Cruisers Forum
Main Forum => General Discussion => Topic started by: dickreid1 on July 07, 2012, 02:29:54 pm
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At 7500 miles it is turning out to be a bigger deal getting service than I expected.
Is there list of Ford dealers that can handle RV's?
Are quick change places like JiffyLube, Wallmart, etc. A possibility for just an oil/filer change?
Dick from FL in OH
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Dick;
Make sure the dealership understands that the PC is only 10'1" tall...I once had and issue getting mine in for service untill I brought to the service managers attention that the Fed-X trucks waiting to be serviced in his yard were in fact taller than the PC. He then immediately scheduled my coach. Many dealerships are just afraid of RV's and take the quickest and easiest way out.....the rig is to tall. Best of luck!
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Our first motor home in 1983, watching the rig be driven in for it's very first oil change, the highest item, the "closed" roof vent got sheared off. Thank goodness we didn't have a/c on that rig. So I have done every oil change myself since. With the Ford, it's extremely fast and easy given it is nicely high off the ground with no need to jack it up.
I change the oil on our driveway because we never put on enough miles per trip to do it on the road. I use full synthetic 5w-20 oil as specified. Oil and filter on sale costs me roughly $25. I really enjoy doing the small mechanical things like this.
Hint: If you ever throw out a computer hard drive, open it up, destroy the disks for security, but also remove the pair of magnets. Those magnets are the strongest I ever had. I stick one on the bottom of the oil filter to capture any metal particles and the other to the transmission pan for the same reason.
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I've used the local dealership in Hot Springs, AR, for routine service as well as factory recall work. They normally change the oil on an outside rack. I drove in one day and thought the doors looked plenty big and cruised on in. It turned out I just barely scraped (didn't even feel it) and did no damage. When I got ready to leave, one of the heavier mechanics stood on the ladder while it went through the door. But in any case, they were always happy to service my vehicle. By the way, using the term "15,000 mile service" is a good way of getting overcharged on any kind of vehicle. Look in the users manual to see what service is needed and enumerate them on your service order. Almost all the time cheaper than their "recommended" package.
Jerry
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I use the local Cadillac/GMC dealership for oil and filter changes. Works great, just remind them of 5W20 oil. The GMC dealership I go to actually supplies FORD branded oil. Also lincludes a free roflol cup of coffee.
Barry
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I am about due for my first oil change and have started to try to find a Ford Dealer near me who can do it. Do I have to do anything to use synthetic oil? I may just do it myself.
Syd
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I am about due for my first oil change and have started to try to find a Ford Dealer near me who can do it. Do I have to do anything to use synthetic oil? I may just do it myself. Syd
Hi Syd. If you have ever changed the oil on a car, the same rules apply to your PC. You'll need 7, that is "Seven" quarts of 5w-20 full synthetic, any brand will do well as long as it is SAE rated. As far as oil filters go, the Ford filter is FL820S, but any brand eqivalent filter works fine. I like to buy my supplies at Walmart who sells the Ford brand oil filters along with a few other brands. In their auto section there is a book, easily cross-referencing all the oil filter brands they sell. I personally favor the Ford oil filter and Mobil-One full synthetic oil.
When removing the oil filter, make sure the black rubber gasket comes off with it. If not, just grab it afterwards. Then clean the seating surface on the engine, dip your finger in fresh oil and oil up the black gasket on the new filter. This allows the new filter to be tightened by hand better. It is a hand-tighten-only process. No tools to tighten the oil filter. That is critical to follow or you may damage the new filter, or over-compress & deform the gasket.
Before putting the oil drain plug back in, wipe the plug and the oil pan surface to remove any sand or dirt that could introduce gasket damage or a slow leak. Then add a little fresh oil to the plug gasket. Most oil change places don't do the easy extra steps, so doing it yourself is doing a better job. 2o2
Some of you know that I volunteer as a mechanic helping the under-resourced. We have seen many vehicles come in with stripped oil pan drain plugs. Some oil change kid is too lazy to insert the plug by hand in turn it by hand untill it seats. He loads his impact wrench with drain plug in-socket and spins it on carelessly, cross-threading it. Then the plug isn't seated on the pan right, then oil leaks forever. The only true repair is getting a new oil pan. I just don't trust those quick-lube shops.
