What is real oil capacity, manual/dealer discrepancy

[bark3rd]

I was in the process of having my oil changed for the first time and the oil change place said my car takes 6 quarts (including oil filter). My owner's manual says 5 quarts-I called the dealer and the guy said 5 and then shouted accross the shop at another tech who yelled back "it's 6 you dumbass!" whereby the first guy said "well, I guess it's 6 then". I had 6 quarts put in and now the dip stick reads above the full line. Oil change guy says all Ford dipsticks are inaccurate and not to worry! Who is the dipstick here?!! Should I have trusted my owner's manual? I put in synthetic 5w 30 Mobil and redline my car constantly-I dont want to have too much oil in the engine- help! I swear no one in this town knows diddly about cars, someone could make a fortune here by opening a decent performance shop.

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Black 2000 GT,5 spd,17" wheels,4:10's,flowmasters Steeda pulleys, timing adjuster, K&N filter

[Stefan]

My dealer also tells me that it takes 6. Depending on how much is effectively drained out when I change my oil mine takes roughly 5 1/2 quarts. If I only use 5 after a while the oil light will come on. Bottom line - the 4.6's definately hold more than the 5.0's

Brett

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66 Tahoe Turquoise Coupe
Laser Red 96GT Ragtop
30 Years & 30 inches apart in the driveway!

[99BlackCobraVert]

6 quarts the last time I checked for my car.

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99 Black Cobra Convertible / Black Interior

KB Modified Koni Adjustable Shocks, KB springs and struts (Lowered 1.25 inch), KB Strut Tower Brace, KB Lower Chassis Brace, KB Sub-Frame Connectors, Steeda Tri-Ax Sports Shifter, K&N Filter, BBK Off-road X-Pipe, Flowmaster American Thunder Cat Back, 4.30 FRPP Gears, Steeda Underdrive Pulleys, Steeda Timing Adjuster

[Mustang92]

This was debated on the Corral a while back and what it came down to is that the earlier year 96-98 owners manuals say 6 the newer say 5. Mine says 5 quarts and that is what I've always used. I redline my car on a daily basis (well almost) have over 50K miles on it and have never had a problem. The dip stick reads full at 5. Now the crap about the dip stick being wrong, bull$hit! Ford would have recalled it if there was a problem.

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00 GT, MAC Offroad H, Steeda Pulleys & Timing Adjuster, 4.10’s, Flows w/turndowns, UPR shifter, UPR Pro Series LCA’s, Lakewood 70/30’s & 50/50’s, Weld Pro Stars, Kaenen Cobra R Hood, 253.8 RWHP/292.8RWTQ
12.91@101.93 (1.74 60ft)
M/M 100, 7085
Recent Pic from Moroso

[blue00gt]

My oil change place always puts in 6. When I asked them, it was the same story - they say the owner's manual is incorrect.

[Mustang92]

No offense but the owners manual is correct. Go put in 5 quarts and it reads Full.

[96SNAKE]

i went through this crap with ford about two years ago. it is a fact that ford is retarded with their dipstick measurements so don't trust them.
it is also a fact that the 4.6 is supposed to take 6 quarts, no more no less. i was on the phone with an SVT tech about this and he assured me this is the case.

my dipstick reads 3/4 full with 6 quarts??

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formerly 96cobra89lx306

(96Cobra/softtop-3.73,almdrvsht,fancontrl,steeda sbfrmes+shifter,eibachspgs,KYB's,FR-upper arms,Saleen copy-polished 18's,pulleys,Bassani X pipe(gutted),C&L 80mm
Cobra DYNO 301rwhp horsepower before gutting the X pipe
93 Ford Probe Gt(slower but turns)

[Mustang92]

You also have a 96 which is different.

[96SNAKE]

Different but the engines are the same 4.6 liters and require 6 quarts of oil.

I'm shocked that the manual says 5 and that the dipstick situation still hasn't been corrected.

Are there other 99-01 GT/Cobra owners with manuals that read 5 quarts?

[Mustang92]

Nothing to be corrected mine takes 5 quarts. There are plenty of other owners that say the same thing as me.

[T_Bone]

According to Chiltons...

3.8L Mustang- 5.0 qts.
4.6L Mustang Cobra- 6.0 qts.
4.6L Mustang(Auto tranny)- 6.7 qts.
4.6L Mustang(Manual tranny)- 6.4 qts.



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Travis
T-Bones 1997 Cobra#6342 born 6-11-97

Wht/blk, Pro 5.0,FRPP 4.56's, aluminum driveshaft, FRPP throttle body, C&L 80mm MAF, K&N, Steeda U/D pulleys, Steeda timing adjuster, Borla cat-back, BBK cat H-pipe, SFC's, FRPP pro springs, BBK caster/cambers.
Best 1/8 E.T.-8.983 on street tires

[Freddie]

My manual says 5qts thats what I use, the dipstick says full. If you over fill your engine it will foam the oil and cause air pockets in the oil. For some stupid reason air doesn't lubricate as well as oil? Why would anyone trust a chitlins manual? If you think all 4.6L engines are the same check the part numbers of the oil pan! The idea that the dip stick is wrong, GET REAL.

