2.7 Oil Change: Took 6 Quarts Not 7

[Carolina Jim]

read the dip stick level. That is where your level is. Not so much the markings on the stick. There might be differences in the dip sticks that cause the level to read different from your Bronco to the next guys.

please elaborate

Sponsored

 

[Sweetair]

please elaborate

Simply put…after changing oil and filter, refill with the recommended manufacturer’s quantity of oil. Start the vehicle, let run for a minute. Turn off the vehicle. Pull the dip stick, wipe clean, re insert. Pull dipstick out again. Where ever it is reading is the correct level ON YOUR DIPSTICK. It might look low, perfect or high. But wherever the level is it is showing you where the quantity of oil is in your vehicle with your dipstick.
He’s saying to not try to match the level of oil to the dipstick rather just note the level on your dipstick. 7 quarts is 7 quarts. That’s where your level is. Make sense?

 

[RedHotFuzz]

A little off topic but for those of us that don't change our own oil, would a shop charge extra to pull the skid plate?

No. Nor will they charge extra to forget to reinstall the skid plate before sending you on your way.

 

[broncorik]

Brother in law was a master mechanic at Ford and Shop Foreman. He explained changing oil this way. If it says 7 quarts then put in 7 quarts. After you fill it and turn it on for oil to get in the filter, assuming you changed that too, read the dip stick level. That is where your level is. Not so much the markings on the stick. There might be differences in the dip sticks that cause the level to read different from your Bronco to the next guys. Cheers!

Thanks for the tip! The bummer is that the shop foreman at my local dealer said to use the stick method (and not the 7 quarts)...so even Ford dealers are not following the same procedure.

 

[broncorik]

Simply put…after changing oil and filter, refill with the recommended manufacturer’s quantity of oil. Start the vehicle, let run for a minute. Turn off the vehicle. Pull the dip stick, wipe clean, re insert. Pull dipstick out again. Where ever it is reading is the correct level ON YOUR DIPSTICK. It might look low, perfect or high. But wherever the level is it is showing you where the quantity of oil is in your vehicle with your dipstick.
He’s saying to not try to match the level of oil to the dipstick rather just note the level on your dipstick. 7 quarts is 7 quarts. That’s where your level is. Make sense?

What does not make sense is that if you go that route, and if the level on your dipstick after adding 7 quarts does align with the full range on the stick, then unless you scribe a mark on the stick for the actual level you are OK with, as the oil goes down anyone else who checks it will have no idea where the level is "supposed" to be. Over 40 years of wrenching and I have never owned a car with a factory dipstick that was a quart off. Also, the notion that our dipstick or engine blocks or oil pans differ from one unit to another by a quart is pretty sad, if that is in fact what is going on.

Many car owners are not mechanics...so what do they do when they pop the hood, check the oil, and it reads way high on the stick? If they read their owners manual, it says:

 

[WarringEagle]

One quart is 57cubic inches. Not sure the measurements at the top of the oil reservoir, but if probably close to 10" x 18". If that is close that would raise the level the of oil pool 1/3". There has to be more clearance then that from rotating equipment just regarding side to side or front to back elevation change. Not saying oil foaming isn't a thing, but if 1/2 a quart resulted in issues we'd know more about it.

2.7L Ford engines are notorious about giving up all their oil. My 2017 F150 says you must give it 15 minutes to drain. With the Filter at the top of the engine I don't think it holds much oil back, its more likely that this just has many passages that need time to release their oil.

 

[broncorik]

Note that the manual does NOT say "maybe your dipstick is inaccurate, so just add 7 quarts and whatever the stick reads just ignore that and remember to add a NEW mark that matches your unique Bronco dipstick and your just-added oil level."

 

[pakrat]

So the argument is that no oil remains in the engine when the oil is drained and the filter is changed. Not many of the many (actually none) different types of engines I have owned have ever spitted out the maximum oil capacity during a change.

Is not possible that indeed 7 qts. was added to the brand new engine at the factory but some oil to a varying degree is caught in there somewhere? I guess you could drain it, crank it over, park it at different angles front, back, side to side, and all combinations of those angles while turning it over then wait 24 hrs. and maybe you would get almost every drop.

 

[Sweetair]

Hey gents, all good here. Not trying to be anything but helpful. I am well aware of what the manual says on vehicles. I enjoy reading mine when I get a new vehicle. I do my own oil changes on my cars. I enjoy it. It is relaxing, most times. All I am saying is I have never, (provided I added the recommended amount) after changing my oil read the dip stick and decided that oops, I added too much, let me start draining some out. I let the oil drain to completion and change the filter, then refill to the recommended amount. I check the level and am good with that reading.

Please do as one wishes when changing your oil.

 

[Lucky Nut]

So are we supposed to change the oil when the Bronco is totally cold? I was under the impression that it was best to run it a little then let it cool down for 10 or 15 minutes before change.

 

[da_jokker]

So are we supposed to change the oil when the Bronco is totally cold? I was under the impression that it was best to run it a little then let it cool down for 10 or 15 minutes before change.

