Oil Change Tips & Tricks

[Fordified1]

I did my first oil change today in my 2.3l. For the filter, I tried going through the wheel well as is suggested, but I found that annoying as hell (I have a bad back and squatting/kneeling to reach in there is not fun).

Instead, I went underneath. To not get a face or arm full of oil, I wedged a tupperware where it would catch all the oil from the filter drain channel. Then I just went over the top of the channel and drive shaft, and used a filter wrench with no extension to loosen. Worked great!

My OCD made me prime the filter with oil even though it's installed on it's side. I noted that the old filter still was about 1/2 full after taking it off, so I filled the new one 1/2 full. Seemed to mostly stay in when I put it on. I only had a small bit of oil to clean up out of the channel after it.

I was reading a lot on this and other forums where guys were having problems with the oil capacity spec leading them to overfilling. I only got about 5.75 quarts out, so, to start I put only 5.75 quarts into the vehicle (my manual says 6). That put the oil just barely above the MIN hole and slightly into the crosshatch. I'll check again in the AM then probably put the last .25 quarts in. I've never seen a dipstick go from full to MIN with .25 quarts, so that's a bit weird. Is this how sensitive it is? I am sure of how much I put in because it was a 5qt + 1qt of PUP.

I also did the flood priming mentioned in this thread. I have a small addition to the advice: When you are done priming, make sure you let go of the start/stop button then wait a couple seconds before letting off the gas and/or clutch. I let off my throttle almost immediately after letting the button up, and the vehicle started because the button kept it cranking for a couple seconds (yay start/stop buttons?). Didn't really matter, of course, but was just not what I intended.

Finally: thank god the Bronco 2.3 EB doesn't have one of those damn POS plastic oil pans with plastic plugs that spew oil all over the damn place!

It’s a 6 quart system, including the filter, regardless of what the dipstick says. Do your oil change put your 6 quarts in and run it and then check your oil and that is your full level regardless of where the marks are. You can remark the stick if you want or you can just reference that in your memory.
remember, it can take a while for all the oil to run back into the pan after you shut it off.

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