2004 Grand Marquis

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Hi everyone, just picked up a 2004 Grand Marquis from a son who's dad passed. Car is in great shape and has 23,000 original miles. I'm wanting to change the oil just cause its new to me. What oil would you recommend for this 4.6 liter. Trying to decide if I should go to synthetic,if so which one? Thank you all in advance for any input.
 
Nice purchase, sad of how it became available.

I would run any off the shelf 5w-20, or any of the AMSOIL line 5w-20 if expense isn't an issue.
 
Those engines are very reliable and went for hundreds of thousands of miles on cheap bulk government and taxi fleet won the bid no name swill. I'd use the same oil your using in your Escape unless you wanna save money and use something cheaper.
In the case of saving money despite the goofy name, I'd use Valvoline Daily Protection 5W20.
 
Thanks for the replies! I use Motorcraft 5w20 in my Escape maybe I will stick with that. Since these engines seem to last,im thinking a full synthetic is not necessary. Is my thinking correct?
 
I'd run supertech 5w30 synthetic. Cheaper than motorcraft semi-synthetic. But as others have said it probable doesn't matter since those motors are awesome.
 
I would love to run into another 10-15 yr old Ford CV or Mercury GM again with ultra low miles. Basic, yet great cars that get the job done.

I've had 4 Ford/Lincoln/Mercs with the 4.6L (1997-2002). I used both synthetics and conventionals. On one of them I noted a fairly high consumption on synthetic Formula Shell 5w-20 so I went away from that grade. Never saw that again with conventional 20/30 grade oils or 30 grade synthetics. As everyone has noted, most anything from 5w-20 to 15w-40 would work in these engines. Taxi fleets have used the higher grade quite successfully. I run 5w-30 in mine all year round with a Fram XG2 being changed every other OCI. Never once used Motorcraft oils, and I've owned a dozen Fords since the mid-1980's.

I'd go with 5w-30 in the summer and 5w-20 in winter if you're doing 2 OCI's per year. Note that these engines were designed to run on 5w-30. It was only due to CAFE mileage standards in 2001 that Ford back specced them all to 5w-20. I've researched plenty of information and articles from Ford engineers and car owners. I can't see any reason not to run 5w-30 in warmer weather. The rest of the world ran on 30 and 40 grades year round where CAFE was not a player. I would think a semi-synthetic and/or good conventional like PYB, QSAD, etc. would be just fine. If there are no signs of any engine seal leaks, I'd try to stick whatever was being used before.

The vehicle is probably on the orig trans fluid and filter as well. I'd change them out just to establish a base line. The Ford automatic transmissions are not known for great longevity unless you change the fluid about every 25K miles....less for lots of stop and go driving. Your coolant type should be "Ford yellow" or basically a G05 today.
 
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There are many Ford and Mercury full size vehicles in our area. All the older farm folks liked the old rear wheel drive full size vehicles. They hold off getting a front wheel drive vehicle until they don't have a choice. Times change. I liked the rear wheel drive vehicles also but never purchased one since there were so many better choices. Nice find. Do the regular maintenance and you will have reliable transportation for many years.
 
Originally Posted by 69GTX
The Ford automatic transmissions are not known for great longevity unless you change the fluid about every 25K miles....less for lots of stop and go driving. Your coolant type should be "Ford yellow" or basically a G05 today.


You're going wrong somewhere, maybe thinking of small vehicle Ford Trannys? It should have the 4R70W, an old (circa '93) yet matured design, which typically goes 200K mi without any fluid change, and was also used on F150's capable of >5K+ lbs towing (granted the rear diff ratio matters here too).

It's over spec'd for a Grand Marquis. A more common recommended service interval is every 150K mi or 30K under severe/heavy-towing conditions. 25K for regular driving a Margquis? No way, you might be thinking of Honda.
 
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The smoothest running oil in that engine is M1 0W-30 in my experience, but you can use what you already have in your Escape with confidence.
 
Originally Posted by Dave9
Originally Posted by 69GTX
The Ford automatic transmissions are not known for great longevity unless you change the fluid about every 25K miles....less for lots of stop and go driving. Your coolant type should be "Ford yellow" or basically a G05 today.


You're going wrong somewhere, maybe thinking of small vehicle Ford Trannys? It should have the 4R70W, an old (circa '93) yet matured design, which typically goes 200K mi without any fluid change, and was also used on F150's capable of >5K+ lbs towing (granted the rear diff ratio matters here too).

