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JERRY P · 02-15-2015, 06:01 PM

I have a 1997 Pace Arrow Ford F53 with an sudden serious oil leak that I am having trouble sourcing. It appears to be coming from the oil filter adapter just above a box related to the cooling system. Does anyone have any experience with this problem? Have any of you ever had to remove the oil filter adapter? Looking for advice.

jplante4 · 02-15-2015, 06:49 PM

Did you just change the filter? If so, maybe there are 2 filter gaskets in there.

Cudntherd · 02-15-2015, 07:16 PM

I would clean the area and run the engine to determine where the leak is originating. On some Fords the Oil Pressure sending unit is above the oil filter. It may take a special socket to remove and replace the sending unit.

Cudntherd · 02-15-2015, 07:27 PM

The link below if from the 460 Ford Forum. It is a post about a the Oil Filter adapter and gasket.

Oil Filter Adapter gasket. - 460 Ford Forum

JERRY P · 02-15-2015, 08:26 PM

Thanks, jplante4 and Cudntherd. I did recently change the oil & filter, but that was nearly 300 miles ago. And I did clean it all up and run the engine to try to determine the source of the leak. It seemed to be coming from the adapter, but now that I think about it some more, maybe I need to aim higher. I will work on it again and report back with findings. Thanks for your advice!

Turbofans · 02-16-2015, 04:42 AM

We have the same year/chassis/engine... I would be interested in this outcome...thx

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'97 MACA (Shurley)

Jarhead0331 · 02-16-2015, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbofans

We have the same year/chassis/engine.

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'97 MACA (Shurley)

Same here. Plus I'm getting ready to do my first oil change.

98FPA · 02-17-2015, 05:54 AM

Yeah, I too seem to have a very minor leak in the same area. I was thinking it was the cooler but I'm not really sure if it is and/or what to try to repair? I'd appreciate any thoughts as well.

JERRY P · 02-20-2015, 03:30 PM

I changed the o-rings between the oil cooler and the oil filter adapter, and I think I have solved my leak! It was a very difficult job, because there is just so little room to maneuver and get the parts properly aligned so that the bolts would go back in. Done!

98FPA · 02-20-2015, 04:52 PM

Interesting Jerry, did you take any pictures? Did you have to take oil filter adapter off? Any tips to help tackle the project? About how long did it take?

I wonder if you may have received more responses if this would have been posted in the Ford chassis forum.

JERRY P · 02-21-2015, 08:47 AM

If you're just going to replace the o-ring seals between the oil cooler & the oil filter adapter (a good first step if you suspect that's where your leak is), there are just two bolts you have to remove. Separate the parts just a little, replace the seals, and re-connect with the bolts. If you don't disconnect any radiator hoses, they'll help keep the parts lined up so that they go back together easily. The nightmare comes in when you get those two parts out of alignment, because there's just no room to maneuver in there. I changed a radiator hose and took the oil cooler out to inspect it, but then I kept damaging the new o-ring seals when I would try to put the parts back together. Keeping the alignment straight is the key.

Billy A · 06-07-2015, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JERRY P

If you're just going to replace the o-ring seals between the oil cooler & the oil filter adapter (a good first step if you suspect that's where your leak is), there are just two bolts you have to remove. Separate the parts just a little, replace the seals, and re-connect with the bolts. If you don't disconnect any radiator hoses, they'll help keep the parts lined up so that they go back together easily. The nightmare comes in when you get those two parts out of alignment, because there's just no room to maneuver in there. I changed a radiator hose and took the oil cooler out to inspect it, but then I kept damaging the new o-ring seals when I would try to put the parts back together. Keeping the alignment straight is the key.

Having a problem myself. I wanted to change the lower radiator hoses on my 1993 f53, One hose (between water pump and oil cooler) had no clearance and could not go on with cooler connected. So I removed oil cooler too and I found my o-rings had broke during this ordeal also and now need new ones. Did you buy factory or aftermarket and if so, can you provide me part numbers or the size that you used? This would save so much time as I have been under this truck for two days now.

JERRY P · 06-08-2015, 07:52 AM

Billy A -- I couldn't find any o-ring seals that were rated as oil seals, so I went to O'Reilly's and found o-ring seals from an air conditioning kit that were the right size. I tested them in oil over a period of time to make sure they would hold up under that environment, and they did. I've driven the motorhome over 2400 miles since that repair, and the leak did not return. It was a bugger to put all that back together, so I am happy to not have to do that again!