Does Ford have a dipstick accuracy problem?

[Fiestig]

My 2017 reads pretty easily. It is the clay colored end. I will take a pic tomorrow. The 14 I just picked up has the silver braid/ring stupid design. I couldn't tell a damn thing on that...lol. I had to let the car sit and oil to settle completely before I could get an accurate reading and then used paper towel method just to be sure.

I eventually grabbed the dipstick from my 17 to check the 14

 

[PunkST]

I havw the clay colored end and its damn near impossible to read. Id prefer the flat metal one.

 

[Fiestig]

Hmm, Maybe easier for me since I use royal purple?

 

[Fiestig]

Granted, the flat metal would be the easiest regardless

 

[CANUCK ST]

Not sure if this has been posted before but the 2014-2016 dipsticks read 8mm (5/16) high when the proper amount of oil is used.
Here is the Ford documentation.

 

[PunkST]

That explains a lot actually. As to why my oil level always seems too high

 

[Capri to ST]

Not sure if this has been posted before but the 2014-2016 dipsticks read 8mm (5/16) high when the proper amount of oil is used.
Here is the Ford documentation.

Good find, that's helpful to know.

 

[scooter123]

Not sure if this has been posted before but the 2014-2016 dipsticks read 8mm (5/16) high when the proper amount of oil is used.
Here is the Ford documentation.

Unfortunately this is a case when the Ford documentation is quite likely WRONG. I believe that when you fill a freshly assembled engine without any oil in it the amount used will provide a fill that is at the maximum mark on the dip stick.

The problem is that by design the 1.6 Ecoboost has a rather large volume of "trapped oil". My estimate is that it's between 4 and 6 ounces. Anyone who has read the manual should have seen the warning to NOT overfill the oil. Failure to adhere to this warning has the potential of resulting in a destroyed engine. As delivered when new my 2019 FiST was spot on at the Max line, so the factory knew exactly how much oil to fill a brand spanking new dry engine and I would bet that is what is listed in the owners manual. Folks, do NOT overfill your engine, fill it to the maximum line. BTW, I still get the Works for free so I have the dealer service the car. First change they filled the engine right to the max line. Second change 2 weeks ago and they put in 4.3 quarts by the metering dispenser and it was over the Max line by an eyeball 1/4 inch. Since I was still in the parking lot I talked to a service manager and they took the car back and drained out a bit of oil. Took the tech 2 try's to get it right but he did get it right. BTW, I'll forgive these kinds of mistakes at present because the service department is working at half staff due to the damned beer virus.

Something you have to remember is those writing these edicts are kids fresh out of college without ANY hands on experience building engines. Typical Automotive today, got an easy problem then give it to a fresh hire. Unfortunatly that fresh hire doesn't have a clue as to what a trapped volume is. So he goes rote by the Owners Manual.

BTW, one thing I find really disturbing about Automotive Engineering today is that none of today's Engineers actually get their hands dirty. They park themselves in front of a computer screen all day long. When mistakes are made it's not the Engineer who screwed up who gets tasked with solving the problem, it's a freaking committee formed in such a way that not one single person is in charge and not one single person can be blamed in any way for not solving he problem or screwing up more. If you want to see an example of this Committee Engineering then just look at the Focus dual clutch transmission.

BTW as a Ford owner this pisses me off, but as a Ford Stock Holder this crap absolutely ENRAGES ME. Once this beer virus crap has finally been cleared up by a vaccine you can be certain I'll be attending the next stock holders meeting and addressing some hard questions to the Board of Directors.

 

[CANUCK ST]

Scooter, SSM’s are not issued haphazardly. That SSM is specific to 2011-2016 Fiestas. NOT for your later model. Every time my dealer does an oil change on my 2016 ST it is slightly overfilled. I contacted Ford Corporate and they told me to follow the SSM.
I’m just repeating what Ford showed me through their documentation.

 

[CANUCK ST]

Scooter, SSM’s are not issued haphazardly. That SSM is specific to 2011-2016 Fiestas. NOT for your later model. Every time my dealer does an oil change on my 2016 ST it is slightly overfilled. I contacted Ford Corporate and they told me to follow the SSM.
I’m just repeating what Ford showed me through their documentation.

Sorry 2013-2016 Fiesta’s

 

[FiSTerMr]

I have a 2017, and if I put in 4.2 quarts I'm over the line. Four quarts puts me at the max line.
To be honest, I don't even measure out the quarts, I go strictly by the dipstick reading when I do my change. I dump about 3 to 3.5 quarts in initially, and then I just keep slowly adding until I get to the "MAX" line on the stick. [emoji6]

Scooter123 is 100% correct when he talks about trapped volume. And let's not conflate this with the SSB/SSM for 2013-2016 models. I cannot speak on that since I have a 2017. I have the cable dipstick but with the plastic end, which I believe is the upgraded version.

As for getting a reading on it, it's very tricky.
When you do an initial pull of the dipstick to clean it off; push it back in, but don't pull it right back out for your reading!
Wait at least 5 minutes (I usually wait 10) for the oil in the dipstick tube to drain back down. It's the residual oil from pulling up the dipstick that will give you a hard time getting a clear reading.

However, even if you don't wait, one side is usually readable, while the other side has an oil slick going all the way up.
As long as you read the one side where you can clearly see a differentiation, you're good to go. [emoji106]