I work part time at a lube rack and I was just wondering what everbody's thoughts were. The 4.6/5.4L capacity is 6 quarts. It takes almost 7 to get it to the full mark. We called ford a long time ago when the first 4.6L trucks came out in '97 and they said that they were wrong and they were working on it. It's 2002 and they are still wrong. I just think its funny how a company that makes great motors can't engineer a correctly marked dipstick.

 

Whoever you spoke with at Ford gave you some slightly erroneous information. A few 5.4L engines came with a mis-marked dipstick but 99% of them are correct. Six quarts puts the level right in the middle of the range marked min/max. The oil level doesn't have to be at the top of the range.

 

Even though the hash marks are considered safe, every engine ever made other than these have been considered full when they are at the full mark. Ford says that it is overfull when it reads full on the stick. If what you are saying is correct then it is out of limits (unsafe) if it is a half quart low?

 

Well I can't say much about the markings Because when I change the oil I just replace 6 qts, let her run for about 5 minutes to make sure the filter is full and then sit for a couple more to let the oil "settle" back down into the pan while I check for any leaks before checking the level again and adding about 1/3 to 1/2 qt to get it in the middle of the range.

I will say the I think the dip stick SUX though, at least mine does. I just don't like the spirl twist and rivets in the stick as it is a little cumbersome to wipeprior to reinserting. Why can't they just make them straight without the twist like they used to?

 

Amen!!!!!!I have the same problem wiyh my 98 F-150 5.4 v8 . It's stupid to think that they can't properly install something as simple and important as the dipstick. I have the same problem with mine and i just use 6.5 qts to fill my truck on oil changes. I put a 1/2 qt in the filter and the other 6 in the pan. maybe one day they will give us the right dipstick.

 

you are gonna cry about a dipstick marked incorrectly.....boohoo get over it city boy