oil .

 

[SPITmadFIRE]

After a couple of changes, I totally agree. I do not have freakishly long arms, however, and need to use a filter socket and extension through the wheel well with the front wheels turned. Still the easiest oil change I’ve done by far, given the ground clearance on the Badlands.

Correctly aligning your bucket to catch the oil, and cleaning the oil chute are definitely the most challenging parts of the job (not very). I definitely didn’t make a small mess last time by placing the bucket under the wrong oil drain chute…

 

[indio22]

Changed my 2.3L oil today for the first time. I found it easier to remove and install the oil filter from underneath. Using left arm to reach up to the filter, from inside the frame rail.

The oil channel thing was nice in terms of catching oil from the filter, first vehicle I've had equipped with that.

(Thanks @SPITmadFIRE for the info on how to crank without starting the engine.)

 

[Donkeygyrl]

If you don't clean that channel real good next day you back out and see a drip on floor

 

[Brian_B]

Changed my 2.3L oil today for the first time. I found it easier to remove and install the oil filter from underneath. Using left arm to reach up to the filter, from inside the frame rail.

I usually do it while rotating the tires - makes it really easy when the tire is out of the way to just slide the felt to the side a bit. Enough room to get a filter socket on it if you have to as well.

Yeah the channel is nice once you learn where it spits out at. I can never seem to get it right from memory and thank god for all those damn amazon boxes I keep around just to throw down.

 

[BlueWaffle]

What’s the deal with the oil plug on the 2.3? I see it included in kits and tutorials that say it need to be changed with each oil change.

Is this true? Can it not be re-used?

I believe it's only the 2.7s that have the French AF single use drain plugs

 

[Brian_B]

I believe it's only the 2.7s that have the French AF single use drain plugs

I'm not positive on the 2.3, but there are a lot of drain plugs - like on the diff and transfer case - that Ford calls "single use" just because they have a bit of pipe dope / teflon pre-applied on them, or the dirve line bolts because they have some thread locker on pre-applied them. So it wouldn't surprise me if they did the same thing with the oil drain plug.

 

[BlueWaffle]

I'm not positive on the 2.3, but there are a lot of drain plugs - like on the diff and transfer case - that Ford calls "single use" just because they have a bit of pipe dope / teflon pre-applied on them, or the dirve line bolts because they have some thread locker on pre-applied them. So it wouldn't surprise me if they did the same thing with the oil drain plug.

I'm relatively sure the 2.7 oil plugs are like... plastic? lol. So I'd imagine that would definitely be single use. Anything thats metal I'm gonna run over and over cause there's no reason not to

 

[thesocalexplorer]

I'm relatively sure the 2.7 oil plugs are like... plastic? lol. So I'd imagine that would definitely be single use. Anything thats metal I'm gonna run over and over cause there's no reason not to

I'm in the same boat. I just inspect the rubber gasket and make sure it's still decently pliable. Worst case, it'll weep a bit and I change it out the next time around. Heck, I used to even reuse the felt/paper toyota drain plug gasket for nearly a decade when I had my previous toyotas without issue.

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