Explorer ST Oil Starvation Problem and How to Fix It

Hello everyone! Today we will be going over the Explorer ST oil starvation problems and ways to fix it. Enjoy!

The Problem

As the Explorer ST platform was pushed into faster and faster quarter miles, an issue arose. Adam at ZFG Racing noticed a sharp drop in oil pressure during hard launches, causing oil starvation. The problem was attributed to be two things.

First, and the main cause for the problem, is that the oil pickup is on the front of the oil pan. Under hard acceleration, the oil is forced towards the back of the pan. Secondly, since the stock oil pan is not baffled, it cannot even attempt to hold the oil towards the front of the pan.

The Fix

So to combat that problem, Brett Fenning at FenFabrication worked his usual magic, and developed a extra-capacity baffled oil pan. It proved successful, eliminating the oil starvation problem.

When should you consider a FenFab oil pan?

So when should you consider getting an FenFab oil pan? For basic bolt-on Explorer 3.0L’s, you should be fine forgoing the FenFab unit. For those pushing the platform, I highly recommend you upgrade the oil pan. As always, pay attention to the oil pressure numbers and datalogs.

Preventative Measure for OE Oil Pan Users

If you are not experiencing any oil starvation problems, a easy preventative measure to make sure you don’t experience any oil starvation is filling the 20-24 ExSTs with 6.5 quarts of oil instead of the Ford recommended 6 quarts of oil. The 2025 model year Explorer 3.0L actually updated to a recommended 6.5 quarts of oil, all the while not changing the oil pan.

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