How do you change the oil in a Ford Taurus?

Answer 1

See notes after these instructions for info on recommended filters and types of oil for the Taurus.

• Park the car on a flat surface.

• Be sure you have enough room to get underneath the car for access to the oil filter and oil pan drain plug. If necessary, jack up the car, then BEFORE getting under it, place jack stands at the manufacturer's recommended jack points, and lower the jack onto the jackstands. Rock the car slightly to make sure it's stable before getting under it.

• Preferably wear rubber gloves while performing the oil change--engine oil is somewhat toxic, and prolonged contact with the skin can cause you to feel slightly ill and disoriented. For best manual dexterity, you can wear thin disposable gloves.

• Take the oil cap and oil dipstick off the engine.

• Place oil pan underneath the oil drain plug.

• Loosen the oil drain plug, trying not to drop it into the pan, and allow oil to drain out.

• When oil has stopped coming out of the oil drain, move the oil pan under the oil filter, or if the oil drain continues to drain and the oil pan isn't big enough to cover the distance between both, place a second oil pan under the oil filter.

• Use an oil filter wrench to loosen (don't yet remove) the oil filter, and allow to drain. If the oil filter is situated in a way that prevents you from getting a good grip and tool movement, try rotating the filter manually, while wearing sturdy rubber gloves to get a good grip, and/or by wrapping sandpaper around the filter. If that doesn't work, grab the end of the filter with another type of tool, such as Channellock pliers, and rotating it. Sometimes you can get a good enough grip on the filter with such a tool if you grab it in-line with the filter, instead of at 90 degrees to it. Often only a slight rotation is enough to loosen an oil filter so that it can then be rotated by hand.

• Once the flow of oil from the loose filter has slowed down, remove it. Some more oil may flow out. There will also be oil in the filter, so try to avoid tipping its open end downward until you have it over the oil pan.

• Check the drained oil for metal scrapings or other large debris. If found, check for solutions.

• Lube the gasket on the new filter with new motor oil. Some people also recommend filling the new filter 3/4 full of new motor oil before installing it, but this is unnecessary, and will make a mess (and make the outside of the filter slippery) when some oil spills out when you have to tilt the filter to install it.

• Place the new filter onto the engine, and tighten it with your hand until it feels tight. Then tighten it further with an oil filter wrench or other tool, no more than about a quarter-turn.

• Reinstall the oil drain plug onto the oil pan.

• If you jacked up the car, jack it back down so that it's level.

• With the engine off, pour in any oil additive if you've chosen to use one, then fill the engine with new oil, to the amount noted in the car's Vehicle Manual. Don't exceed the engine's stated capacity, which will usually be pretty accurate.

• Replace oil cap on engine.

• Start engine, while still on a flat surface.

• Allow the engine to run, before driving, for 10-15 minutes, checking for leaks from engine and new filter, and watching engine temperature. After the engine has been running for 10-15 minutes, shut it off, and measure the oil level using the dipstick. Engine oil should always be checked when the car is level, and the engine is hot but not running, so the oil can drain back into the crankcase for accurate measurement--these are the conditions for which the dipstick's calibration has been etched. If the oil isn't near the top of the marked range on the dipstick, add enough to put it there, but be careful not to put in too much oil--you may need to add just a few more ounces.

• Drive to ensure safety.

THE END!!

Filter recommendations:

The original filter for most Tauruses was the Motorcraft FL-400A (a good filter--don't buy a cheap filter). This was replaced by the improved FL-400S, which has more filtration area and a silicone anti-drainback valve. One manufacturer, K&N, makes filters that have a one-inch nut on the end that can be easily gripped with a crescent wrench or socket wrench. If your car's filter is in a location where it's tough to get an oil filter wrench wrapped around it and have enough movement to rotate the filter, you might consider replacing the old filter with a K&N so that the job is easier next time. The K&N filter for all Tauruses (1986 and later) is the HP-2009.

Oil recommendations:

Two of the major factors in deciding what type of oil to put into a car's engine are: the number of miles on the engine, and the usual outside temperature where the car will be driven.

Focusing on just the Taurus/Sable (though this advice would apply to many other car models), the user manual for the 1995 Taurus (my model) lists both 5W30 and 10W30 (thicker than 5W30), but doesn't say how to decide which to use. My recommendation is that if the engine has over 50,000-75,000 miles (depending on how hard it's been used--hauling or not, etc), and/or is going to be driven in hotter temperatures (average of 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter), use 10W30. Oil thicker than 5W is better at filling the wider gaps that exist in an older engine, and keeps many engines better lubricated in colder weather. Some people even recommend using 10W40 if the engine has over 100,000 miles and is going to be driven in hot environments, but if your older car's engine does well on 10W30 (doesn't run too hot, doesn't make popping/knocking/pinging noises, etc.), use 10W30 instead of 10W40, and you might get better gas mileage. If the engine has fewer miles, and/or is going to be driven in colder weather, use 5W30, or even Ford's new recommendation of 5W20 (but usually only if it's a newer car that can take thinner oil). Some people also recommend using conventional oil in engines with 50,000 miles or more, but I'd recommend using a conventional/synthetic blend so you can get some of the benefits of both.

If your weather temperature varies widely between summer and winter, you might do well to change your oil accordingly as the weather starts to change each year, which would fit with many cars' maintenance schedule of replacing the oil every six months in normal use.

Oil additives:

High-quality oil additives can improve the performance and prolong the life of engine oil, increasing the amount of time before you need to replace the oil, and decreasing wear and tear on the engine. However, it's still best to follow your car's manufacturer's recommendations about how often to change the engine oil (as well as the car's other fluids).