• Sign Up! To view all forums and unlock additional cool features

    Welcome to the #1 Explorer ST Forum and Explorer ST community dedicated to Explorer ST owners and enthusiasts. Register for an account, it's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the Explorer ST Forum today!


Oil capacity

MY2020ST

New Member
Messages
11
Reactions
18
Points
2
Location
Texas
Vehicle
2020 explorer ST
#1
First oil change on the (new to me) 2020. Put in 6 quarts and a new oil filter. Dipstick is reading well below the mid-point indicating it still needs more. Oil containers were sealed when I got them and I didn’t spill any when pouringthe new stuff in. Engine was warmed up when I checked it. I‘ve done tons of oil changes on other vehicles and don’t remember seeing this. Has anyone needed to put in more than 6 quarts?
 

GearHead_1

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,557
Reactions
1,300
Points
262
Location
Utah
Vehicle
Exploder
#2
6 quarts is recommended. Check your engine when it is dead cold. These engines as well as the 2.7 engines take a good minute for everything to drain back into the pan.
 

OP
M

MY2020ST

New Member
Messages
11
Reactions
18
Points
2
Location
Texas
Vehicle
2020 explorer ST
Thread Starter #3
6 quarts is recommended. Check your engine when it is dead cold. These engines as well as the 2.7 engines take a good minute for everything to drain back into the pan.
Thank you. Looks like you were right. Dipstick says it’s full after 3 hours of allowing oil to drain back to the oil pan. I appreciate your response.
 

F=MA

Active Member
Messages
947
Reactions
623
Points
232
Location
Wichita, KS, USA
#4
I run seven quarts Mobile 1 5W-30. It's overfilled to prevent low oil pressure on acceleration. Appears to be a half quart over full when checked.
 

Cruising68

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,627
Reactions
1,185
Points
262
Location
Chicago, IL, USA
#5
I run seven quarts Mobile 1 5W-30. It's overfilled to prevent low oil pressure on acceleration. Appears to be a half quart over full when checked.
I overfill for the same reason. Not sure what kind of baffling the pan has. Put an aftermarket oil pan on the CTSV I was road racing and it had really nice baffling compared to the stock. Not sure there is any baffling in the ST oil pan so better safe than sorry. No oil pressure leads quickly to bad things


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

GearHead_1

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,557
Reactions
1,300
Points
262
Location
Utah
Vehicle
Exploder
#6
I run seven quarts Mobile 1 5W-30. It's overfilled to prevent low oil pressure on acceleration. Appears to be a half quart over full when checked.
And at what point does one know when the level is high enough to be interfering with the crankshaft? Even with engines that have good baffling and windage trays, you can drown the crank. In effect, slowing it down.
 

Rick

Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Law Enforcement
Messages
251
Reactions
166
Points
37
Location
Fort Hood, TX, USA
Vehicle
Rapid Red
#7
I run seven quarts Mobile 1 5W-30. It's overfilled to prevent low oil pressure on acceleration. Appears to be a half quart over full when checked.
Too much oil in the engine can also cause the pressure on the crankshaft to increase, causing oil to enter the exhaust pipe from the crankshaft into the combustion chamber, blocking the combustion chamber hole with oil and eventually clogging the engine. Wet spark plug; excess oil will also flood the spark plug well
 

Rick

Member
U.S. Army Veteran
Law Enforcement
Messages
251
Reactions
166
Points
37
Location
Fort Hood, TX, USA
Vehicle
Rapid Red
#8
And at what point does one know when the level is high enough to be interfering with the crankshaft? Even with engines that have good baffling and windage trays, you can drown the crank. In effect, slowing it down.
You, sir are correct
 

Cruising68

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,627
Reactions
1,185
Points
262
Location
Chicago, IL, USA
#9
IMO you get your oil a little whipped and aerated if you get into the crank. 1/2 inch should not really affect anything. It should not be into the crank with engine off when checking level. It certainly won’t be when running the oil pump as oil is off the dipstick with engine running.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

GearHead_1

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,557
Reactions
1,300
Points
262
Location
Utah
Vehicle
Exploder
#10
IMO you get your oil a little whipped and aerated if you get into the crank. 1/2 inch should not really affect anything. It should not be into the crank with engine off when checking level. It certainly won’t be when running the oil pump as oil is off the dipstick with engine running.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That was my point, how do you know? I expect you'll be fine.

That said, the pans on these aren't deep at all. How far up the block skirt is the actual level? The picture below shows just how small the oil pan is, much of the oil is up into the skirt.

I understand the desire to give the engine a little extra protection under hard use but I've got to wonder if there isn't a little placebo effect going on here. Now if you're making a left-hand turn for hours on end, well... NASCAR takes that into consideration.

s-l16001.jpg
 

Last edited:

TMac

1000 Post Club
Messages
1,706
Reactions
1,494
Points
262
Location
Knoxville, TN
#12
That was my point, how do you know? I expect you'll be fine.

That said, the pans on these aren't deep at all. How far up the block skirt is the actual level? The picture below shows just how small the oil pan is, much of the oil is up into the skirt.

I understand the desire to give the engine a little extra protection under hard use but I've got to wonder if there isn't a little placebo effect going on here. Now if you're making a left-hand turn for hours on end, well... NASCAR takes that into consideration.

View attachment 20162
But look at the height of the centerline of the crankshaft. It's a long way from there to the bottom of the oil pan. @Cruising68 is right, adding a half quart more oil isn't going to affect the crankshaft once oil is displaced to the upper end when running.
 

ZRX61

Member
U.S. Air Force Veteran
Messages
315
Reactions
195
Points
37
Location
L A, CA, USA
#13
Too much oil in the engine can also cause the pressure on the crankshaft to increase, causing oil to enter the exhaust pipe from the crankshaft into the combustion chamber, blocking the combustion chamber hole with oil and eventually clogging the engine. Wet spark plug; excess oil will also flood the spark plug well
What?
 

FORZDA3

Member
U.S. Air Force Veteran
Messages
489
Reactions
326
Points
67
Location
Gloucester, VA, USA
Vehicle
2021 Explorer ST
#14
I always run an extra 1/2 qt in my Raptor and ExplorerST. I’ve removed the “balance” shaft in my 2.3 Focus RS, installed race baffling into the pan, and run an extra 2qts.
 



Top