At the risk of being slayed by all the overzealous Ford gods, I am going to ask this question. I have a 2004 SCREW with the 5.4 Triton, I religiously change my oil at 3000 mile intervals, constantly checking level between changes. Motorcraft 5w-20 , 7 quarts with Motorcraft filter, my level is always full and I never add between changes. When I change the oil I always put the waste oil back into the new oil containers. So, here is the question... why do I only get 5 quarts of old oil out of the engine? I have had the truck for 5 years, no issues other than what we all experience....... I have asked around different places and got the deer in the headlights look every time. I figured I would leave this one to all of you....

 

Well...for one it's not physically possible to have 7 quarts of oil in your engine, drain only 5 quarts, then add 7 quarts, and still only have 7 quarts in your engine.

That being said, assuming you are not spilling 2 quarts of oil and not noticing it, and you are including any oil from the filter in your measurement of used oil, I would say that perhaps your dipstick reading is not 100%?

 

It can't be the dipstick, not if this is happening every time.
The first oil change you drained 5 and added 7. Then the next you drained 5 and added 7.. That would be 9.then you drained 5 and added 7, now you are at 11qt.
Every oil change you are loosing 2 qt somewhere. I suspect the filter as already stated, residual oil left in drain pan, some residual oil left in the motor (possibly overfilled) and your motor Burns a little bit.

 

I'm not saying there is a problem with the dipstick, I'm saying maybe he isn't reading the dipstick correctly. I think we agree that he is losing oil between changes.

 

My bad, I thought you were blaming the dipstick.
Definitely something has to be wrong

 

All good points which I agree with, but 2 quarts?? And you would think after 5 years with residual oil in the engine it would be overfilled... I really am not looking for a logical answer, I realize it is a far fetched question that will eventually get alot of negative feedback.. I guess I am just looking for anyone else that may have noticed this or am I just monitoring too closely?

 

Sadly, I have not done an oil change on my truck yet....personally. They have been done, just at the dealer until the power train warranty is done. I wanted a paper trail "just in case". But I will remember this because doing my own oil changes is right around the corner

 

Most oil containers don't come full to the top, are you filling yours up to the top? Every time I change my oil I get out about 7q when you count the oil in the filter-some of which isn't coming out.

 

When I buy my oil I always get the 5qt. Jug then two singles. I have never filled the 5qt. Jug ever with the old oil.