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You'll need 6 quarts of 5w-20 full synthetic
Syd,
We recently had our first oil change on a 2011 E450 chassis. I was surprised when they charged me for 7 quarts of oil (they did change the oil filter). To verify, I called three different Ford Dealerships and verified that indeed this model year required "7" quarts and not 6. I also checked on the internet and there were several discussions on the proper amount of oil required and there was also a recall notice about some models having too short of a dip stick. I also physically checked the oil level when I got home and it was exactly where it should be. We then drove it about 1000 miles and had no problems.
Just a word of caution -- double check your oil amount requirement prior to changing it. Also, there are grease fittings that they grease everytime I get an oil change.
Barry
PS Hope you and Margo and your little dog are doing good - maybe we'll see you in FL again this winter.
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7? I thought it was 6. You confirmed it Barry-Sue so I must be wrong. Or maybe they added a quart since 2007.
UPDATE:
My owners manual does not cover the 6.8L engine. What is that about? It says 6.0 quarts but covers only one engine, the V8. So I dug into the huge 3 volume service manual for my 2007 chassis. The 6.8L-V10 is stated to take 6.9 quarts when replacing the oil filter. So Barry-Sue is right. It is SEVEN quarts of oil.
I am really good about watching fluid levels. Maybe I've been putting in 7 quarts all along. I do admit it has been a very long time (but not long in miles) since my last oil change. I am updating my earlier post to reflect the 7 quart requirement.
Great Catch Barry-Sue. I gave you a well deserved "Helpful"
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The Ford owners manual on my 2012 shows 6 quarts. Are you sure about 7?
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The Ford owners manual on my 2012 shows 6 quarts. Are you sure about 7?
lmichael, read my post up one in the "UPDATE". Barry-Sue is right. It is in-fact 7 quarts.
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1michael,
Yes it is "7" quarts. I was surprised as well when they charged me for seven. That is why I confirmed it with three FORD dealers service departments.
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Ron,
My 2010 owners manual specs 6 quarts for the 6.8L, so I went to my factory shop manual but could not find anything about oil capacity. Where did you find that info in your factory shop manual, I will look again.
I would like to confirm this for my 2010 because when I put 6 quarts in, it is half way between add and full on the dipstick and I have been adding a half quart to get to the full mark.
Bob
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At 7500 miles it is turning out to be a bigger deal getting service than I expected.
Is there list of Ford dealers that can handle RV's?
Are quick change places like JiffyLube, Wallmart, etc. A possibility for just an oil/filer change?
I just looked underneath at my upcoming oil change in about 6500 miles. Piece of cake... don't even need ramps. (Ramps would put oil filter and oil plug out of the reach of my short arms! ha ha)
I have been doing my oil changes most of my life myself. Reason being, when I ever did take a vehicle in for oil change I got shorted on oil or service was not so good. Living in Wisconsin, I try and time oil changes in spring and fall and most of the time use synthetic. So my new 2350 will get the same treatment.. BTW the oil filter is finally placed in a good spot and in a position where one does not oil himself replacing it.
Denny
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As an annuitant of ExxonMobil, I thank you all for using that wonderfully high priced Mobil 1 "synthetic" motor oil and keeping my stock dividends coming. Mobil 1 is probably the best motor oil you can put in your vehicle. That said, it's probably overkill for most of us. My E-350 based PC has the Ford V-10 which I have driven back and forth over the continental divide in the Canadian Rockies without the temp gauge ever budging. It runs at relatively low RPMs. Because of concerns with the plastic pipe in the rv water systems, I never camp anywhere at temperatures much below freezing and conversely, because of the single roof AC, I never camp during very hot weather. Because I have an extended warranty on my unit, I do not run the oil past the manufacturer's recommended intervals. Ergo, the primary advantages of synthetic oils for high temperature operations, high revving engines, and longer change intervals just aren't needed. Most quality motor oils like FOMOCO oils or any major oil company oils have additive packages of "synthetic" materials that handle all your normal needs. The only people I know that ever really benefitted from synthetic oils were those who had older cars out of warranty and ran 15,000 or more miles between changes. By the way, I use synthetic in quotes because all of the components are synthesized from petroleum and produced in refineries and their associated chemical plants. Think of them as designer hydrocarbons.
Synthetic oil is better, but probably not needed at the cost.
Jerry
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Nicely said... I buy synthetic oil when on sale at Menards for almost the same price as reg oil.
I like the fact that when we do our winter excursion from Wisconsin to Arizona, I don't need to be concerned about oil changes.
