Oil Mystery on a 97 GT

96Mystic1189 · Jun 25, 2015

Hey guys I just bought this 97 GT to daily drive while I restore my mystic. I have read several arguments about how much oil a non pi car actually needs or holds. Everybody fights between 5 and 6 quarts. However my issue is that when I put 6 quarts in the car, the oil is only 3/4 of the way on the stick. What's the deal here guys, any insight?

mcglsr2 · Jun 25, 2015

So, sort of off topic - I don't know much about NPI (or PI for that matter) engines - but why would there be a debate? I would go by what the Factory manual says the capacity is.

Back to your question, if you put six quarts in, and that's the proper amount, and your dipstick is only showing 3/4", and there are no pools of oil on the ground below your engine, then your dipstick must be reading incorrectly. For whatever reason, it's not seating fully into the oil pan (this is assuming you are reading the dipstick correctly, which I have no reason to think you aren't).

So you fill it up, and then immediately check? Or drive around, and then check? If the latter, are you certain you aren't leaking the oil out as you drive?

96Mystic1189 · Jun 25, 2015

This was right after I changed it, I started it to let the oil circulate through the filter and then shut the car off and checked it like 15 minutes later to let the oil drain back down. The owners manual calls for six quarts but when reading about it on other forums people were ready to fist fight over whether Ford was wrong and it only needed five instead of six. Honestly I just want to be sure I'm not doing damage either way.

mcglsr2 · Jun 25, 2015

Weird - the more the better, assuming it doesn't get over-filled. If it can take 6, you would be better off putting 6 in than 5. But I don't know the argument there or the backstory, so I will just <shrug> If the manual says 6, you should be fine with 6. Lots of broken engines and lawsuits if 6 is really over-filling it, and I don't recall any so I think you are fine.

It's possible it still hadn't drained all the way back down yet. Let it sit for a little longer, like an hour maybe, then check again.

lwarrior1016 · Jun 25, 2015

manual calls for 6 but I used to run more like 7 in mine. Then again, I had an oil leak and just felt like having more in it.

blackdemon007 · Jun 25, 2015

Assuming a stock oil pan and factory dipstick tube, then it's really your opinion on what to do. Personally I prefer to run what the manual states and say **** the dipstick reading.

The manual for my 98 states 5 quarts and I've been running that for 50000 miles with no issues. (bought the car with 140000 now at 195000)
However, I also run AMSOIL full synthetic and perform oil changes somewhere between 5,000 to 7,000 miles.

JerZeyStangz · Jun 25, 2015

Mine is 4 speed auto and it takes 6.5 because it comes with a factory oil cooler. So if you add the oil cooler, oil filter and oil pan it goes past 6 quartz to reach the max line. For a manual car it would be less because some of those didn't come with a cooler from the factory.

lutter94 · Jun 25, 2015

What does a tranny cooler have to do with engine oil?

lwarrior1016 · Jun 26, 2015

lutter94 said:
What does a tranny cooler have to do with engine oil?

Im pretty sure he is talking about an engine oil cooler. I guess that was an option on the auto cars because the torque converter holds heat and they think itll heat up the engine oil???

lutter94 · Jun 26, 2015

lwarrior1016 said:
Im pretty sure he is talking about an engine oil cooler. I guess that was an option on the auto cars because the torque converter holds heat and they think itll heat up the engine oil???

Interesting, learn something new every day.

96Mystic1189 · Jun 26, 2015

My manual car has a oil cooler.

mcglsr2 · Jun 26, 2015

96Mystic1189 said:
My manual car has a oil cooler.

Is it located on the underside of the bumper, parallel to the ground (meaning it's facing the ground)? If so, that my friend is a power steering fluid cooler and NOT an oil cooler. I have one as well. And I do not have an oil cooler.

I am pretty certain (though of course could be wrong) that these cars did not leave the factory with an oil cooler unless they were installed afterwards at the dealer. I don't even think the Cobra's and their ilk had an oil cooler. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

JerZeyStangz · Jun 26, 2015

lwarrior1016 said:
Im pretty sure he is talking about an engine oil cooler. I guess that was an option on the auto cars because the torque converter holds heat and they think itll heat up the engine oil???

Bingo!

96Mystic1189 · Jun 26, 2015

My cobra and my GT both have oil coolers, the oil filter screws onto it and they are mounted to the block.

96Mystic1189 · Jun 26, 2015

You can google search images, they are infamous for leaking.

mcglsr2 · Jun 26, 2015

96Mystic1189 said:
My cobra and my GT both have oil coolers, the oil filter screws onto it and they are mounted to the block.

Huh. From the factory? I was mistaken then, I stand corrected. Sorry about that!

JerZeyStangz · Jun 26, 2015

mcglsr2 said:
Is it located on the underside of the bumper, parallel to the ground (meaning it's facing the ground)? If so, that my friend is a power steering fluid cooler and NOT an oil cooler. I have one as well. And I do not have an oil cooler.

I am pretty certain (though of course could be wrong) that these cars did not leave the factory with an oil cooler unless they were installed afterwards at the dealer. I don't even think the Cobra's and their ilk had an oil cooler. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Just saw this, I have been on the forums for over 10 years and I've seen a handful of auto cars come with oil coolers like mine. I have no idea if it was a option but I could look at my sticker sheet that I got from the original owner. I know some sn95's didn't come with them and those were the manual cars. You had a option to get one from Ford I believe if you bought 5 speed car, but it was standard on the auto. The 4R70W trans belt a lot of heat and I can feel it right next to my leg after 40+ min drive. I plan on buying a deeper pan to lower the temps and when the trans get built I am going to put some heat protection in the trans tunnel.

mcglsr2 · Jun 26, 2015

JerZeyStangz said:
Just saw this, I have been on the forums for over 10 years and I've seen a handful of auto cars come with oil coolers like mine. I have no idea if it was a option but I could look at my sticker sheet that I got from the original owner. I know some sn95's didn't come with them and those were the manual cars. You had a option to get one from Ford I believe if you bought 5 speed car, but it was standard on the auto. The 4R70W trans belt a lot of heat and I can feel it right next to my leg after 40+ min drive. I plan on buying a deeper pan to lower the temps and when the trans get built I am going to put some heat protection in the trans tunnel.

Are they oil-to-water coolers? Are they using the coolant to cool the oil or are they airflow? After the previous response I did some digging and saw that some Cobra's came with oil coolers as well, integrated in as part of the water pump I think.

JerZeyStangz · Jun 26, 2015

mcglsr2 said:
Are they oil-to-water coolers? Are they using the coolant to cool the oil or are they airflow? After the previous response I did some digging and saw that some Cobra's came with oil coolers as well, integrated in as part of the water pump I think.

Thats a good question. I'm guessing coolant cooled but I could be wrong, when I do a oil change soon I will take a closer look.

lwarrior1016 · Jun 26, 2015

Yes they were an option, and yes the coolant flows through the oil filter housing/cooler and is supposed to cool the oil. However, in my opinion, that piece wouldn't do much for cooling for the simple fact that it is so small and the coolant that is running through there will already be 200*. Honestly, I don't think its worth having a cooler unless it is remote mounted and something that has a little size to it.