DO NOT READ IF EASILY TRIGGERED BY 2.7 OIL LEVEL QUESTIONS... Incorrect Dipstick Readings...

[MileHighBadlands]

I've read all the oil discussions and am not looking for a debate on how much oil to pour into my 2.7, just some opinions or real world explanation from Ford.

I change my own oil (24' Badlands SAS 2.7), and each time, the oil reads way over the full hole mark on the dipstick (see image). Always 6 qts., always change the filter, always open the oil filter housing to allow oil to drain back, always warm the engine, but allow 25 or more minutes for the oil to drain back to the pan. I check my oil often, and the dipstick reading is always the same. Dipstick part # is the current part.

I know other people are having this issue, and the general consensus is to just keep the oil level to the same place on the dipstick as it was after the initial check (drive the bronco and check oil the next day for me). Has anyone who has the dealership change their oil gotten an explanation from them? Has anyone seen any explanation from Ford? I'm okay with keeping the oil level higher on the dipstick than the "hash marks", but it seems like there must be some explanation of why this is happening.

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[Ducati1098]

Might be waiting too long to check it?
Every time I put 6 in its right in the middle, but I only wait about ~15 minutes then check it

 

[Fordified1]

Because it was built by humans and the oil level Mark is sometimes in the wrong place or the tube is deeper in your engine. Put 6 quarts in it, run it check it mark it and use that as your reference every time.
I don’t know about Broncos, but it’s a common issue on CAT and Cummins engines installed in motorhomes for the marks on the stick to be off.

 

[Newbie]

looking for a debate on how much oil to pour into my 2.7

 

[Q1svt]

I've read all the oil discussions and am not looking for a debate on how much oil to pour into my 2.7, just some opinions or real world explanation from Ford.

Most ‘vehicles’ are driven on roads that are flat - a little hilly

Bronco’s are (can be driven) in extreme roll / pitch conditions

Depending on how / where you drive your Bronco …

A little more oil may not matter or can destroy a motor when the rotation of crankshaft hits the wall of oil

 

[breaddrink]

why this is happening.

It's happening because they're putting in the max oil amount to a wet system with residual oil in it.

I don't understand putting in a set amount after a drain no matter what.
If the amount draining can be altered through drain angle, temp, cling... Or even not full to begin with, because oil goes a'wandering. Starting at Max fill amount makes no sense. It's a wet system. Not dry. There's a lot left in there.

If you do it yourself you can measure a starting point on the stick. Measure the amount that just drained out, and start the refill from that quantity, and check on the stick to creep up on the perfect fill point.
In treating the dip stick like it's secondary/irrelevant when it's your only way of observing a level inside that distant unobservable place full of mystery amounts, makes no sense... It is your only gauge, and they do not use it. It sounds like a lot of people actually blame the stick and put 6 in no matter what, and then say the stick isn't accurate. . It's crazy.

Also, at the end of the day, a little over is also fine, but I don't trust other people doing my oil for exactly this reason. They give you what it says in the book. No matter what's in there. So you go over. In my opinion even starting at 6 on a 7 quart system is very high, when you can sneak up on the high fill line, and let the system soak the dry (new) filter.
You'll end up at about middle on the stick and about the right level.

 

[Returntothefog]

same op, always 6 qt and every time i check i see around what you see, but 50k miles in no issue...

 

[Nibroc99]

It's happening because they're putting in the max oil amount to a wet system with residual oil in it.

I don't understand putting in a set amount after a drain no matter what.
If the amount draining can be altered through drain angle, temp, cling... Or even not full to begin with, because oil goes a'wandering. Starting at Max fill amount makes no sense. It's a wet system. Not dry. There's a lot left in there.

If you do it yourself you can measure a starting point on the stick. Measure the amount that just drained out, and start the refill from that quantity, and check on the stick to creep up on the perfect fill point.
In treating the dip stick like it's secondary/irrelevant when it's your only way of observing a level inside that distant unobservable place full of mystery amounts, makes no sense... It is your only gauge, and they do not use it. It sounds like a lot of people actually blame the stick and put 6 in no matter what, and then say the stick isn't accurate. . It's crazy.

Also, at the end of the day, a little over is also fine, but I don't trust other people doing my oil for exactly this reason. They give you what it says in the book. No matter what's in there. So you go over. In my opinion even starting at 6 on a 7 quart system is very high, when you can sneak up on the high fill line, and let the system soak the dry (new) filter.
You'll end up at about middle on the stick and about the right level.

