Ronin Oil Drain Plug

[JAJ]

...Just what is so unique about the 350 oil pan?...

It's "so unique" because it's bolted onto a 5.2 liter Voodoo FPC engine.

As @pilotgore said, it's a different engine design than the Coyote design and it behaves differently. It's not a "my engine is better than your engine" debate, it's a "my engine isn't the same as your engine" issue.

The many differences between the two engine types arise from design choices that FoMoCo engineers and Ford Performance engineers each made a decade or more ago. Each of the two engine types is designed to excel at meeting the design goals set for the vehicles that it's used in, and both perform as designed.

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[JAJ]

It's pretty clear to me that several things may contribute to after market oil drain plug ejection, including:
1. Vibration
2. Heavier part
3. Inadequate locking mechanism
4. Differential expansion/ contraction of dissimilar materials.

For the small cost of using OEM replacements every 2 or 3 oil changes and the fact that you can't see the plug unless you're under the car, the risk isn't worth it.

With all of the incredibly smart folks on here, I'll bet that most can figure out how to change the oil without making a mess using an OEM plug. Even me, as crazy as I may be, can lift the car, put a bucket under there and pull the plug without spilling a drop of oil (admittedly the oil filter is a different beast). My Mustang is actually one of the easier cars I've owned to change oil.

Interesting thread, though, for sure!

I'm not sure about late-model Coyote engines, but the GT350 oil pan has the oil drain pointed straight back at the back of the engine. With the engine hot, if you just take the plug out quickly, the oil shoots about three feet, maybe four feet back before it hits the ground.

To catch it, I've used two different approaches over the years. The one that I use most is to just hold my 12 quart drain pan up in the air so the oil stream lands in it from the start. I lower it as the flow slows and finish with it on the floor under the car as the stream ends.

The other method is simpler but it takes longer. Wait for the engine to cool and drain the oil when it's cooled or even cold. Because it's not hot, you can hold the drain plug (with your hand) just out of the drain to control the flow so that the oil falls straight down. It's tedious but it works.

In either case, I have a 2016 so it have to change the oil filter when the engine's warm (otherwise you don't get the correct torque on the spin-on filter). By the time I've changed the filter I just want the job to be done, so I do the "hold the pan in the air" approach and I get most of the oil into the pan with the occasional small mess.

 

[sox3]

I'm not sure about late-model Coyote engines, but the GT350 oil pan has the oil drain pointed straight back at the back of the engine. With the engine hot, if you just take the plug out quickly, the oil shoots about three feet, maybe four feet back before it hits the ground.

To catch it, I've used two different approaches over the years. The one that I use most is to just hold my 12 quart drain pan up in the air so the oil stream lands in it from the start. I lower it as the flow slows and finish with it on the floor under the car as the stream ends.

The other method is simpler but it takes longer. Wait for the engine to cool and drain the oil when it's cooled or even cold. Because it's not hot, you can hold the drain plug (with your hand) just out of the drain to control the flow so that the oil falls straight down. It's tedious but it works.

In either case, I have a 2016 so it have to change the oil filter when the engine's warm (otherwise you don't get the correct torque on the spin-on filter). By the time I've changed the filter I just want the job to be done, so I do the "hold the pan in the air" approach and I get most of the oil into the pan with the occasional small mess.

My method is a bit different. I use a 3/8 drive extension bar that is 2 ft long, easy to control initial flow out of pan and then remove after a minute. The plug stays on extension bar. No mess so far.
Replace plug after 3 changes.

 

[Skye]

I use a 3/8 drive extension bar that is 2 ft long, easy to control initial flow out of pan and then remove after a minute. The plug stays on extension bar.

$h1T! It's like so obvious, once explained. As opposed to holding your fingers against the hot-oiled drain plug.

