Oil for 2004 Ford Taurus

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My sister-in-law just bought a 2004 Taurus with the 3 liter Duratec engine. The car did not come with any maintenance records.
Working on doing what I can when I can to change fluids and such. The cooling system was a rusty mess. I replaced the coolant jug, thermostat and one small coolant hose this past weekend and I have some radiator flush in the system now and letting it work for a few days.
I've never seen an engine with the plumbing that this thing has. Good job, Ford engineers.

Anyway, the manual calls for 5w-20 (who knows what's in there now) and at 200,000 plus miles I plan on using a good quality 5w-30 high mileage oil.
I can't see where this would be an issue at this mileage.

Also, besides deteriorated hoses, is there anything particular to this car and engine to look out for.

Thanks.
 
Valvoline Maxlife and 5w30 is fine. I would do a UOA and pull the plugs to make sure that coolant isn't leaking into the oil or the combustion area because if the coolant was that bad it could have been acidic long enough that it caused damage to the head gaskets.
 
The oil is pretty dark and does not appear to have any coolant in it.
Good idea on the plugs. I will pull the easy ones to check them. You have to remove the intake manifold to get to the rear plugs. Not ready to do that just yet.
 
Originally Posted By: TOMJ
I've never seen an engine with the plumbing that this thing has. Good job, Ford engineers.


That's because your cars are 25 years old, so they just have an upper hose and a lower hose. This 2004 Taurus has the same modern setup that a 2017 Silverado or a 2017 Civic has.
21.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Ethan1
Originally Posted By: TOMJ
I've never seen an engine with the plumbing that this thing has. Good job, Ford engineers.


That's because your cars are 25 years old, so they just have an upper hose and a lower hose. This 2004 Taurus has the same modern setup that a 2017 Silverado or a 2017 Civic has.
21.gif





Working on this car will be learning experience for sure. The Civic does have a couple of small bypass hoses but it's pretty simple.
The GMC though, easy peesy.

Simple machines for simple minds!!
 
Originally Posted By: newbe46
Our 1998 Taurus' transmission couldn't go pass 150,000 km and we changed the transmission fluid every two years.


Oil change and trans fluid and filter change are next. At least the trans fluid is still red(ish), there is a little black on the paper towel when wiping the fluid off of the dip stick.
 
Originally Posted By: TOMJ
3 liter Duratec engine.
I've never seen an engine with the plumbing that this thing has. Good job, Ford engineers.
Make sure metal coolant tube is not rusted through. That engine uses G-05 coolant. Hard to get more than a gallon of coolant out from usual drain bolt on radiator. Removing lower radiator hose does not help much. Multiple drain and fills and draining pressurized coolant tank (degas bottle) should work. Might have to remove plastic cover below bumper cover to get to bottom of radiator. Just some screws and bolts.

Quote:
I plan on using a good quality 5w-30 high mileage oil.
Sounds good. Some have leak at oil pan and front cover. Fel pro aftermarket gasked has rubber like seal at sealing surface unlike original metal only gasket. Not bad job but must remove front exhaust. Front cover leak might need engine removal.

Quote:
, is there anything particular to this car and engine to look out for.
Mainly transmission. If it doesn't slip, good. Recommend change atf filter and fluid. Mainly a routine US made car type of AT service. Walmart Supertech Mercon V for relatively cheap is licensed. Takes between 6-9 quarts to drain and fill, depending whether torque converter drained. Tubular gasket on AT filter tube going in valve body might stick in hole in valve body. Make sure it comes out and make sure new gasket has same dimension or filter might not fit inside pan. If not same, reuse old gasket or get another filter. Pan gasket might be designed reusable. If so, reuse it. Is better than replacement gasket that comes with AT filter. When checking if have enough ATF, make sure there is at least some on dipstick cold before running engine and trans. Otherwise will suck air and spit ATF out fill tube.

Also, water draining R side of windshield might leak past plastic over lower right of windshield and leak to heater fan. Might cause heater fan to fail. This is usually because black plastic over lower right windshield does not stay flush with windshield and water goes in. Use clear silicone sealer to seal this gap so water will drain to cowl drain instead of lower windshield to heater fan.

Overall a good car.
 
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
That engine is not too harsh on oil, you can use anything w20 or w30 and it will be fine.


Planning on using Mobil Super High Mileage 5w-30. One of my wife's brothers gave my S-I-L some 15w-40 to use.
I quickly took it away from her and told her to not let anyone add anything to the engine or cooling system.


Thanks.
 
Not much to look for on the Duratec. Have the plugs been done? Not a bad idea to do those and the 3 ignition coils on the firewall side while the intake is off. Not that bad of a job.

