Not another oil thread...

gt_thunder

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Hey all. As I'm sure you're aware, there has been an ongoing debate on whether or not our cars take 5 quarts or 6 quarts of engine oil.

I personally have taken a look at all the threads I could find on this topic, and i have realized one thing. Nobody really has much to back up their choice in how much oil to use.

Here is what I've come up with.
Some say 5 quarts, some say 6. But, I find that the majority say that Ford made a change to the recommended amount of oil used in I believe 02. Stating that it had been found that with only 5 quarts it was possible that, in high G turns, the oil couldn't be fed through the system properly causing starvation issues. Thusly they changed it to 6 quarts.

Problem is I have found absolutely nothing from Ford stating this. I even contacted a Ford service center and they informed me they put in 5 quarts.

I had decided to take the majority's vote and put in 6 quarts when I realized that after putting in only 5 quarts with a filter change, my dipstick reads well over max oil capacity. Causing me to be hesitant as to whether 6 quarts is safe at all. I mean, why am I reading over max with 5 quarts in the first place?

So my SN95 family, let's figure this out and back up our answers with logical and proven information so we can put this thing to rest.

[emoji106]

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gt_thunder

gt_thunder

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Totally forgot to add that I have a 99 GT. I imagine this is necessary info. [emoji4]

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mcglsr2

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5 or 6 is pretty much irrelevant IMO. The answer is fill it up until the dipstick reads full. Remember how much you put in. That's how much it takes.

Unless you use a vacuum pump or something (and even then) you aren't going to get all of the previous oil out. There will be a little left. IMO, don't sweat whether it's 5 or 6. Buy 6 quarts, keep putting it in until it's full (according to the dipstick) and then just remember that. Of course, always check the dipstick after a refill to make sure you are good. Overfilling a little is okay, overfilling a lot could cause problems. (Obviously under-filling is not good.)

I think you see the debate online (I have done searches for this answer in the past too) because everybody's car is a little different, and they drain the oil a little different (perhaps). Some cars might need almost 6 to read full. Others might need only 5.
 
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gt_thunder

gt_thunder

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5 or 6 is pretty much irrelevant IMO. The answer is fill it up until the dipstick reads full. Remember how much you put in. That's how much it takes.

Unless you use a vacuum pump or something (and even then) you aren't going to get all of the previous oil out. There will be a little left. IMO, don't sweat whether it's 5 or 6. Buy 6 quarts, keep putting it in until it's full (according to the dipstick) and then just remember that. Of course, always check the dipstick after a refill to make sure you are good. Overfilling a little is okay, overfilling a lot could cause problems. (Obviously under-filling is not good.)

I think you see the debate online (I have done searches for this answer in the past too) because everybody's car is a little different, and they drain the oil a little different (perhaps). Some cars might need almost 6 to read full. Others might need only 5.
Any idea why my dipstick is reading overfilled with only 5 quarts?
I drained as much as possible out of her before refilling.

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lwarrior1016

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I always run 5w-20 full synthetic, 7 quarts. Ive never had an issue because of oiling. This has been done in my daily drivers that see lots of stop and go traffic and when the car was running it saw a lot of interstate time and was driven pretty hard.

Dipstick variances will change how they read. Honestly though, 1 quart over isnt enough to hurt anything. I would drain it, add 6, let it go.
 

mcglsr2

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Any idea why my dipstick is reading overfilled with only 5 quarts?
I drained as much as possible out of her before refilling.

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It could be lots of things, variance and tolerances at the factory when assembled, build-up in the oil pan, you are checking it before all the oil has fallen back down to the oil pan, you are jacking up the car such that all the oil doesn't drain out, etc.

It could be lots of different things. If it's reading over-full at 5 quarts my guess would be that not all of the oil was drained out before refilling.

But it's fine, like said, if it's a little overfull, don't worry too much. Ultimately you don't want your crank and rods to be hitting the oil in the oil pan (will increase drag on the motor and whip up the oil to frothiness).

I think every car probably reads a little different. Just pay attention to your dipstick and you will be fine. Think of it this way: if you add a remote oil filter, and an oil cooler, now how many quarts does it hold? The cooler holds some additional amount, and the lines to and from hold additional oil. The easiest way to know what your "new" capacity is is to just fill it up till it hits the dipstick, drive it around to get the cooler to open (assuming it's on a thermostat), check your dipstick again and top up if necessary. In other words, go by your dipstick and don't sweat it ;)

If it really bothers you, get an aftermarket oil pressure gauge. Fill it up and pay attention to the oil pressure. As long as it's in the correct range (not too low, not too high, and doesn't go too low on hard corners) you are golden.
 

96blak54

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My 5.4l takes 8guarts when dry. Let the engine sit over night, then check the oil. Allowing enough time for drain back should give you an answer. When then engine is warm, make sure its 5quarts, I can promise you, 6 quarts cold is fine.
 

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