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14.16@97.53
3500lb race weight
Silver 2001GT
4R70W auto K&N Silencer removed Magnaflow Mufflers Motorsports ccBreather

[96SNAKE]

Freddie apparently isn't aware of the dipstick problem that ran rampant on all 96 Cobras and other modular stangs after this as well.

I've had my car for some time now and I think I can tell if it is reading incorrectly. Let's see, I put in 6 quarts of oil and then then the dipstick reads 3/4 full. hmmm, I must be reading it wrong I guess.

If the manual on the new cars have 5 for the new 4.6 SOHC, what about you guys with 99/01 Cobras? Anybody??

[Freddie]

Snake, I don't know about your cobra. Maybe there was a problem 5 years ago! I was talking about the car in question, which is a 2000GT. If he puts 6 qts in he will over fill it. The 96-98 4.6l 2V used 6 qts the 99+ uses 5. If you have a problem with your dip stick, and it causes you to loose an engine you should get it replaced FREE by Ford, unless they inform you and replace the stick.Just, my .02

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14.16@97.53
3500lb race weight
Silver 2001GT
4R70W auto K&N Silencer removed Magnaflow Mufflers Motorsports ccBreather

[96SNAKE]

Well the dipstick thing is probably one of those things Ford won't acknowledge and for my model year, there were other issues that were more important for Ford to address(cooling, and front control arm replacement)

Anyway, if Ford got the the dipstick thing together with the newer cars that's cool but I don't see why better flowing heads from the 99 and up model year SOHC requires less oil if the engines are the same 281 displacement as their brother engines from 96-98(including the hp increase for 98 too).

I remember an article in MM&fast fords about them trying 5 quarts on a 4.6 and it seemed to make more power. Maybe Ford read that article..

[This message has been edited by 96SNAKE (edited 06-17-2001).]

[AutoX281]

I've always put in exactly 6 Qts of synthetic 5W30 in my '98 SOHC and it reads exactly full. The manual says 6, I put in 6, and the dipstick reads full. Sounds fine to me! Of course, I let it drain for about 30-45 minutes, with the passenger side jacked up and the oil filter removed to make sure that as much of the oil comes out as possible. (yes, I'm anal!) Remember that the 6 qt capacity includes whatever oil didn't come out of the block. Once I run the engine, let it sit a while, then recheck it, it shows a little under exactly full, which I figure means the oil is now in the filter.

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98 GT Conv: K&N, Pro-5.0, MSD wires
...more to come

[Mustang92]

You know instead of waiting 30-45 minutes you could just start the motor with the filter and drain plug out and rev it to 6K a few times and you'll be amazed how fast the oil comes out!

[KWhite]

I use 5 1/4 quarts in mine. Seems to be full by the stick. Some oil filters may differ a little in size too.

Originally posted by 96SNAKE:
Well the dipstick thing is probably one of those things Ford won't acknowledge and for my model year, there were other issues that were more important for Ford to address(cooling, and front control arm replacement)

Anyway, if Ford got the the dipstick thing together with the newer cars that's cool but I don't see why better flowing heads from the 99 and up model year SOHC requires less oil if the engines are the same 281 displacement as their brother engines from 96-98(including the hp increase for 98 too).

I remember an article in MM&fast fords about them trying 5 quarts on a 4.6 and it seemed to make more power. Maybe Ford read that article..

[This message has been edited by 96SNAKE (edited 06-17-2001).]

[TruBlu01]

I too put in 5 1/4 Qts!

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01 TruBlu Premium GT
Steeda: Tri-Ax, Aluminum Pedals, Pullies, T/A, Sub-Frame Connectors, K&N Drop-In, Custom O/R X-Pipe, 2 Chamber Flowmasters, Cut Air Silencer, 5% Tint, FRPP 3.73, DMP SpeedCAL, FMS C Springs

Waiting For Installation
I'm Too Broke!

http://panther.dns2go.com/TruBlu01.htm

[This message has been edited by TruBlu01 (edited 06-19-2001).]

[bark3rd]

Well, I am proud to have started such a long thread but, alas, due to the debate on the correct level I am still limited to a position of faith. What to have faith in is the question. I just checked the oil level in my car, cold, and the reading is about 1/8 " above the full line. Is the oil level correct and the dipstick wrong, or vice verse? I am tempted to drain some oil! Which is the safest direction to go, drain and run the risk of being low, or leave as is and risk damage from too much oil? Either way I'm going to drive home flat out! If it blows up screw it, I'll but one of those electric cars that don't need oil!

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Black 2000 GT,5 spd,17" wheels,4:10's,flowmasters Steeda pulleys, timing adjuster, K&N filter