Denny and Barb
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Jerry,
The manual specifies semi-synthetic so full synthetic seems reasonable to use. With our tow vehicle pushing from behind, the engine gets extremely close to red-lining when using lower gears down long grades. The full synthetic provides extra peace of mind. And these days the cost of conventional oil is quite expensive, closing the gap with the cost of full synthetic. I used to buy conventional oil for 99 cents a quart on sale. No such sale these days.
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I went to my factory shop manual but could not find anything about oil capacity. Where did you find that info in your factory shop manual
Hi Bob,
My 2007 E-series 3 volume shop manual is published by Ford. In volume #2 on page 303-01B-1 is the specs chart for the 6.8L engine. It is on the very first page after the intro pages with indexing. Left-hand column, lower section, it states the oil capacity as 6.9 quarts with filter.
303-01B is the section exclusive for the 6.8L engine, coming after the smaller gas V8 engine sections.
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I went to my factory shop manual but could not find anything about oil capacity. Where did you find that info in your factory shop manual
Hi Bob,
My 2007 E-series 3 volume shop manual is published by Ford. In volume #2 on page 303-01B-1 is the specs chart for the 6.8L engine. It is on the very first page after the intro pages with indexing. Left-hand column, lower section, it states the oil capacity as 6.9 quarts with filter.
303-01B is the section exclusive for the 6.8L engine, coming after the smaller gas V8 engine sections.
Ron,
I have the same Ford 3 volume set for my 2010 and it was right where you said, I missed it the first time. For 2010 it states the capacity to be 7.0 quarts with filter, which is different from the 6.0 in the owners manual. The owners manual doesn't say anything about with or without filter for the 6 qts.
For my engine, it takes 6 1/2 qts to get to the full mark, more than the owners manual and less than the shop manual, Ford seems to have dropped the ball in this area.
Thanks, Bob
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This allows the new filter to be tightened by hand better. It is a hand-tighten-only process. No tools to tighten the oil filter. That is critical to follow or you may damage the new filter, or over-compress & deform the gasket.
This reminds me of the time, MANY years ago, I had overtightened the oil filter on a Chevy truck we had. It would *NOT* come off, not even with the "drive a screwdriver through the filter and turn" trick. It just twisted and collapsed the filter housing. Totally my fault.
So, there I am in the middle of my driveway with this now undrivable truck. So I have AAA tow it down to the local Texaco station where my family has done business for decades. It took the guy 30 minutes with a hammer and chisel to get the base of the filter off. He then offered me the "ultimate" advice that you NEVER want to hear from a mechanic: "Don't you EVER do that again, and if you do, don't bring it here!". roflol
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Recently changed the oil in my 2012 and only put 6 qts. in and the stick showed nearly exactly on the upper dot on the stick. Reading everyones posts I added additional 1/2 quart tonight and and it now shows above the high dot so I honestly think 6 quarts is really capacity. Thanks
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In honor of this post, I'm going to learn how to change the oil in our 1981 Ford F100 this week. It's high enough I can just slide under, so I'm gonna learn how to do it. Wish me luck, and I'll let you know how it goes!
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In honor of this post, I'm going to learn how to change the oil in our 1981 Ford F100 this week. It's high enough I can just slide under, so I'm gonna learn how to do it. Wish me luck, and I'll let you know how it goes!
"Pro tip:" Don't over tighten the filter! roflol
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I have a problem in that the Ford owners manual says 6 qts. Overfilling the oil can result in problems, so I think Ford would change the owners manual if 7 qts was now the proper amount to preclude possible legal actions against Ford ??? Just a thought, but I spent too much time in corprate matters to dismiss this. Something just doesn't sound right....
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Might be a little more expense but inbetween oil changes I change the filter and then add the appropriate oil. I use napa gold, not the "big filter". It's worth it to me!
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In honor of this post, I'm going to learn how to change the oil in our 1981 Ford F100 this week. It's high enough I can just slide under, so I'm gonna learn how to do it. Wish me luck, and I'll let you know how it goes!
Back when I was able to work I was a auto tech for Goodyear, we had one regular who was a woman, you could set your watch by her every 3,000 miles she would come in for a oil change and tire rotation and in between if anything went wrong or broke we would fix it for her with a discount. One time she didn't show up for her oil change, as she was a older lady we gave her a call to see if she was ok, she said she was and she would stop by in a few days to see us, sure enough in a day or two she stops by. She told us she had been watching me work on her car and figured out by both watching and asking questions how to change the oil herself, she said everything went ok till she added the new oil, she said that it took much longer than what it took us in her words it took over a hour to add the oil. She asked us to show her what we did, well after taking off the oil cap and putting in the oil gun to add she goes "OMG thats what that thing is for" I looked at her and ask her what she did, she goes " well I took out the stick and added the oil down the little hole it was in". She was adding the oil down the dip stick tube. roflol
She was a good sport and laughed at what she had done, after that she didn't try to change her oil again.
