How Many Quarts

[extortion00]

How many quarts of oil does the 5.0 take? I thought 5 so i drained it completely and changed the filter filled her up and she reads WAY to high so i drained some til i got in a comfortable area.. Someone said something about 2 drain plugs? lol as far as i know there is only 1 drain plug correct?

[VicCrownVic]

5 quarts, and there should be 2 drain plugs, one on the front of the oil pan and one on the bottom toward the back.

EDIT: pic of OEM style oil pan, you can see the 2 plugs there

[extortion00]

Well shit.

[extortion00]

& i used the expensive synthetic too.. probably had to drain a quart or more after dumping in the 5 quart container fuck me..

[porschpow]

Also, sometimes the dipstick don't always read right, like mine. So I add 4 quarts, run the car, shut it off, mark it off, than add a quart and mark that off., you have your new crosshatch area

[GM_Guy]

Before you do the above, take a close look at your dipstick and see if there are any scratches/saw marks above the embossed full line. If you find some, someone else has already done the dipstick check and marked it.

Alex.

[1988 Grand Marquis Pat]

I have 2 drain plugs. They always overfill it, at the oil change places.


Motor City Patrick

[1988 Grand Marquis Pat]

Is the synthetic oil ok to put in older cars, 1988?.


Motor City Patrick

[Lincolnmania]

i would not use synthetic on a high mileage that formerly ran dino oil

capacity is 5 quarts......the front sump holds about a quart

also change the oil drain plugs if the threads feel sharp

[nfldfordltd]

I find 5 quarts too much for my car...I usually put 4.5 in and keep and eye on it, adding the extra 1/2 quart when needed. Mine leaks a bit, but I'd rather have it under by 1/2 a quart than overfull. Too much oil is not good for seals and gaskets. I had a 351W's valve stem seals destroyed by an oil change shop that insisted 5 quarts was the correct amount.

[pantera77]

I find 5 quarts too much for my car...I usually put 4.5 in and keep and eye on it, adding the extra 1/2 quart when needed. Mine leaks a bit, but I'd rather have it under by 1/2 a quart than overfull. Too much oil is not good for seals and gaskets. I had a 351W's valve stem seals destroyed by an oil change shop that insisted 5 quarts was the correct amount.

But 5 quarts is the correct amount.

[GM_Guy]

I find 5 quarts too much for my car...I usually put 4.5 in and keep and eye on it, adding the extra 1/2 quart when needed. Mine leaks a bit, but I'd rather have it under by 1/2 a quart than overfull. Too much oil is not good for seals and gaskets. I had a 351W's valve stem seals destroyed by an oil change shop that insisted 5 quarts was the correct amount.

You just might want to rethink that. Your valve stem seals where not damaged by too much oil. How would that happen anyway? Oil is in the oil pan, your valve stem seals are at the top. Oil gets pumped up there, and runs back down to the pan. It doesn't matter if there is 4 quarts in the pan, or if there is 7 quarts in the pan, the oil will get pumped up to the top and run back down to the pan at the same rate.

Alex.

[P72Crazy]

Agreed, I would not use synthetic oil in a 20+ year old car. You're asking for problems with your seals and gaskets. Years ago, a Ford dealer mechanic told me that Texaco Havoline made the Motorcraft oil and they could be used interchangeably. Well crap, I put one change of Motorcraft oil in my 77 T-Bird and the she started leaking oil out the rear main in less than 1000 miles. When I say leaking, it was really pouring out. When I changed the main seal it was eaten up and soft as foam rubber. Now, ???, if no leaks for 95K (not even a drop) how can it fail so suddenly when the only variable was the oil (same weight 10w-40). I don't change oil types or weights if it can be avoided. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[P72Crazy]

Capacities are listed in your owners manual. I've never seen a box panther without a split oil pan (5.0 or 5.8). I agree with your observation that the oil level is over the top of the cross-hatched area with a 5qt. change. I've observed this too, but unless you pour so much oil in the pan that it "floats the crank" and the crank counter-weights splash it, a 1/2 or even 1 qt. too much should not be a big problem. It should not change the oil pressure in the top of the engine (valve-train area).

[gadget73]

I dont buy the notion of synth oil being bad for gaskets. If it causes leaks, its because it cleared some gunk away from a bad seal that needed replacing anyway. My Mark VII was changed at 180k, and I replaced the original valve cover gaskets at 225k. It had gotten up to leaking a quart between oil changes. The intake gasket was replaced around 240k for the same leakage rate. I switched my S10 over somewhere around 140k and havent had any problems with that either. I would not change over an engine thats sludged up but if its clean inside and has had regular oil changes since new, it'll work fine.