You have to decide. Warm oil flows better and the concept is that because it comes rushing out faster than it takes with it more of the impurity's.

Doing it cold means you've given the engine lots of time for all the oil to work its way back down to the oil pan so you'll get more of it, although it will flow slower.

For me personally, I've pretty much always done it cold. Go out in the garage in the morning and do my oil changes.

 

[da_jokker]

The foaming is caused by the crankshaft dipping into the oil pool. The dipstick max oil level is well below the crankshaft... also quality oil has anti foam agent in it.... a quart over will not cause foaming... if it really is a quart over full....look on the dip stick... see any foaming????.... I going to stick with what the manual says.....

Each to their own, not going to even try to tell you how to do your own oil changes.

Just wanted to make you aware, to date, Ford has not published a single piece of literature without significant errors in it. Just to be aware, the infamous owners manual is full of errors. If i recall correctly there's even an entire page that came from an F-150 manual that doesn't even match the Bronco.

 

[cowman]

Each to their own, not going to even try to tell you how to do your own oil changes.

Just wanted to make you aware, to date, Ford has not published a single piece of literature without significant errors in it. Just to be aware, the infamous owners manual is full of errors. If i recall correctly there's even an entire page that came from an F-150 manual that doesn't even match the Bronco.

No need for you to make me aware of what Ford does or has done..... about oil changes and their books.... have been driving Fords since 1964.... have owned Ford models 1957 to date..... also know how engines work since I have worked on them all my working life.... learn from people who know...

 

[broncorik]

No need for you to make me aware of what Ford does or has done..... about oil changes and their books.... have been driving Fords since 1964.... have owned Ford models 1957 to date..... also know how engines work since I have worked on them all my working life.... learn from people who know...

That would be fantastic if we all got awards for having worked on all kinds of engines for more decades than the next guy...but the 2.7 is unlike simpler engines. My point, which is apparently a point others may want to explore, is that something about many of our fellow 2.7 owners have indicated inaccurate sticks and taking only 6 quarts before full. Ford knows there is an issue with at least the first gen 2.7, as indicated here:

https://www.f150forum.com/f118/2-7-...can-someone-please-post-official-memo-361870/

They specifically state changing oil at operating temperature, removing oil filter first, waiting x number of minutes while draining, etc. etc. Based on the fact that the 2.7 is a relatively small engine, in terms of both physical dimensions and displacement, overfilling by a quart can potentially be an issue. We are not talking about a tractor engine from a simpler time or the flathead from the '32 or the 427 Chevy with a big pan and a little more overall wiggle room to overfill...we are talking about our 2.7 with the check valve and the weird oil setup that the engineers who designed the engine know far better than even us mechanics know it and who are very specific in their instructions as to making it a point to NOT overfill it. Why bother equipping an engine with a device intended to measure a level if that device is unable to accurately measure the actual level? I am stoked for the very few folks on this forum who dumped their oil per the instructions, got exactly 7 quarts out, and added 7 quarts and had their dipstick read at or even near the b level on the dipstick. If we take a poll, however, that is NOT what many of us who followed the instructions ended up with. Even the Ford shop foremen differ in their advice...mine said follow the stick measurements, another said to fill per the capacity specs. Others say "follow the manual" but have no further answer when it is pointed out that for some of us the manual contradicts itself.

 

[cowman]

That would be fantastic if we all got awards for having worked on all kinds of engines for more decades than the next guy...but the 2.7 is unlike simpler engines. My point, which is apparently a point others may want to explore, is that something about many of our fellow 2.7 owners have indicated inaccurate sticks and taking only 6 quarts before full. Ford knows there is an issue witu at least the first gen 2.7, as indicated here:

https://www.f150forum.com/f118/2-7-...can-someone-please-post-official-memo-361870/

They specifically state changing oil at operating temperature, removing oil filter first, waiting x number of minutes while draining, etc. etc. Based on the fact that the 2.7 is a relatively small engine, in terms of both physical dimensions and displacement, overfilling by a quart can potentially be an issue. We are not talking about a tractor engine from a simpler time or the flathead from the '32 or the 427 Chevy with a big pan and a little more overall wiggle room to overfill...we are talking about our 2.7 with the check valve and the weird oil setup that the engineers who designed the engine know far better than even us mechanics know it and who are very specific in their instructions as to making it a point to NOT overfill it. Why bother equipping an engine with a device intended to measure a level if that device is unable to accurately measure the actual level? I am stoked for the very few folks on this forum who dumped their oil per the instructions, got exactly 7 quarts out, and added 7 quarts and had their dipstick read at or even near the b level on the dipstick. If we take a poll, however, that is NOT what many of us who followed the instructions ended up with. Even the Ford shop foremen differ in their advice...mine said follow the stick measurements, another said to fill per the capacity specs. Others say "follow the manual" but have no further answer when it is pointed out that for some of us the manual contradicts itself.

Don’t really care… do what you want to… I’ll do what I want to… simple…

Sponsored