About the mobil 1 , we had a mobil oil rep stop in one day gave out some hats and wanted to know if we had any questions for her. One guy asked about the 3,000 mile change as some auto makers said to go longer than that between changes, she said that mobil 1 can go up to 7,500 miles before it needed changed but the filter still needed changed at 3,000 miles.
Gary
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... She was adding the oil down the dip stick tube...
My sister-in-law thought that was how it was done also. I think they see someone adding transmission fluid and
get the two confused...
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6 quarts 7 quarts, I guess that why the make a dip stick. Also when draining the oil take a screwdriver and put a hole in the bottom of the old filter. Let it drain, makes for a lot cleaner job.
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Also when draining the oil take a screwdriver and put a hole in the bottom of the old filter. Let it drain, makes for a lot cleaner job.
Yep! I do that all the time. Thanks for bringing it up Billy.
When cleaning up, one of the last things I do is pierce the top of the oil filter (opposite the mounting) right near the edge using a hammer and sharp small flat blade screw driver. The hole lets air in the backside of the filter to get the oil to drain freely. I place it in the funnel on top of waste jug overnight. Next day, the filter is nicely drained. No more oily mess to deal with on garbage day. Good for the enviornment too.
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Changing the oil was the most frustrating thing to figure out when I got my 2007 2350. I've always changed the oil in it and I've never had anybody else to do it. The first time I changed the oil, I had read it took 7 quarts which is what I put in it. Checking the oil level showed too much oil and then I read about all the problems Ford had with the markings on the oil dipsticks being incorrect. So I was left wondering if showing too much oil on the dipstick was really correct or if the dipstick marks were incorrect.
Checking the owner's manual said it should only take 6 quarts. So the next time I changed the oil, I put in 6 quarts and it was halfway between the oil marks. So once again, I was confused and since the owner's manual didn't specify if the 6 quarts was with or without the filter change, I added about 3/4 quart more to get to the upper mark. That was until I realized it takes a lot longer than I was used to for the oil to drain out of the engine back into the oil pan after running the engine. I thought I had the correct amount of oil, but when I checked it 5 minutes later, it was showing too much and I had to remove some.
Assuming my oil dipstick is correct, it appears that it takes just a little over 6.5 quarts of oil which I'm assuming is for the filter for the oil level to reach the upper mark on the dipstick. Of course it was still in the back of my mind that the dipstick markings could be incorrect. Plus, I know that too much oil is not good either. I finally gave up trying to figure it out and I just assumed the oil dipstick was correct and I ended up using 6 quarts like the owner's manual said. This was also my first vehicle with a Ford engine so I thought maybe the oil reading should be in the middle of the oil dipstick marks and not all the way up to the upper line like it is on GM engines.
I now have almost 50,000 miles on my RV and the engine still doesn't burn enough oil to get down to the bottom oil mark on the dipstick before the next oil change. I've also use the Motorocraft 5W-20 oil and filter that I get at Walmart. I buy one 5 quart jug and 1 quart bottle of oil and the filter. Plus, I usually try to change the oil every 3,000 and I grease the chassis at the same time. It takes a lot less time for me to do it then to take it somewhere to have this done. Also, with my previous RVs, I have sent oil samples to Blackstone Labs to have the oil analyzed. From past experience I know oil usually won't last 5,000 miles before it doesn't protect the engine as well even using Mobile 1 synthetic oil. So I stick with the 3,000 mile interval between oil changes.
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Hi Folks,
Since the west coast get-together earlier in the year, I was inspired to research towing our 2009 Honda FIT with all four wheels down. Our owner's manual said "no more than 30 MPH for no more than 3 hours" - useless. But three other owners were towing theirs! I checked page-by-page with Dale in Washington, and his manual said "no more than 55 MPH for as long as you like". But the page numbers didn't match our manual.
Turns out that Honda revised the manual! Ours has a "-001" part number on the back, while the current version, verified at the Honda dealer, is version "-003". The newer manual is about 50% bigger than the one we started with. Fortunately when I ordered one on the 'Net, it was the newer version.
So, now we have a tow-bar and I will soon be installing the bracket kit on the Honda. I'm going to hire the shop to do the wiring, though!
Thanks for your patience, Dale!
Bill and Diane