Video of 2.0 Ecoboost AWD Maverick underside / undercarriage and engine bay

[Delzona]

Ford has use the felt board skid panel under the engine for year they usually all have some scoops or cutouts to get air to turbo and or PTU. I agree it would be better just to be solid plastic with trap doors, but at least they aren't following some European carmakers that have no drain plug and have to be pumped out now.

I heard that somewhere about no drain plugs and having to pump out, but I thought maybe it was just on high-end vehicle. I couldn't remember where I read or heard so I didn't give it much thought, but is your what you're saying that it's becoming a trend?

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[Portcqb]

I heard that somewhere about no drain plugs and having to pump out, but I thought maybe it was just on high-end vehicle. I couldn't remember where I read or heard so I didn't give it much thought, but is your what you're saying that it's becoming a trend?

Audi has had it on some engine for years I believe BMW has it on a few also. Hopefully it won't become a trend for all of them, but it would lead to more dealer service appointments so I could see it happening eventually.

 

[JASmith]

I agree it would be better just to be solid plastic with trap doors, but at least they aren't following some European carmakers that have no drain plug and have to be pumped out now.

I actually prefer pump out method, its way easier and cleaner, but only worthwhile if the oil filter is also accessible from under the hood.

It is on the Mercedes for example, and that one is so nice you just pop the hood after driving home so the engine oil is nice and hot, loosen the oil cap, vacuum out the oil from the dipstick, and then unscrew the reusable paper filter style oil filter, pop on a new o-ring and filter, and you're ready to refill with fresh oil. No crawling under the car or ramps or anything.

Vacuum pumps are $50 on Amazon, and they make disposing of the used oil super easy too, you just bring the round canister that it pumps into to Walmart or wherever and pour out the old oil. No need to transfer it from an oil pan into the old bottles and worry about spills or having to wipe out the oil pan.

 

[Delzona]

I actually prefer pump out method, its way easier and cleaner, but only worthwhile if the oil filter is also accessible from under the hood.

It is on the Mercedes for example, and that one is so nice you just pop the hood after driving home so the engine oil is nice and hot, loosen the oil cap, vacuum out the oil from the dipstick, and then unscrew the reusable paper filter style oil filter, pop on a new o-ring and filter, and you're ready to refill with fresh oil. No crawling under the car or ramps or anything.

Vacuum pumps are $50 on Amazon, and they make disposing of the used oil super easy too, you just bring the round canister that it pumps into to Walmart or wherever and pour out the old oil. No need to transfer it from an oil pan into the old bottles and worry about spills or having to wipe out the oil pan.

So you can pump oil out of any vehicle through the dipstick? I didn't know that.

 

[Canis]

So you can pump oil out of any vehicle through the dipstick? I did know that.

Fill port… but yes, that’s how some manus do it.

looks like extractor pumps are super inexpensive nowadays and you can snag one on Amazon even.

 

[JASmith]

Fill port… but yes, that’s how some manus do it.

looks like extractor pumps are super inexpensive nowadays and you can snag one on Amazon even.

Not fill port, the extractor tube is inserted into the dipstick receptacle that goes all the way down to the oilpan.

Of course like most things, it looks like the price has gone up $10 since when I bought it. Doesn't work well on all vehicles though. I've heard of some that have oddly shaped oil pans to where the extractor will only get 95% and leave quite a lot of oil in the pan if you pull the drain plug just based on how the dipstick is angled into the pan. With modern European cars, chances are good its designed to work with an extractor and you'll have no problem, with the Maverick, someone will have to try one first and then use the drain plug and make sure a lot isn't left behind, but probably moot since you have to get underneath for the oil filter anyway.

 

[BDennis]

That was a dumb oversight to not include a quick access panel to the oil filter and drain plug for DIY oil changes. The Santa Cruz also has one of those aero shields, but two quick access panels at least.

That's a really tedious amount of bolts to remove and retighten every time to remove that big old shield.

On the other hand, it does seem to be a pretty smooth underbody which should help aero a little. The transmission tunnel also looks way more space efficient than the one on the Santa Cruz which seems crazy huge.

He makes a good point about all those wiring connectors, they are exposed to the elements. Could be a real concern for those above the snow belt that get a lot of salt on the road, might work its way in there and cause weird glitches when long out of warranty. When warranty expires I'd probably inspect all of those and maybe use some dielectric grease on em all.

He says the headlight bulbs, but he must mean the blinker bulbs as ironically as easy as those are to get to the headlights are not serviceable. On my Ram they are serviceable but you have to yank the whole damn grill out to then remove the headlight assembly to get to the bulbs. On the Santa Cruz it seems you have to turn the wheel hard and then undo the wheel well plastic to get in there since the headlights and blinkers are so low on the bumper.

Any thing like the Fusion the screws that hold the plate in place are mostly quarter turn, with two being normal screws. But damn, 16 of them…

 

[Bbot]

That was a dumb oversight to not include a quick access panel to the oil filter and drain plug for DIY oil changes. The Santa Cruz also has one of those aero shields, but two quick access panels at least.

That's a really tedious amount of bolts to remove and retighten every time to remove that big old shield.

On the other hand, it does seem to be a pretty smooth underbody which should help aero a little. The transmission tunnel also looks way more space efficient than the one on the Santa Cruz which seems crazy huge.

He makes a good point about all those wiring connectors, they are exposed to the elements. Could be a real concern for those above the snow belt that get a lot of salt on the road, might work its way in there and cause weird glitches when long out of warranty. When warranty expires I'd probably inspect all of those and maybe use some dielectric grease on em all.

He says the headlight bulbs, but he must mean the blinker bulbs as ironically as easy as those are to get to the headlights are not serviceable. On my Ram they are serviceable but you have to yank the whole damn grill out to then remove the headlight assembly to get to the bulbs. On the Santa Cruz it seems you have to turn the wheel hard and then undo the wheel well plastic to get in there since the headlights and blinkers are so low on the bumper.

Should be interesting to see the results of car washes with high pressure nozzles Spraying the underbody.

 

[altomav]

Excellent descriptions of various engine and drive train components. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Delzona]

That might

Any thing like the Fusion the screws that hold the plate in place are mostly quarter turn, with two being normal screws. But damn, 16 of them…

Maybe that's why Ford didn't do an access panel for the oil filter because the 16 screws are 1/4 turn type. Maybe an Ecoboost owner can verify.

 

[Portcqb]

That might
Maybe that's why Ford didn't do an access panel for the oil filter because the 16 screws are 1/4 turn type. Maybe an Ecoboost owner can verify.

I can't confirm on Maverick yet but it looks exactly like the 21 Escape plate that had 15 7MM screws going into metal inserts. They were many turns I used Milwaukee M12 fuel ratchet to remove them, but the positive is they were metal inserts not the red plastic Ford previously used that easily stripped.

 

[Delzona]

I can't confirm on Maverick yet but it looks exactly like the 21 Escape plate that had 15 7MM screws going into metal inserts. They were many turns I used Milwaukee M12 fuel ratchet to remove them, but the positive is they were metal inserts not the red plastic Ford previously used that easily stripped.

Thanks for the info, I guess with electric ratchet it won't be that bad taking the panel down at least the first time after that I'll see if an oil filter access panel is needed!

 

[felsf50]

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