If the cooling system was that bad, I would recommend replacing the steel coolant tube on the firewall, again while you have the intake off. They're cheap and they do fail from rust. Flush the heater core extremely well while in there.

I would also replace the coolant tank, another cheap part and known weak link. Might as well put upper and lower hoses on, plus those little bypass hoses. As you said, these things are a nightmare of plumbing.
 
pan and gasket with a filter on the trans , I have an 02 with a vulcan , these motors are not too picky on oil, do use a good filter with a good anti drainback valve or you will have a rattle on start up.My choice is a Bosch or a motorcraft ,,I believe yours calls for a FL820

my daughter bless her good interntions while away at school had her oil changed and didnt tell me and when she got home I grabbed her car for service and found an odd colored yellow colored filter and at start up it rattled like crazy,,,,,

you can run any good high mileage oil quaker state DEFY is my suggelstion....Valvoline has a good high mileage oil out there

an oil sample and lab will be good to tell you whats going on inside the motor checking for antifreeze in the oil and fuel dilution if your injectors are leaking down
 
Originally Posted By: Nitronoise
pan and gasket with a filter on the trans , I have an 02 with a vulcan , these motors are not too picky on oil, do use a good filter with a good anti drainback valve or you will have a rattle on start up.My choice is a Bosch or a motorcraft ,,I believe yours calls for a FL820

my daughter bless her good interntions while away at school had her oil changed and didnt tell me and when she got home I grabbed her car for service and found an odd colored yellow colored filter and at start up it rattled like crazy,,,,,

you can run any good high mileage oil quaker state DEFY is my suggelstion....Valvoline has a good high mileage oil out there

an oil sample and lab will be good to tell you whats going on inside the motor checking for antifreeze in the oil and fuel dilution if your injectors are leaking down



Thanks for the info.
 
Originally Posted By: thrace
Originally Posted By: TOMJ
3 liter Duratec engine.
I've never seen an engine with the plumbing that this thing has. Good job, Ford engineers.
Make sure metal coolant tube is not rusted through. That engine uses G-05 coolant. Hard to get more than a gallon of coolant out from usual drain bolt on radiator. Removing lower radiator hose does not help much. Multiple drain and fills and draining pressurized coolant tank (degas bottle) should work. Might have to remove plastic cover below bumper cover to get to bottom of radiator. Just some screws and bolts.

Quote:
I plan on using a good quality 5w-30 high mileage oil.
Sounds good. Some have leak at oil pan and front cover. Fel pro aftermarket gasked has rubber like seal at sealing surface unlike original metal only gasket. Not bad job but must remove front exhaust. Front cover leak might need engine removal.

Quote:
, is there anything particular to this car and engine to look out for.
Mainly transmission. If it doesn't slip, good. Recommend change atf filter and fluid. Mainly a routine US made car type of AT service. Walmart Supertech Mercon V for relatively cheap is licensed. Takes between 6-9 quarts to drain and fill, depending whether torque converter drained. Tubular gasket on AT filter tube going in valve body might stick in hole in valve body. Make sure it comes out and make sure new gasket has same dimension or filter might not fit inside pan. If not same, reuse old gasket or get another filter. Pan gasket might be designed reusable. If so, reuse it. Is better than replacement gasket that comes with AT filter. When checking if have enough ATF, make sure there is at least some on dipstick cold before running engine and trans. Otherwise will suck air and spit ATF out fill tube.

Also, water draining R side of windshield might leak past plastic over lower right of windshield and leak to heater fan. Might cause heater fan to fail. This is usually because black plastic over lower right windshield does not stay flush with windshield and water goes in. Use clear silicone sealer to seal this gap so water will drain to cowl drain instead of lower windshield to heater fan.

Overall a good car.


Thanks for the info. I have 2 gallons of the G-05 on deck. I will add that once I get the rust situation cleared up.
 
Originally Posted By: Nitronoise
pan and gasket with a filter on the trans , I have an 02 with a vulcan , these motors are not too picky on oil, do use a good filter with a good anti drainback valve or you will have a rattle on start up.My choice is a Bosch or a motorcraft ,,I believe yours calls for a FL820

my daughter bless her good interntions while away at school had her oil changed and didnt tell me and when she got home I grabbed her car for service and found an odd colored yellow colored filter and at start up it rattled like crazy,,,,,

you can run any good high mileage oil quaker state DEFY is my suggelstion....Valvoline has a good high mileage oil out there

an oil sample and lab will be good to tell you whats going on inside the motor checking for antifreeze in the oil and fuel dilution if your injectors are leaking down



Planning on using Mobil Super High Mileage 5w-30 and the Motorcraft filter.

Thanks.
 
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