kidtriton:

I don't understand why you say: "Its the "Max" mark, meaning when you hit it, youre dangerously high" Any manual I have read, including Fords manual clearly states that the "correct" oil level is "anywhere" in the hash marks be it the low/min, or full/max.

If it is really true that being at the "Max" mark is "dangerously" high then Ford has some major issues with their engineering and how they mark their applications to "insure" SAFE levels of fluid.

I am sorry but I just don't buy the "If its at the Max. mark that it is dangerously high, or can cause problems since no manual does NOT state "DO NOT FILL TO MAX MARK".

Fact is if your at the Min. or Max. on the dip stick you are just fine and there will be no problems. If there are any problems it is due to Ford engineering and not somebody putting in 6 or 6 1/2 qts of oil.

To back up what I have said about the manuals and not mentioning anything about NOT filling to the max mark there was a debate on here some time ago with somebody saying NEVER fill to the max mark. I have 3 Ford dealers in my area so one day I called each of them and spoke with the service managers and asked them the question about filling and how much oil. All three said it is SAFE to have the oil level anywhere between the min and max, including right to the max line and there would be no problems. They actually recommended that it be closer to the max line then in the middle to INSURE if you used any oil between oil changes you would not risk going below the min line which can be dangerious for your motor.

As far as checking or not checking the dip stick it cleary states in all manuals including the one that comes with the truck that you should ALWAYS check it on a regualar basis. I don't recall if it is every week or month but its in there. It is the most basic maintenance you can do on the truck and to not check it, in my opinion does not make much sense. The better maintained a truck or any auto is the better chance it will last a very long time.

It won't take long to do serious damage to a motor running just a "little" low on oil.

NOTE: As far as "Full" and "Max" go they both mean basically the same thing. Like a glass filled to the top with water is Full as well as Max. The top hatch mark can be considered both Max. and Full, the exception with an engine is that if you go beyond the top hatch mark Max/Full it is then OVER full or beyond Max. I wouldn't worry about customers using the term Full since it means the same when looking at the dip stick.

 

With 7 quarts my oil level is about 1/2 way up the dipstick. Also, I don't believe that all 97 and 98's came with the oil filter located behind the left rear foglight. I remember some people complaining about how difficult it was to reach the oil filter on trucks that didn't have the remote located filter. I may be wrong, but I'm sure some trucks had the filter mounted either on the engine or closer to the engine.

 

I also agree that the oil level doesn't have to come to the Max mark, but with 6 quarts of oil with the oil and filter change my truck doesn't reach the Min mark on the dipstick. I would be happy if 6 quarts were fine but it sure seems that it is almost below the Min. mark. Again, maybe it was the 5.4 that came with the remote located filter, not "relocated". Could it have been that the 4.6 has the filter located like in the wife's Explorer, where the oil runs down a plastic piece attached to the front crossmember, because it is really in an out of the way location?

 

It's my understanding that the only trucks to get the Remote oil filter located behind the front fender in were the ones with the 5.4L engine but I am not positive about that. Like i said that is what i have been led to believe. Don't think it had any thing to do with tow package and i think it may even have to be a 4x4 but again not pos. on that. That is how it was explained to me at some point. The remote filter in my opinion is in a bad place being right behind the front fender minor fender bender and oops bye bye filter even if the truck may still be driveable you wouldnt be able to just becasue of it breaking off.My truck barely get above the fill line with just 6 quarts.6-1/2 brings it up to just below the full mark.

Richard D.

https://www.f150online.com/galleries....cfm?gnum=2479

 

The remote mounted oil filter didnt have anything to with 4.6 or 5.4. It had to do with it being 4 wheel drive.

 

XLT sport, when i say dangerously high, i mean in regards to me talking to the hotline about a rough idle. I was actually on the phone with the hotline one time and the guy asked me to go pull the dipstick. I came back on told him that it was on the MAX mark, and he was like "hmm thats dangerously high enough to cuase the crank to slap the oil in the pan and vibrate" he told me to drain about a half a quart of oil and report back to him. Im that particular case, it wasnt the problem. But also we received a SSM abotu 2 years ago that stated to watch out for too much oil in these engine when diagnosing a running rough condition. It stated to observe filling capacities in the owners manual and not overfill. Im just telling you what i see from the "inside" , and not stuff from manuals. Also, i can guarantee even if you called my dealership and asked whoever you got on the phone, they wouldnt know about this condition because they dont work on them. But Im just telling you what ive been through.


Also as far as never checking my dipstick, i guess it doesnt matter for me because the last 8 or 9 trucks ive had i never put more than 3000 to 6000 miles on them before trading them. My current truck has 3500 miles on it and im having a hard time not wanting to trade it before the 2004 is available.

 

Speaking of the 2004 model the first time i saw it I was like oh crap what have they done now which by the way is the saem thing i said when the current design came out. Then i saw a live picture of one and i must say that truck is SWEET and i only wish i could afford a new one. The only thing i hope is that the rumor of an independent rear end like the Expy's have isn't true and i think i r4ad somewhere that it is goign away from the torsion bar setup in favor of a coil over design. Gues the lift companys better get busy and the price to loift a 2004 just got alot more expensive.Maybe that will make the cost of the 97-03 lifts drop inprice a bit howver i doubt it. That's what happen to the older modle lifts when the new design came out in 96-97.

Richard D.

 

I guess this leds me to the obvious question for kidtriton. Am I wrong to use the 7 quarts when doing an oil change or am I still OK since it is not indicating an overfill on the dipstick? I sure wouldn't mine only using 6 quarts of oi instead of 7 each oil change.

 

mjhpadi:

As long as your oil is somewhere in the hatch mark you will be ok. Personal I like to keep mine between 1/8" - 1/4" from the Max/Full mark of the hatch.

 

kidtriton:

Quote:

"Also as far as never checking my dipstick, i guess it doesnt matter for me because the last 8 or 9 trucks ive had i never put more than 3000 to 6000 miles on them before trading them. My current truck has 3500 miles on it and im having a hard time not wanting to trade it before the 2004 is available."

Damn your a lucky man...

 

no, just not very thrifty.




As far as everyone that puts 7 quarts in , you're fine as long as you dont notice a rough idle or vibration at idle.

But if you only put 6 quarts in, and it looks a little low on the stick, you're still fine.

 

(kidtriton no, just not very thrifty. )

No Offense kidtriton but i would have to agree with you. I know someone that does the same types of thing and he is only 26 and as filed for bankrupcy twice already. So just a word of wisdom fromm another guy be careful. Don't take this wrong i am just trying to pass on a bit of friendly knowledge having been thru money problems myself at one point in my life. But enjoy those new trucks if you can afford it I would.

Richard D.

 

Hrrm... not to jump off the subject but, has anyone else noticed that Richard D's registration date was December 1969?

 

Yeah i know i was just knee high to a grass hopper when i signed up here. It should actaully be 1996 or 1997 back when the site first started.



Richard D.