What's new
What's new

OT- Oil leak in Mercury Sable

Milacron

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Dec 15, 2000
Location
SC, USA
When I left this morning for Cleveland, my wife had already left for work and I noticed on the garage floor the oil leaks under her 2000 Sable with 105K miles, have gotten alot worse all of a sudden. Since I'm now not there to examine the engine she's gonna have to take it somewhere tomorrow and I was just wondering if any of you guys knew where the most likely engine oil leak points might be on a Sable/Taurus engine ? This is the "performance" 24 valve 6 cyl if it matters.
 
I suppose it can happen but in decades of driving, I don't think I've ever had a leak at an oil filter. Plus it's been leaking a little a long time...like before the last oil/filter change. I just kept forgetting to look under there.
 
It's usually something expensive and/or hard to fix, like a front crankshaft seal or rear main seal. Could just be the oil pan gasket or a valve cover though, either of which will sometimes quit with a little tightening.
 
There's a change up oil pan gasket for the 3.0
v6. Just did it to my '96...I believe the problem went up to 2000 or later. The pan gasket has no side lips on the front or rear part of the one piece seal..it slips either in or out of the area between the pan and timing cover or rear block area. Shine a light in the area and you can see where it has moved. Ask any parts place about the change up gasket set...it's not too hard to change, other than some of the exhaust to manifold bolts on one side, IIRC.
 
That 24 valve engine is a wicked pain to work on. Like many modern Ford vehicles, they really cram it all together. The oil pan gaskets are known to fail at the rear and they are a major job to change.

Here's hoping it's something simple, like a loose oil filter. Who does the oil changes? The local yokels at Oil Express routinely leave the filter loose on my wife's company car (2003 Sable, but not the 24 valve).
 
Wife's 2000 White Bull miscarried twice on the garage floor, which would not be noticed until the next day. Upon backing from the garage, a cup or so of transmission oil would be noticed laying on the floor.

The first time it happened, it appeared the oil had been burped out of the transmission oil dipstick filler tube. The dipstick was unseated. Oil level was checked OK, dipstick reseated and away she went.

Second event, same story. A heater hose was positioned against the yellow dipstick handle, which would evidently work to unseat the dipstick. The hose was repositioned and the springie do's on the dipstick were re-bent to provide additional friction against the seal coming unseated.

That was about 25K miles ago. Some times the blind hog finds an acorn.

J
 
If she must drive it tell her to fill it up first and then let it idle for five minutes, a big
puddle means no driving.
I have found that the best way to look for an oil leak is to warm up the engine then spray easy off oven cleaner on everything wait five or ten minutes rinse with the hose and the engine will
be spotless.
As for leaky filters go to ripoffreport.com and read the horror stories about Walmart auto service. Retards change the oil, the engine blows
and Walmart says the warranty is void because you didn't bring it back when it started to leak, big scam.
 
It could be a pinhole in the oilpan. I've done that a couple of times by hitting things on road. The holes I made were not very big but they sure emptied the pan in hurry. I got good at dropping the pan and brazing up the holes. This assumes a steel oilpan. If the pan is cast aluminum like my old Tempo the you be able to bash any Small holes in it, just big ones.
Joe
 
Oil pressure sending unit to the idiot light. Lincoln is famous for it. Leak starts as just moisture, then a small drip, then just keeps growing. It's a long slow process to full out malfunction.
 
I have had two leaks around oil filters - both after the ferd garage changed the oil _waranty work, they do the change. Another check, what color the oil and type. Put a newspaper under the engine after the day is done, and the car just stopped. helps determine loction. Maybe even some paper towels, a few layers thick.

I had a leak in the Ranger, the first couple of leaks were the filter - seems ferd filters had a problem with gaskets. The third leak, which absolutely had me irked beyond nelief, turned out to be a power steering pump. This is how I determined the issue - with paper towels and a location check. paper towels also helped me to isolate the type of oil. Not as easy as it sounds, you have to clean up the engine a bit.

Ferds are also famous for the power steering lines corroding out. My father drove Ferds, I drove a couple before becoming a CHEBY man for a few years (but their small trucks are junk - I know I will catch hell for that), then became a Ranger driver again the last five years - LOVE MY RANGER!!!!!

But I digress....ALL my ferds regardless, lost the lines in the power steering pumps at some time or another, and they started with a piddly little almost a looks like engine oil leak. All my friends who drive FERDS will relate to this, no matter the model, size or type. I think just putting the blue oval on the vehicle (even though it may be a Mazda in disguise) makes this happen.

Just an alternate thought. Ford is not generally known for gasket leaks but for the oil pan issue mentioned.
 








 
Back
Top