that was a bot from another auto maker...he should have just done it on the premise that he doesn't work for ford...

btw, nice emoticon, looks really familiar...idk why...

 

Don't take your truck to Jiffy Lube. They do not know what they are doing. We have already had a thread about Jiffy Lube. There were a lot of horror stories. Jiffy Lube might even leave the old filter on, if they cannot remove it.

 

After my third oil change I routinely checked the level at home. Surprise, it was an inch above full. Called the dealer and he said "bring it back." Next day, after a conference of mechanics and managers under my hood, they appologized and gave me a freeby.

I have a 4.6 in '04 F-150. They dumped in an extra quart thinking it was a 5.4. They said it wouldn't harm the engine! I then showed them the owner's manuel expressly forbidding overfilling. To which, they grudgingly agreed.

I think I will do my own oil changes from now on. Or, paste a sign under the hood indicating the size of my engine.

 

Just remember stuff happens. We had a guy come in for tires on his 99ish durango, and we just as a courtesy (and to make money) check out the rest of the vehicle. I opened up his airbox and where the filter was supposed to be was just the wire mesh skeleton and the gasket. A mouse had eaten away the rest of it and made a mouse nest in the air intake pipe. The guy said he had just had his oil changed at the dealership 3 days ago. Just goes to show you that even dealerships do plenty of slack work.

Even so i cant believe they messed that one up. Not like its a secret what engine is under the hood.

The Newer 5.4's take 7 right, and the 4.6's take 6, and the 4.2's take 7? What was the 6 to 7 changeover year for the 5.4's?

 

2004 was the year for the changeover I believe. That's when the 3v 5.4 was released in the new body style.

the 400s filter is the one I had picked up the first time. thanks for the clarification john.

any oil change place is suspect. I just always check my vehicle before I drive it off. my vehicles only see an oil place when I'm deployed or right about to deploy anyways. I try to minimize the visits.

 

I'm with you on the oil changing places being weird...I actually write my mileage on my filters...lol

Thank You for your Service to this country...

 

thank you, now I'll just keep my fingers crossed that a Navy Sub Base will open in Galveston so I can get back home...well, no one said I couldn't dream.

 

I live half way between Houston and Galveston (Clear Lake). The sub base was cancelled and they went with a family fun water park instead. Defense spending will always lose to entertainment around here. They moved the National Guard air wing from Ellington field to San Antonio with the intention of turning Ellington into a space camp Disney attraction. Go figure...

 

Does anyone know what the size of the factory filter is on the 5.4? I mean the motorcraft filter 820 is 93mm 36 flutes and is to big for the filter from the factory. I got a change coming up soon and I already tried the wrench I bought specially for this situation, but it only fits the 820.

I don't wanna have to go to the dealer for a oil change, so if anyone could tell me the size of the factory filter, I'll go out and get that wrench.

 

i just use a standard band wrench on mine...its perfect...

 

In most states, the law states that any additive required to keep a product under warranty must be provided by the manufacturer FREE OF CHARGE. Mercedes ran into this issue a few years ago by insisting that their cars had to be filled only with Premium Unleaded to keep the warranty. Same old BS.

 

Holy torqued on oil filters, batman! You guys weren't lying. Was finally able to get the biatch from above with one of those cinchy band type wrenches and a 3 foot piece of aluminum pipe slipped over the handle. That is freaking ridiculous.

 

I just changed mine tonight and yes, confirmed, that filter is a PITA. That damn fan shroud kept cutting into my hand. Why don't they use the FL820S at the factory? The stock one doesn't have the indentions on the end so a filter socket won't work.

 

I can't help it..


hahahahahahahahah...I told you so

 

Well I am still alive and my truck is still running. I also did my first oil change yesterday. I figured since it was Sunday and if I messed up anything to bad I could go to the parts store and square everything away before work on Monday so I would not be walking...if you'll read close I'll share with you my exploits:

I was well armed with information and details of the many souls who have gone before me and changed their oil for the first time themselves. Needless to say I was determined to do the first change myself since I have been no stranger to doing my own oil changes since the begining. I could not see giving the dealer a cent to do a task that I could do myself regardless of how tight the filter was. These guys on the forum they must be weaklings or have the wrong tools...the filiter can't be that tight come on, I'll get it off no sweat (this is me preping myself up).

Having a bucket load of tools and oil filter wrenches one is bound to fit. I had bought a new 93mm 36 flute oil filter only to learn on here that Ford did not use a regular FL820 from the factory. So here I lay on my back with every tool imaginable determined not to let this filter out due me, since I am man, I am the superior being, the truck is only a machine.

Having removed the air induction garbage, I was ready to roll. Laying on my back and with the first attempt and pull on the filter I could sense I was in real trouble Real trouble. I took a few more pulls before I finally realized that the folks on the forum who had gone before me were absolutely right....then I remembered a post I had read the the forum where the guy used his cup filter he had bought for the FL 820 and forced it on the factory filter and then eased off the tight filter. Boom it worked I was still the superior being.

Getting the filter off without to much trouble was cool my chest was stuck out and I was yet again in charge. With the filter removed and the new FL 820 installed I have ensured myself that there would be no more episodes of this nature in the future.

Putting the drain bucket under the truck and loosening the oil drain plug...in my mind it was just at that point I realized that the engine was hot, the oil was hotter, my drain bucket was for a 5 quart capacity and my truck held 7 quarts all this flashed through my mind as the final turn was done on the plug and the oil started to drain into the bucket at a relatively fast pace.

Can you ingine what I was thinking at that point as I watched the bucket get that much closer to capacity before it overflowed onto my nice clean driveway...well it does not take a superior being to realize what will happen if you try to stick the drain plug back into the pan while the oil is coming out full force still.

My kids are engrossed into their tunes so loudly that there is no use in yelling for them to bring me something anything and by the time I got out from under the truck to get something it would be too late anyways. Mine you all this is going on in my head in the split seconds before.

Needless to say all I could do the superior being was to watch as roughly 2 quarts of used oil free flowed all over my driveway and down the driveway...other than that I had a pleasant oil change experience....NOT.

Moral...all the things you read here especially the things that folks have done before you are absolutley correct and noteworthy of paying attention too. In addition please make sure that your oil drain bucket has a capacity larger than 5 quarts!!!!!!