E450 Lube-Oil-Filter Notes
Today was the Dreaded Day. Actually it went pretty well...
The Filter FL820S looked too big in diameter for the typical strap wrench but it wasn't and came right off. Much more oil comes out with the filter because of the oil cooler plumbing that it screws onto. Be ready for that.
The Oil didn't make much of a mess either. Odd plug size though... 16MM or maybe 5/8" but both wrenches were really snug. I went under with two ordinary plastic drain pans and switched before the sump was empty, but really wouldn't have had to.
Dipstick was halfway between Full and Add, but I only got about 5 quarts out. So far only 6 quarts to fill it. I was planning on 7 so I'll bring some with me.
Lifted one front tire at a time off the ground with a 5-ton bottle jack. Not at all difficult. Noted with pleasure that the "flat spot" on the Duravis radials was only about 1/8" after sitting two months. I had replaced the balljoint and steering linkage grease fittings with angled ones pointed in strategic directions. My big "alemite" grease gun went right on. Very easy to grease everything.
Next I crawled under the rear with all my big wrenches, say 13/16" up to 1", to check the rear axle. Crawled back out to get a 1/2" ratchet to drive the square-recessed plug. Axle full.
Now the FUN! On most E450s and the E-SuperDuty, the parking brake's driveshaft mounted. That brake, furnished by ZF if I remember correctly, has its own lubricant supply. That lube is a few ounces of automatic transmission fluid. The plug's on the driver side, above the cable bracket. 17MM or 11/16" socket and extension. Good news and Bad news in one phrase: It was FULL! Actually a little over so it gushed out on the brake, me, and fortunately the heavy plastic tarp I'd spread under it. Wouldn't hurt to change that fluid, but there's no drain plug so it'd take a siphon or slurp gun and I had neither. I was just happy to get it checked. From what I've read, its front seal tends to fail and the fluid disappears into the automatic transmission. Then the brake's bearings fail and the parts are very expensive. E450 is the only truck they've built with the ZF brake and I hear newer ones don't have it. I think that's good.
By the way, our driveshaft hasn't been rebuilt, so no grease fittings there. So the Good/Bad/Ugly. Not that bad all in all, just be prepared for a spill.
The Filter FL820S looked too big in diameter for the typical strap wrench but it wasn't and came right off. Much more oil comes out with the filter because of the oil cooler plumbing that it screws onto. Be ready for that.
The Oil didn't make much of a mess either. Odd plug size though... 16MM or maybe 5/8" but both wrenches were really snug. I went under with two ordinary plastic drain pans and switched before the sump was empty, but really wouldn't have had to.
Dipstick was halfway between Full and Add, but I only got about 5 quarts out. So far only 6 quarts to fill it. I was planning on 7 so I'll bring some with me.
Lifted one front tire at a time off the ground with a 5-ton bottle jack. Not at all difficult. Noted with pleasure that the "flat spot" on the Duravis radials was only about 1/8" after sitting two months. I had replaced the balljoint and steering linkage grease fittings with angled ones pointed in strategic directions. My big "alemite" grease gun went right on. Very easy to grease everything.
Next I crawled under the rear with all my big wrenches, say 13/16" up to 1", to check the rear axle. Crawled back out to get a 1/2" ratchet to drive the square-recessed plug. Axle full.
Now the FUN! On most E450s and the E-SuperDuty, the parking brake's driveshaft mounted. That brake, furnished by ZF if I remember correctly, has its own lubricant supply. That lube is a few ounces of automatic transmission fluid. The plug's on the driver side, above the cable bracket. 17MM or 11/16" socket and extension. Good news and Bad news in one phrase: It was FULL! Actually a little over so it gushed out on the brake, me, and fortunately the heavy plastic tarp I'd spread under it. Wouldn't hurt to change that fluid, but there's no drain plug so it'd take a siphon or slurp gun and I had neither. I was just happy to get it checked. From what I've read, its front seal tends to fail and the fluid disappears into the automatic transmission. Then the brake's bearings fail and the parts are very expensive. E450 is the only truck they've built with the ZF brake and I hear newer ones don't have it. I think that's good.
By the way, our driveshaft hasn't been rebuilt, so no grease fittings there. So the Good/Bad/Ugly. Not that bad all in all, just be prepared for a spill.
