what is the correct oil capacity for a 2001 mustang bullitt? i put five quarts in and the dipstick read full but i have been reading around on the internet that some people say 5.5,6,6.5 so im kinda confused. also what kind of oil do you guys recommend. i put castrol syntec 5w-20 full synthetic in it. what do you guys run? i have read some people say 5-20 is too thin
oil capacity
- Thread starter lmpbzkt492
- Start date
6 Quarts will bring it to about the top of the full line. 5 Quarts isn't quite enough.
Everyone gets overly emotional about what brand and weight of oil you should run. 5W-20 or 5W-30 are both good weight choices and brand doesn't really matter, long as you change the oil regularly.
Having said that, I usually run mobil 1 5W-20 in the winter and 5W-30 in the summer. The car has 155k miles and doesn't smoke, so it seems to work just fine. You'll find a similar story for nearly every oil manufacture in existance.
My bottom line: lt's a Ford, even if you neglect the oil changes, the engine will still outlast the transmission!
Everyone gets overly emotional about what brand and weight of oil you should run. 5W-20 or 5W-30 are both good weight choices and brand doesn't really matter, long as you change the oil regularly.
Having said that, I usually run mobil 1 5W-20 in the winter and 5W-30 in the summer. The car has 155k miles and doesn't smoke, so it seems to work just fine. You'll find a similar story for nearly every oil manufacture in existance.
My bottom line: lt's a Ford, even if you neglect the oil changes, the engine will still outlast the transmission!
02nightmaregt
To hell with your Mustang, I want to see your HOG!
I've always used 5.5 quarts in mine, 5w-30. Ford techs say 6 quarts so i would say anywhere between there is cool
H What 4.6
New Member
- Jul 29, 2005
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This question comes up 2-3 times a year. The general consensus is Ford changed the engine oil capacity from 5 to approximately 6 quarts sometime during the 2001 model year. I suppose the '02-up pan is a different shape, but don't know this for sure.
In 2003, Ford issued a TSB pertaining to the 4.6L engine dipstick that was introduced in 2002. If you fill to the top hole, you are overfilling the engine (not good, because the rotating crank can whip the oil into a froth, and oil froth is not a lubricant). The approximate center of the crosshatched area is the maximum oil level.
It's no wonder customer confidence in Ford cars has been diminishing when they can't even design a dipstick.
In 2003, Ford issued a TSB pertaining to the 4.6L engine dipstick that was introduced in 2002. If you fill to the top hole, you are overfilling the engine (not good, because the rotating crank can whip the oil into a froth, and oil froth is not a lubricant). The approximate center of the crosshatched area is the maximum oil level.
It's no wonder customer confidence in Ford cars has been diminishing when they can't even design a dipstick.
xseler8
Member
theseeker411
New Member
At least Ford still has the brains to put dipsticks in their cars. New BMWs don't even have a damn dipstick.
.At least Ford still has the brains to put dipsticks in their cars. New BMWs don't even have a damn dipstick.
This is because BMWs don't use oil for lubrication, they use the sweat of Chuck Norris. It never needs changing and is guaranteed to stand up to 2000 degrees while firing automatic weapons that never need to be reloaded, all the while defending freedom.
02nightmaregt
To hell with your Mustang, I want to see your HOG!
98COBRA281
10 Year Member
flstang65
10 Year Member
twogts4us
15 Year Member
Lots of bad info here. Read this quote from a former Ford design engineer. I run 7 quarts and will continue to do so.
"When at Ford, we ran with clear pans, windowed front covers and cam covers. The oil under high rpms gets slowed in the heads, the front cover and the front of the oil pan.
Front cover?? Oil pan??
As the chain drives the cam system, the oil is trying to get down thru the cover area. Also the area around the front of the pan shares space with the oil pump and pickup tube. Oil is trying to get back to the pan and everything is in the way.
The drain back holes are the same between 2v, 3v and 4v.
Ford conducts a WOT test for 100's of hours.
On the street you don't see consistent 6,500+ runs. On the track, I suggest you add 1 qt. Adding 1 qt does not over fill the pan to the point that the crank or rods run thru it. When at idle, you're 2 qts low anyways."
Unfortunately, I can't take credit for the bad info; it comes directly from Ford.
The following paragraphs are copied directly from Ford TSB 03-8-3, titled "Engine Oil Level Indicator Markings". I am guilty of substituting the phrase "whipped into a froth" for what Ford calls "aeration (foaming").
"Ensure the vehicle is sitting on level ground. Set the park brake and ensure the transmission selector is in PARK position, or in FIRST gear on manuals. The engine must be OFF. The best time for determining oil level is before the engine is started and the oil has had sufficient drainback time to the sump. If the engine has been running, allow it to sit for a few minutes turned off. An oil drainback period is required before taking an initial reading.
If the level falls below the lower hole, fill with one quart of oil. If one quart is insufficient to raise the level above the mark, add oil until it records within the crosshatch area. Use caution during this procedure as some time is needed for oil to drain down through the drainback passages in the cylinder head, to the oil pan. Adding oil a quart at a time repeatedly without sufficient drainback may overfill the sump.
If the oil level falls between the upper and lower hole do not add more oil. Adding an extra quart could cause overfilling and may result in aeration (foaming) causing eventual damage to vital bearing surfaces and moving parts inside. Overfilling will require some oil to be drained out until the indicator shows the level between the upper and lower holes of the blade. DO NOT expect the engine to “consume” the extra oil back down to the upper oil fill level hole, or consider it as extra lubrication protection for the engine."
Perhaps oil aeration is more of a concern at moderate RPMs. It makes sense that the amount of oil remaining in the sump would be lowest at WOT, because it can't drain back fast enough.
The following paragraphs are copied directly from Ford TSB 03-8-3, titled "Engine Oil Level Indicator Markings". I am guilty of substituting the phrase "whipped into a froth" for what Ford calls "aeration (foaming").
"Ensure the vehicle is sitting on level ground. Set the park brake and ensure the transmission selector is in PARK position, or in FIRST gear on manuals. The engine must be OFF. The best time for determining oil level is before the engine is started and the oil has had sufficient drainback time to the sump. If the engine has been running, allow it to sit for a few minutes turned off. An oil drainback period is required before taking an initial reading.
If the level falls below the lower hole, fill with one quart of oil. If one quart is insufficient to raise the level above the mark, add oil until it records within the crosshatch area. Use caution during this procedure as some time is needed for oil to drain down through the drainback passages in the cylinder head, to the oil pan. Adding oil a quart at a time repeatedly without sufficient drainback may overfill the sump.
If the oil level falls between the upper and lower hole do not add more oil. Adding an extra quart could cause overfilling and may result in aeration (foaming) causing eventual damage to vital bearing surfaces and moving parts inside. Overfilling will require some oil to be drained out until the indicator shows the level between the upper and lower holes of the blade. DO NOT expect the engine to “consume” the extra oil back down to the upper oil fill level hole, or consider it as extra lubrication protection for the engine."
Perhaps oil aeration is more of a concern at moderate RPMs. It makes sense that the amount of oil remaining in the sump would be lowest at WOT, because it can't drain back fast enough.
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