Oil change in V6 3.0 L
 

What is the best oil to put into a V6 3.0 L engine (Escape 2001). How many quarts do I need to buy? Is it recommended to flush the engine before pouring the new oil?

Any experience with the K&N oil filter? Is it worth the high price?

Thank you

The best grade for your vehicle is S.A.E. 5w30 just to be safe you should buy at least 5 litres of oil. first pour 4 litres in and then check the level and if it needs more add the rest. My 2003 explorer sport-trac with a 4.0 litre v6 takes about 5 litres of oil and if im not mistaken so does my 3.0L Aerostar. And About the expensive filter They dont make a heck of a difference, Instead of buying Expensive or economy filters Buy one that is mid-price range, they usually have the most value, Also they say you only need to change your filter every other oil change but in my opinion it is worth changing the filter every oil change. Some things are specificaly beneficial and others are all a matter of personal preference.

Ford specifies 5W20 (Motorcraft has a 5W20 synthetic blend that is inexpensive), but I use 5W30 Mobil-1 and Motorcraft filters. The listed capacity is 5.5 quarts. That will bring it up half way between the add and full marks on the dipstick. Six quarts will bring it up to the full mark.

If the vehicle has had regular oil changes at the manufacturer's recommended intervals, no flushing is required. On a sludged-up engine, flushing will break loose crud that can plug oil passages, causing oil starvation and engine failure.

If you cut a half inch hole in the plastic cover below the engine directly in line with the oil filter, you can then put a 3/8s extension through the hole to a end cap oil filter wrench for easy filter change.. let it cool down a bit before removing the filter.. some oil will drip on the exhaust pipe. If you do it when the oil is just warm you can unscrew the filter with your hand and hold it upright. You will then not spill much oil on the pipe (and everywhere else) that way..Careful the pipe and the oil can burn you if it is too hot....

Thank you all of you. The information has been very useful.
Regards, buzo-ech

As 428 Cobra Man....
 

You should know the benefits I found with the Mobil 1 Oil Filter I put on my '69 428 CJ Mach 1. My at idle Hot Oil Pressure used to drop off to single digits while using a Fram HP-1 oil filter. Now it's up to Over 30psi with the Mobil 1 #M1-301 with significant gains over the entire RPM range until of course, the Oil Pump Bypass opens.

Oldest revived thread award?

Fram - a name that never touches any of my vehicles.

Award?
 

What's The Prize? A Case Of IPA's ? ;-)

Don't mind me I'm Just Thirsty....

You won't get any IPA's from Texas, only Pearl, I think. As far as Fram, I used them and any other on sale for 20+ years and 250k for my Vulcan. They may have degraded quality or content over time, but I haven't take any apart to check. I won't tout them, but will not ding them either. They served my purpose reasonably well.
The pressure results for the Mobil-1 filter may be anecdotal, as in a 'one off', not proven by a survey of a reasonable size. We do not have a list of the same experience by other customers, so meh.?
tom

It would be hard to have a large sample survey because not too many have a 428CJ in their truck. The reason I used to use the Fram HP-1 was for the Burst Strength Rating as I ballooned regular oil filters at High RPMs. I generally don't like Fram Filters as I have opened one up after a New Build Break In, and I was not impressed.

If we ever cross paths I'll buy ya a beer!

I've never had anything that needed a high burst strength but didn't care for the inside of fram either. I like the Purolator One filters. Used them on my last vehicle for over 130k.

Do you really need enough oil pressure to come close to or actually burst an oil filter? There must be some tradeoff point where you have too much pressure, or not enough flow. The limited flow also limits ability to carry off heat. I talked to a mechanic years ago that built engines to race on dirt tracks. We talked about clearance, and he stated that he would run the clearance looser than stock, and had a hard time building pressure when the engine was at low rpm. I halfway remember him taling about warming it up, and possibly switching to a higher viscosity when they went to race, but it's been a lot of years.
I kind of have gone to Purolator or Motorcraft when I buy vehicle filters. Fram, I bought a closeout at Sams or Costco and have a half-dozen that I will use up eventually or not that fit the Vulcan. At a quarter million miles, I can look into the filler cap opening and see the rocker arms, and top of the head. Has a 'gold tone' of, I assume, varnish, but is not in any way sludged. My pop's T-bird at 5 years old, a 352, had so much sludge under the rocker arm covers you could not see the arms nor the rocker shaft. The rockers had 'chambers' where they moved that were clear of sludge, but the rest? Whoo, get out the spatula and putty knife, and scoop it off like frosting. That was at about 65K miles, FWIW. At that time, I started to get interested in cars & engines, as the Mustang was brand new, and interesting, along with 289 Cobras and 406 drag cars without rear seat... at the dealer I'd wander into on the way home from school. Good ol' days, as they say.
tom

I was in San Antonio back in the late 70's for training during my Military Days. Pearl and Lone Star were OK, but this my first duty station where I could get Coors! I don't drink that anymore. If we ever cross paths I'll buy the Pearl until we FALL OFF OUR STOOLS!

I just did an oil change on my wife's Subaru that had a Mobil 1 Filter. I'm going to cut it open. I'll post what I find.

Cheers, --- Jim