was out looking around underneath the hood today...and holy cow is the dipstick hard to get to! my truck has the 5l and is a 4x4 so it sits fairly high. but, man did ford bury that dipstick! also, i can't believe how much dirt and water is able to get all the way up onto the valve covers! i don't remember this being an issue with my '05. i think they need to put some extra wheel well shielding up front so this doesn't happen so easily. any ford engineers listening ???

otherwise, awesome truck and i don't regret trading one bit!

 

Mine doesn't seem to get much dirt and water up into it but now that you said something I'm going to go look.

 

ya that dip stick does suck.

 

how tall are yal?

 

6'1"...and still have trouble getting to it!

 

Reaching The 2011 5.0 Dipstick To Check Oil

Most have trouble with the location of the Dipstick on the new 2011 5.0. I found that you can pull the dipstick out and check the oil no problem and put it back in no problem through the fender well on the drivers side. This can be done by gently pulling it just up and over the small U joint on the steering collum shaft and out the opening in the fender well. Then when putting it back in all you have to do is get the end of the dipstick back in the hole with your finger tips and it goes right back in easily, no problem. It's kinda of a odd way to pull the dipstick but it works just fine when your a shorter guy like me.

Take Care All
Bill G77

 

I'm 6'2" and prefer to lean over the Radiator support.

 

Well I am 5'8" and that don't work so well for me, so the way I listed above works great being short in stature. If I was taller things would be diffrent.

Take Care,
Bill G77

 

imagine the possibilities

 

I think the possibilities would be endless.. First off my pant legs would be longer He He!!!

Take Care,
Bill G77

 

Well at least you can still get to it.

Won't be long before they'll need a special tool from Ford for $200 and have to be put on a hoist to get anywhere near the oil stick.

 

Who knows. Maybe Ford will just delete the oil dipstick in future models like they have already done with the transmission dipstick.....

 

Well now I found one advantage to a lowered truck.

 

IMO the 2011 5.0 engine compartment is the cheapest looking one out there complete with crappy foam over injectors for noise which will get filthy and the alternator on bottom of engine which will get full of mud and water and blow up some I have read r already had to replace alternators ford is just cutting too many corners for a 40K truck

 

Hopefully my new FX4 will have the front plate underneath that blocks some of the splashing?