I am changed the oil for the first time on the wife's 2003 Taurus which we bought about 2 months ago with 7000 miles on it. The car has the Vulcan 3.0 liter V6, and the owners manual states that with a filter change this engine holds 4.5 Qt. So that's what I put in, but when I ckeck the level on the dip stick, it shows half a quart low. What's the deal here, is the owners manual misprinted or what? Should I go ahead and dump in the other half quart? BTW, I decided to use M1 0w-20 with a motorcraft filter. Thanks for your help.
Ford Taurus owners, Help!
- Thread starter marshall25
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Yes fill it to the full mark on the dipstick. The owners manual for a couple of my vehicles give a capacity of "4-1/2 to 5" quarts. Sorta vague, I know, but then some dipsticks have an "OK" range on them, instead of a definitive "full" line. Put in the 1/2 quart and worry no more.
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Which MC filter did you use? If it's a FL400S you would probably be at the 4.5 cap. If you used a FL1A (which probably fits)..you may show low. Either way ..top it up to the full mark and be happy.
We have the same car, I noticed the same thing. I still put in 4.5 until I back it off the ramps and check it. I got a great UOA with the Mobil 1 0w-20, it's posted in the UOA forum.
There are tons of factors that can effect how much oil it takes to fill the car. Filter dimensions, drain time, change procedure, ect. Believe it or not the most common mistake is leaving some oil in the bottles. I've seen it make a half quart difference.
-T
-T
"Patience, grasshoppuh."
marshall:
Not to worry...the owner's manual for my Dad's '99 with the same motor says the same thing. Most owner's manuals also say something like: "All levels approximate" or "Final level to be determined by dipstick reading" or similar wording...
One more word of advice: the Taurus is an excellent car, but the transmissions are the weak point. Be sure you change the fluid (and filter) every 30,000 miles MAX, more often if you drive it hard, pull any kind of trailer, or regularly have a full load.
P.S. Good choice on the oil and filter!
Not to worry...the owner's manual for my Dad's '99 with the same motor says the same thing. Most owner's manuals also say something like: "All levels approximate" or "Final level to be determined by dipstick reading" or similar wording...
One more word of advice: the Taurus is an excellent car, but the transmissions are the weak point. Be sure you change the fluid (and filter) every 30,000 miles MAX, more often if you drive it hard, pull any kind of trailer, or regularly have a full load.
P.S. Good choice on the oil and filter!
What's wrong with being right in the middle? My old 2000 F150 specified 6 quarts, and that put it right in the middle of the dipstick. I left it there. Never had a problem with that in 84,000 miles and good analysis results. It never burned a drop either.
Just put your 4.5 quarts in and leave it. I would rather have it be in the middle than have it get too full and risk having it whipped into a froth by the crankshaft counterweights.
Just put your 4.5 quarts in and leave it. I would rather have it be in the middle than have it get too full and risk having it whipped into a froth by the crankshaft counterweights.
Really, you people obcess way too much. Anything above the add mark is ok.
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Do they still have the "Safe" mark on there? This would make sense if they just got rid of the "Safe" and just put the range to keep it between. Too many centrally dispensed bulk systems would overfill the crankcase (they've probably gotten better at it). They probably got too many customer complaints ..and the engineers in responce just put the max mark on the stick instead and spec'd the amount of oil is supposed to be in there.
So? You make that sound like such a bad thing!
[ November 17, 2004, 11:11 PM: Message edited by: Gary Allan ]
Marshall25. I have the opposite situation
with my BMW. My manual states a capacity of
6.5 litres or 6.9 qts. At those amounts the
dip stick would show over by 1/4 of an inch.
To bring to the full mark, only 5.8 litres
or 6.2 qts. is needed. My other cars (GM),
I put the amount in the manual and it's
right on the full mark.
with my BMW. My manual states a capacity of
6.5 litres or 6.9 qts. At those amounts the
dip stick would show over by 1/4 of an inch.
To bring to the full mark, only 5.8 litres
or 6.2 qts. is needed. My other cars (GM),
I put the amount in the manual and it's
right on the full mark.
Overfilling it is worse than putting it in the middle, that's why. In an engine that didn't burn a drop of oil, I was perfectly fine with it being in the middle. It would have been a waste of money also to fill it up to the top because I would have had to crack open another quart of M1.
Why do you think it's not fine to be in the middle? It's not low, it's in the normal operating range. People should be checking their oil at every gas-up anyways.
Thank you. I would suggest that filling it up all the way to the top mark on the Ford actually makes it a 1/2 quart high!
Well, i know our 89 Ford Aerostar, with the same 3.0L took 5 quarts. It been awhile though... that car is long gone.
According to my owners manual ('94 Ford Taurus), it's okay to have the oil level up to the F in Full on the dipstick - this is about a half a quart more than the 5 quarts it takes to get it to the full line. Any more and it warns of oil burning and engine damage.
I have fought this question for about 3 years with my Cavalier Ecotec. It came from the factory with the oil above the full Mark. The first time I put the specified 5.8 quarts in, it was overfilled again. Even 5 quarts leaves it a little above the mark.
The more oil, the greater the margin for oil usage, hard turns, heating, etc. and the more additives and less shear thinning. The add mark merely means there is room for a full quart of oil. It is not a danger point, just less margin. As you add oil, you reach a point where there is more stress on the seals, and the crank throws begin to splash it around leading to foaming. Where is it engraved in stone that the mark on the dip stick is any more reliable than the owners' manual? So how do we determine the highest level that is safe?
The more oil, the greater the margin for oil usage, hard turns, heating, etc. and the more additives and less shear thinning. The add mark merely means there is room for a full quart of oil. It is not a danger point, just less margin. As you add oil, you reach a point where there is more stress on the seals, and the crank throws begin to splash it around leading to foaming. Where is it engraved in stone that the mark on the dip stick is any more reliable than the owners' manual? So how do we determine the highest level that is safe?
At least on the Ford trucks with the modular engines their dipsticks seem to be notoriously inaccurate. I have a 2002 with the 4.6L V-8 and when I put in 6 quarts it comes to the top of the hatch marks. A friend had a 2001 with the same engine and when he put in 6 quarts it came to the middle of the hatch marks
. I'd put in what the manual says to and note where it is on the dipstick. That would be my "full" point. As stated previously it's better to be in the "safe" zone than overfilled.
Whimsey
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