Do you ever check it after sitting for a few hours?

 

BWAHAHAHAHAHA !! I remember as a kid the peace corps commercial, I think that's where I first heard the half glassed phrase,,,,,,,

Umm, toilet paper ? I may have left it off my list, but I have it, bowhunter you know, gotta be ready just in case I see a monster 6X6 off on a distant mountainside and am on my way to the public restroom. I mean who wants to make this choice; chase a bull elk around or visit the loo ? Not a pretty picture is it, with a roll of charmin in the back, and my Martin Bow I'm all covered, so to speak if that opportunity ever arises.

I used to buy 7 qts, and fill with 6.5, old habits die hard, so I still buy 7 but only open 6. The bad thing is 6 quarts barely shows on my dipper-stick. So half a quart low is off the stick, so then what ?

 

We can mail each other the left overs....?

 

can I get in on that? I use Castrol dino... 5w30.

Back to the original topic, is this really true that some of us can get 7qts into a V10 that the owner's manual says only 6qts, and the dipsticks are this far off? A full quart across the range? Or are there three different dipsticks out there, and they're mistakenly cross-referenced as the same?

 

I have a local fast lube joint in my hick town that I let do a change every other time between my dealer services (I own 5 vehicles).

Last week I was in town getting supplies for a weekend trip. So for the first time with the 05 KR I stopped in for a guickie oil and lube job (typically $29.99) And as is my custom, I asked Jody (a toothless giant 380lb 5 foot 3 guy I know now for 10 years) to please make sure the FL820s was prefilled before being spun on.

OK that is cool and he has the munkey pre fill the filter and then set up 7 quarts to fill er up.

I corrected Jody and said it will only take 6.5... Jody gets the "this is what I do for a living " look and tells Manuel 7 quarts...

so I got my biggest "Old First Sergeant I got your *** now" grin out, and I ask Jody if he is a betting man?

Sure enough he says, whats the bet... I said if the 6.5 I suggest will fiill it up then the lube is free... if it takes all seven (7) then I will pay double....

I left with a free MC 5W20 oil change, window wash, top off fluids, check air and new Motrorcraft filter!

OH yes! I slipped Manuel the oil munkey a ten spot as a tip.

 

your to much fred. congrats on the free be.

 

Well OK, so what actually IS the correct amount ? I used to do 6.5, because that registered halfway up the dipstick. But then I read of the crank whipping the oil if it's too full, and I read of catastrophic damage from low oil, like the poor people with the MH.

Art, you do 5W-30 ? you guys, doesn't Ford recommend 5W-20 for all years V-10 ? Wassup ?

 

There was a motorhome thing, where they put in the wrong dipstick, and I think it could be a quart low from that or something, but that was long ago.

The owner's manual says 6qts, and if it is between the LOW and FULL, leave it alone. Following that advice, I do not get that PUFF of blue smoke after short startups. I have gotten it once or twice, but it's very rare, compared to before when I used to fill to the full mark (6.5qts).

Yes, I use 5w30 - my two 4.6L's in my '96 t-bird and '97 cougar took 5w30. The first V10's used 5w30. I think up until 2000? My 2001 was made in 10/2000, and there was no engineering changes that I could find that changed clearances, or anything else.

So, I stuck with 5w30 - the "mileage" thing, emissions, etc that Ford said was the reason they changed didn't sit well with me. The Ford stuff I read didn't really talk about the engine NEEDING 5w20, more like they changed across the board and "didn't notice any different in longevity" - humph... If I had a new 3-valve, damn sure I'd be using 5w20, because it was engineered with 5w20 in mind (if that makes a diff), head design, etc, little more going on under the valve-cover, etc.

Besides, it had 5w20 in it from the factory. At 250 miles, I changed it to 5w30 and the motor was MUCH QUIETER. Really, MUCH quieter. I never went back. Now, with 20K miles on it (but 60K miles worth of hours/RPM), everything is fine. (timing chains were noisy, I know the sound - like a Triumph TR7 running 10w30, you can hear the large timing chain whirring, use 10w40 or 20w50, and it went away).

Disclaimer: I am not telling anyone to use 5w30, just explaining why I do

art k.

 

I have not seen much difference to my ear in 5W-20 and 5W-30, but I always get a little clackety noise on cold start-up that goes away, then it's quiet. I was using Mobil 1, but noticed after 6.5 quarts that it was always low a half quart after 2-3K miles. At 6 quarts it barely registers on the stick, so how will I know if it's .5 quart, or 3 quarts low ? (I'm playing the dummy here, I'd know from my engine clattering, running hot, etc) My 98 calls(ed) for 5W-30, but after reading everyone's opinions here, and reading Ford's suggestion to go to 5W-20 on all V-10's, it seemed prudent. Summer time I can't stand it and usually switch to 5W-30 in the past. But I think I'm going to ride it out and stay with 5W-20 for this seasons towing, vacationing and hot rodding duties. I'd like to maybe go to a full syn if a 5W-20 was around. But so far I've not seen any major brands in that weight.

 

I'm with Art, I filler up with the 6 qts and leave it alone. Thats what the manual says. I am also using mobil 1 10-30 syn and havent used any oil yet. I did recently move back to new england so we'll see what happens this winter.

Brian