elptxjc

Of course you'll never get it all out, and you'll never increase the capacity. What we're discussing is how much you drain, and the longer you wait, the more you'd drain. As long as oil is still dripping, I let it drip. It usually takes about 30 minutes to fully drain when hot enough. And yes, by fully drain I mean getting the most out of the engine, not all. The drain & refill amount is 6 qts, and that's what you should get out if drained properly. Plan to do the first oil change soon, but need to order a magnetic drain plug first. In the middle of moving out and buying a new house, so after I get settled.

khsonic03

The first oil change I ever did, I let it drain about 45 minutes and didn't get the full 6 quarts. When I refill, I run the engine, let it the oil drain back into the pan for about 10 mins, then check the dipstick. It comes out at about 3/4 the way up the hash marks. After it sits overnight, it's at the max fill "dot" on the dipstick. This is all with 5.5 quarts.

So I guess it depends on whether you are checking the dipstick hot or cold. When I fill it to the top of the hash on the dipstick (about 6 quarts) when hot, it ends up being way over the max mark the next morning when it's cold.

seventyeight

I am OCD about my oil level. I recently bought a '15 Lariat with 2.7L.

After I first got it home and it sat overnight I checked the oil - it was way above the upper hole in the dipstick - up into the twist - WTF? So I started reading about this on our forum here and learned a lot.

Got out my trusty oil extractor to remove some oil - only got a spurt out of it - couldn't get it to work. Back here on the forum and learned that an extractor won't work on these engines because of how the dipstick tube is. So I get underneath, remove the flexible pan, and loosen the plug and get about 2 quarts out without making a mess. Looks like the dealer had changed the oil before selling it and it was 2 quarts high.

I check my oil after it sits overnight. I have it showing right to the top of the hash marks now - great!

Yesterday I ran the truck for only about 1 minute after adjusting my MPG reading. An hour later I checked the oil and it was at the lower end of the hash mark. So it seems it takes hours not minutes for the dipstick to read properly.

According to the manual you should check the oil after 15 minutes of running. I am going to experiment tomorrow after I go to town and check it then. I have the feeling that it is going to read low after waiting only 15 minutes since I have to wait overnight for it to read at the top of the hash mark.

So what is right? Should I follow the manual and adjust the oil level so it reads properly after 15 minutes of running? Or stick to what I've been doing for 40-50 years and check it after sitting overnight. Each way will give me a different reading.

This is a terrible thing for someone like me who has such OCD about such things.

elptxjc

Well, checking oil when cold is absolutely consistent... AND IT DOESN'T BURN, so I always do that. But on certain cars, like with a dry sump, I had to check oil according to the manual first, then check the oil when cold, and make a new mark, so I know where it should be cold. In this case, with a wet sump, there should be hardly any difference, but maybe this engine is different. Now that you have it at the top of the hashmarks cold, go ahead and check it like the manual says, and report your finding. If it's above full, then maybe we need to lower the level cold a little. I don't think that'd be the case with our wet-sump, but let's make sure. Looking forward to your reply. Thx. I'm up for the first oil change soon. Still waiting on confirmation if the drain plug is 12x1.75 to order a magnetic drain plug.

bcb97

Be careful as the dipsticks on these F150s are hard to read. What I mean is, it might look like you have oil way up the dipstick but in reality if you look down towards the hashed area, you'll see your level. The dipstick tube leaves a little residual oil on the dipstick so it looks like the oil level is way too high. I've never had an oil issue in my 16 Eco. I drain the oil completely, change filter, new filter, drain plug back on and add 6 quarts. It's dead on the upper hash when I check it 10-15 min. after it's ran a few min. The manual calls for 6.0 qts and I don't see why you would deviate from that figure. Plus, modern engines today have a lot of insurance when it comes to people overfilling the oil tank so if you are a little over, you will not hurt anything.

Eduskator

Quantity will always be different from an oil change to another since some of the oil is always left in the engine. That's why you should never rely on the recommended oil quantity. I always pour roughly 1 liter less than recommended, then verify level on dipstick and add the quantity needed after. Also, make sure the truck is leveled and wait a few seconds before checking level to let the fresh oil go in the oil pan.

Oil change should also be done when engine is warmed since warm oil is thinner and drains better. You should also start the engine for a minute or two after the oil change, shut it down and wait another few minutes, then recheck the dipstick level again to make sure everything's OK and visually inspect for oil leaks.

David Jones

When I change the oil on my 2.7, I start it draining and then remove the filter housing and filter and dry the old oil out of the housing. Then go find something else to do for an hour or so. Next I put the new filter (with new orings installed on the housing) in and last, the drain plug goes back in. A 5 quart jug and a 1quart bottle of Motorcraft semi/syn goes in. After putting the truck diaper back on I pull the truck outside. Done. The oil will be right at the top hole in the stick when I check it at the office (after letting it sit for at least an hour) the next day. Early on I checked the level more than I had with past vehicles. Nervous about turbos maybe? After a while I realized that my 2.7 uses no oil so I might check it a time or two during my 7000/7500 mile change cycle.

If enough time is allowed for the old oil to drain out (15 minutes is NOT enough, use at least twice that much) then put what the mfg recommends back into it. There are no cavities holding old oil in the engine. When it quits dripping, it's empty. Ford says the 2.7 holds 6 quarts. Put 6 back in it. If you don't think 6 quarts is correct when the mfg tells you it is , why would you rely on the dipstick to be accurate?