I'm trying to determine how much oil my '01 E250 is using. But the dipstick has 2 different sets of marks. One is a crosshatch section, the other two holes spaced apart about an inch.

Why are there 2 sets of marks?

Does one set indicate 1 quart? Which one?

- Thanks

 

What engine?

Our yellow handle dipstick is the same. I dont think I’ve seen it to the top of the crosshatch let alone the top dot after pouring in 6qts.

Sixto
07 E350 5.4 198K miles

 

It's the 5.4L. I don't know.. I'm assuming one of the sets of marks denotes 1 quart, but maybe neither one does. I checked the owners manual and it doesn't provide that kind of detail. I guess next oil change I'll bring it up to the bottom mark, add 1 quart, and see where it ends up.

 

The crosshatch marks always were one quart, and should be on that 5.4 stick too
Not real sure about the holes, but most likely just to hold some oil on the stick so you can see it better (like if the oil is real clean)

 

Thank you. Based on the crosshatch, looks like I use 1 quart in approximately every 6000 miles. Does that sound excessive? Mine's an 2001 E250, 130000 miles.

 

Do you compare how much you drain vs how much you fill? Don’t forget what’s in the filter.

Does it drop evenly between oil changes or is it stable then drops quickly? Dropping quickly later could be oil degradation.

We change Mobil1 5W-20 at 5000 miles. It drops some particularly with heavy freeway runs but not a quart and I don’t add oil between changes.

Sixto
07 E350 5.4 198K miles

 

I carefully fill it to just below the top hole. I do this after running it a few minutes to ensure the filter is full. Oddly yes it seems to stay topped, then drop off faster after the first 2000 miles or so.

I'm curious if 6000 miles per quart is low, typical, or high for this engine (5.4L 2-valve) and its age (130,000 miles).

 

Try a poll in the modular V8 forum:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum48/

Dealers/manufacturers typically don’t take warranty action until consumption is a quart in a thousand miles.

I think it’s higher than our 5.4 but it’s not apples-to-apples since we change sooner than you.

Sixto
07 E350 5.4 198K miles

 

No, not excessive. Even double that is not excessive. One quart in a thousand miles is excessive oil consumption

 

I'm running a '05 5.4 w/311K and according to the FSM it takes 7 quarts with filter.

The oil should be in the hash marks, not below, that means you a quart low. I'm running Mobil1 5w-20 and burn 1 quart every 2K mostly highway driving.

 

Hmm… we must have the extended ground clearance shallow sump option. Owner manual says 6qts for our ‘07 5.4 (all gasoline engines). No mention of filter. I don’t have a ‘07 FSM to compare.

To the original question, manual says oil level should be between the dots. Nothing about hash marks. Also says don’t add oil when level is between the dots.

Sixto
07 E350 5.4 198K miles

 

Rule of thump has always been, +1 quart for filter........just saying.......

The 20+ times I've changed the oil in this '05, in the past 8 years, always with Motorcraft filter and 7 quarts of Mobil 1.

I had a '94 351W with an oil cooler, that took 6.5 quarts on a change w/filter.

 

I missed that rule of thumb. Other manuals have oil capacity specs with and without filter. This one has one number for gasoline engines (4.2, 5.4, 6.8?). I’m inclined to believe Ford was under pressure to reduce the environmental footprint and revised the printed spec to 6qts without changing dipstick.

That said, I’m curious what the ‘07 FSM says about oil capacity.

Sixto
07 E350 5.4 198K miles