Getting my crankcase cleaned-up, and wanted to check on the use/purpose of two screws on either side of the drain plug. Don't know what purpose they serve. Can anybody please tell me what these are for? Thanks!
Those are rivets,and they hold the small plate above the drain in place.
Okay, thanks. Mine are straight slotted screws with gaskets, that held nothing in place. No plate was mounted there. Must've been removed at some point, and the screws just plugged the holes. Are the plates necessary and available from the vendors? What's their function? Thanks again.
I suspect the void that is created by the slotted plate is to trap crud that will come out when you change oil. Mine caught a rivet head from the brake drum which was in the process of failing. I heard it fall into the drain pan, I'm sure this warning prevented a major on the road failure.
Thanks. I've checked the vendor sites, but can't seem to locate one of these plates. My pan had no plate, just the two screws to plug the rivet holes. Any ideas? I'll put one in if I can find one, but maybe they're not available.
Dave... its been out this long, don't worry about it. If you ever drop a band nut or washer into the sump, you at least have some chance of retrieving it from above or below. Just trying to see it in the slot is a whizzer. Put a screen and magnet under the top inspection plate and call it a day!
And now for the usual sarcastic half of the answer... Put some JB weld on the slots and sand them round. The judges will never know, unless that is, they take a boroscope and inspect those rivets from the inside, then you don't get the $6.00 trophy! ;-)) ws
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That plate is part of the crankcase, so I wouldn't expect to find one by itself.
It creates a low turbulence pocket for unwanted stuff to fall into. Ford thought it was a good idea.
You could make one from sheet metal if you want to. I don't think it would be necessary. Maybe someone will post a photo. If it were mine, I would put new rivets in the holes and braze them in place and go on down the road. While the pan is off, I would also braze all the pan rivets for the arms from the inside.