 

[moby4dick]

I’ve been using this https://www.amazon.com/GarageBOSS-R.../dp/B07DXGRG1J/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pb_opt?ie=UTF8

It has an extendable wide funnel that reaches up to the oil pan. I drain the oil warm but not hot, no spillage at all (unless you forget to open the small air vent and it backs up…)

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I’ve been using this https://www.amazon.com/GarageBOSS-R.../dp/B07DXGRG1J/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pb_opt?ie=UTF8

It has an extendable wide funnel that reaches up to the oil pan. I drain the oil warm but not hot, no spillage at all (unless you forget to open the small air vent and it backs up…)

Would be nice to see a video. Trying to picture any way that would catch the initial rush from factory plug removal and the decreasing stream as the oil drains. I would imagine the range distance would be several feet. If funnel was any smaller doesn't it require guessing where to place it for plug removal and then moving it to match the dwindling stream? Would be easy if drain plug was vertical but is horizontal.

Not suggesting that still isn't a good option if someone doesn't want to use a drain valve for any reason.

 

[moby4dick]

Would be nice to see a video. Trying to picture any way that would catch the initial rush from factory plug removal and the decreasing stream as the oil drains. I would imagine the range distance would be several feet. If funnel was any smaller doesn't it require guessing where to place it for plug removal and then moving it to match the dwindling stream? Would be easy if drain plug was vertical but is horizontal.

Not suggesting that still isn't a good option if someone doesn't want to use a drain valve for any reason.

Don’t know if there are any videos but all I do is raise the funnel to about the same level with one side just back of the plug and all of the stream stays in the funnel area. It DOES work, and I’ve never had a cleaner oil change process. The container is sealed, I bring the whole thing to an oil reclamation location and pour it out. Just need to wipe down the funnel and the extension tubes.

 

[1 old racer]

Back when I used a factory plug I used to place a piece of cardboard on my steeda subframe brace and let the oil fly out the oil pan, hitting the cardboard and right down into the drain pan. Never had a mess doing it that way.

 

[tosha]

I'll just leave this here:

I've been using the bucket on moving dolly when changing oil for past couple years and I am yet to see a single missed drop of oil. No need for stupid plugs that fly out, no need to hold the drain pans. Just open the plug and it all dumps right in. Works well for used oil storage as well.

 

[Coosawjack]

EXACTLY how I do it tosha....NO MESS!!

 

[Egparson202]

Quickjacks seem to be helpful in this method.

 

[Coosawjack]

VERY HELPFUL!!

 

[JAJ]

I'll just leave this here:

I've been using the bucket on moving dolly when changing oil for past couple years and I am yet to see a single missed drop of oil. No need for stupid plugs that fly out, no need to hold the drain pans. Just open the plug and it all dumps right in. Works well for used oil storage as well.

I'm glad that works for you. If I did that with mine, I'd have a couple of quarts of oil on the floor behind the bucket. That would work for me if the engine was cooler. I have the Steeda cross brace on my car and the oil hits it at the beginning of a drain.

 

[tosha]

I'm glad that works for you. If I did that with mine, I'd have a couple of quarts of oil on the floor behind the bucket. That would work for me if the engine was cooler. I have the Steeda cross brace on my car and the oil hits it at the beginning of a drain.

You can see steeda k-brace on the pictures as well. It does not overshoot the bucket as long as it's high and close enough to the pan.

 

[Strokerswild]

I may go back to a plastic plug, y'all making me nervous. I had Zero issues with a Ronin on my Gen 3 Coyote F150 in 100k miles, changed every 5k like clockwork. Have had the Ronin in my Mustang for 4k so far, will be doing the first change soon. I don't ever do track days though, I wind it out at least once every drive but don't push my car hard at all so I might be OK..

Main reason I had it on my F150 was the oil stream hit the sway bar and made a HUGE mess when draining, there isn't any obstruction on the Mustang so not a big deal on it. I've got a big long pan so catching the oil isn't a big deal, plus I don't change my oil on it that often. I was changing the oil in my F150 every 2 months for a while

Yes on the bold. A curse on the engineer that put the sway bar directly in the path of the drain oil.

I had the Ronin on my '19 F150 (5.0) for several years without issue, from 100 degree temps in summer to -25 in winter. I eventually replaced it with a Femco for the simple fact that their plug has locking tabs similar to the OEM plug. The Femco is working fine also.

I'd wager that the increased mass of the aftermarket plugs combined with the weirdo Voodoo harmonics is the issue on GT350s.

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