Scheduled Ford service

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

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!

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.

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

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 cup of coffee.


Barry

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

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.  

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.

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.

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"

The Ford owners manual on my 2012 shows 6 quarts.  Are you sure about 7?

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.

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.

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

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

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