AL or plastic pans Which is better?

[scrantch]

The 17 Fuspo had a plastic pan, liked the drain plug but didn't keep it long enough to have any trouble. The 18 SHO has aluminum oil pan with steel drain plug. Guess you gotta be very careful not to ruin the pan's threads. It also has the old school spin on filter.

 

[krewat]

I'd go with aluminum all day long... if you're not over-tightening the drain plug, it's not a concern.

 

[Johnbigdog]

I prefer no oil pan as a dry sump will allow the engine to run with the car inverted. Don't ask about my plans.

I recall that spin on oil filters are newer tech then cartridge. Their is no chance to ruin an engine with a spin on due to forgetting a drain back o-ring or breaking a cap (internally). If you double gasket a spin on, you know it. If it's too lose, you know it. If the spin on is on too tight, you can damage it on removal no problem.

Drain plug vs quick turn. Well, it's hard to break a metal drain plug. That takes talent. If any threaded fastener is installed properly and torqued properly you should have no issue hot or cold. Plastic oil pans first came out with Ford on the 6.7L engine. I recall they may be aluminum now.

At the end of the day, I wouldn't not buy one becuase of one or the other, however I know the 2.7L and 3.0L engine may have a problem with sealing the oil pan properly. Hopefully a new oil pan will come out soon.

 

[Eric Morris]

Ford had issues with the plastic pans in the new 3.5 EB and 2.7L EB engines. They went back to aluminum mid 2018 on the 3.5L EB- problem solved.

You are doing something seriously wrong if you are stripping out 1/2" of threads with an oil drain bolt.