I, for one, humbly do understand putting in a set amount. With modern engines, there's so much tolerance that just putting in the set amount plus any residual oil isn't gonna make a difference in the short or long term. So putting in a set amount means I just buy 6qts of oil and dump it all in and don't spend any extra time measuring and checking, waiting for it to settle to check again, and so on. Just dump in and go. It's not that deep. If it were a transmission, though, then I'd spend the extra time on measuring and checking and whatnot.
Granted, I'm talking about doing it myself, for the record. Shops can do what they want. Which is why I do it myself lol. But when I dump in 6qts, my dipstick - with the black H on top, which to my understanding is the correct one for the 2.7 in my 2022 wildtrak 4dr - reads exactly in the middle.

 

[Nibroc99]

I've read all the oil discussions and am not looking for a debate on how much oil to pour into my 2.7, just some opinions or real world explanation from Ford.

I change my own oil (24' Badlands SAS 2.7), and each time, the oil reads way over the full hole mark on the dipstick (see image). Always 6 qts., always change the filter, always open the oil filter housing to allow oil to drain back, always warm the engine, but allow 25 or more minutes for the oil to drain back to the pan. I check my oil often, and the dipstick reading is always the same. Dipstick part # is the current part.

I know other people are having this issue, and the general consensus is to just keep the oil level to the same place on the dipstick as it was after the initial check (drive the bronco and check oil the next day for me). Has anyone who has the dealership change their oil gotten an explanation from them? Has anyone seen any explanation from Ford? I'm okay with keeping the oil level higher on the dipstick than the "hash marks", but it seems like there must be some explanation of why this is happening.

Does your dipstick have the black H on the top of it? Because I also put in 6qts into my 2.7L Wildtrak, and I have the black H on my dipstick, and it ends up exactly in the middle every time I change my oil.

 

[TrailDamage]

I’m also curious about the dipstick. I wish Ford would have just admitted to incorrect dipsticks. I still put 7 in on mine and won’t change it until the Raptor gets a different oil pan than what they put on the 2.7. Thankfully mine shipped with the right dipstick for it and not the front wheel drive 2.7 one everyone had

 

[SWLABRONCO]

I have a 23 outerbanks sas and I have the same problem. 6 quarts is above the full mark. I just quit worrying about it. I dump in 6 quarts and go. I check it once or twice every couple weeks and my wife drives the piss out of it. Almost 60k and no problems.

 

[Roger123]

I, for one, humbly do understand putting in a set amount. With modern engines, there's so much tolerance that just putting in the set amount plus any residual oil isn't gonna make a difference in the short or long term. So putting in a set amount means I just buy 6qts of oil and dump it all in and don't spend any extra time measuring and checking, waiting for it to settle to check again, and so on. Just dump in and go. It's not that deep. If it were a transmission, though, then I'd spend the extra time on measuring and checking and whatnot.
Granted, I'm talking about doing it myself, for the record. Shops can do what they want. Which is why I do it myself lol. But when I dump in 6qts, my dipstick - with the black H on top, which to my understanding is the correct one for the 2.7 in my 2022 wildtrak 4dr - reads exactly in the middle.

I'm in this camp. I actually pretty much stopped ever pulling out the dip-stick. Before a long trip when I'm topping off WW fluid and checking coolant, etc. I may pull it and check. I drained the oil and put in new oil, I made sure it didn't run onto the ground, no leaks around the filter, and the oil light went out on start-up, therefore I should be good. Out of years of habit I routinely check the driveway for oil stains (that's how I found the blown motor mount on my Jeep). Don't overthink this process.

I haven't added a drop of oil to a vehicle between changes since I got rid of my First Bronco, nearly 40 years ago, that dumped about a quart every few days out of the rear main seal before I rebuilt the engine.

 

[BroncoChallenger]

In today's world of electronics, we're lucky to have a dipstick on ANYTHING. Not sure if anyone has noticed, but there's no transmission dipstick on the autos.

In fact, the last truck I have seen a transmission dipstick on, was my '22 Ram CTD. And even IT wasn't supposed to have one - there was a recall on them that the factory trans dipstick could 'pop up' and let trans fluid get into the engine bay, and Ram's first choice for repair was to remove the dipstick and put a 'cap' on the tube. Their second choice, if the customer requested it, was to put a locking dipstick on. I had the locking dipstick.

And things have been headed this way for a LONG time. My mom has a 2003 Grand Am that has no transmission dipstick. The I THINK 2025 Rams with the Hurricane motor (and the Jeeps that motor was introduced on) doesn't even have an engine oil dipstick.

 

[Valhalla]

Ain't got no gas in it. I did mine the old school way... problem is I'm old enough I can't remember what that was. pretty sure I R&R filter and oil shy of the full 6, cranked let settle then filled to full and it was damn near 6... I may be misremembering... remind me in May.

 

[TPadden72]

A little more oil may not matter or can destroy a motor when the rotation of crankshaft hits the wall of oil.

It can also increase road noise, crack windshields and MIC hardtops, and cause battery drain. There should be a dipstick recall.

Tom

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