It's over spec'd for a Grand Marquis. A more common recommended service interval is every 150K mi or 30K under severe/heavy-towing conditions. 25K for regular driving a Margquis? No way, you might be thinking of Honda.


I'm certainly not wrong. I've owned a dozen big Ford and Merc sedans since 1984. A couple of them I got used at the 50K-75K mile point. And I wasn't yet up to speed on changing trans fluid as often as I should have. I believe owners manual on these has ALWAYS been 25K-30K. After losing 2 transmissions on my earlier Crown Vics at 75K and 125K respectively, I went to a strict 25K-30K regimen. Never lost a big sedan trans early on again. 150K mile fluid changes on a big Ford sedan? That's nuts...unless you want to replace the trans by 75K-125K miles. I prefer to go 200-250K miles. The fluid is pretty beat up by 25K and heavily sheared down if you're using non-synthetic Merc/Mercon V. 25K miles on most regular Merc/Mercon V's and I'd bet the viscosity has sheared down from 7.4 cSt @100C down to 5.2 or lower. Being below the normal range of Mercon V specs should be reason enough for changing it by 25K miles.

Fwiw Ford's recommended trans fluid change for the 2004 GM is 30,000 miles. A typical life for one of these is probably 125K-175K miles.... assuming you change the fluid as recommended and don't pay much attention to your driving habits. Efficiently and modestly shift the trans and change the fluid and you might get 225K-300K miles on that trans. I've only got past 230K miles once....and that car was a highway cruiser doing 25K miles per year on annual changes.

Never owned a Honda or any foreign vehicle. I've owned ONLY big Ford/Merc/Lincoln sedans for the past 35 yrs as my daily drivers. I think I know a thing or two about their longevities. The FWD Lincoln/Taurus AX4N is a particularly light duty trans for a fairly powerful car. Those should have fluid serviced earlier than the factory recommended mileage if you really want them to last...especially if your vehicle is not a highway commuter.
 
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Use Mercon V in the transmission, Castrol Magnatec 5W20 in the engine, watch the rear axle like a HAWK for gear oil leaks at the wheels (some axle shafts had issues). Otherwise, drive on! I love mine.
 
OP, great find! Enjoy it for 20 years...as mentioned, with regular fluid changes you are good to go. Agree on a trans pan drop/filter change / refill every 30k, never have to worry and that's what I did for mine before it was totaled at around 160k.

Motor oil - I'm a fan of the originally specified 5w-30. 5000 conventional or 7500 synthetic are reasonable intervals, but may depend on your driving habits....could go much further (DNewton3 has 2 Crown Vics and goes 15k on dino)...ymmv


Originally Posted by Yah-Tah-Hey
There are many Ford and Mercury full size vehicles in our area. All the older farm folks liked the old rear wheel drive full size vehicles. They hold off getting a front wheel drive vehicle until they don't have a choice...


They should check out a Toyota 4Runner...old school body-on-frame, RWD...unless they have an aversion to foreign vehicles, that is.
 
Mrjlube, very nice find! As I've gotten older, I've found a newer appreciation for the bigger sedans, especially the older Ford-Lincoln-Mercury varieties. Comfy, quiet, and a touch of class.

Although my '95 Cougar is of the mid-size class, it has the 4.6L in it, with currently just over 58,000 miles. Previous owner did oil changes every year or so, despite the low mileage. I just put Mobil 5000 in the 10W-40 flavor for the Summer. Runs smooth, and still has some get-up-and-go. Come Winter, I'll drop it to a 5W-30 and probably keep it that way throughout ownership.

Make sure you post some pics of the beauty!
 
Thanks guys,im always Leary with used cars but it runs great. So smooth. Just had the dealer check it over.....they said it had a burnt out liscence plate bulb,they changed it and said to enjoy that car for the next 200,000 miles. Made me feel good on my decision as did you all. Thank you very much
 
Originally Posted by 69GTX
Originally Posted by Dave9
You're going wrong somewhere, maybe thinking of small vehicle Ford Trannys? It should have the 4R70W, an old (circa '93) yet matured design, which typically goes 200K mi without any fluid change, and was also used on F150's capable of >5K+ lbs towing (granted the rear diff ratio matters here too).

It's over spec'd for a Grand Marquis. A more common recommended service interval is every 150K mi or 30K under severe/heavy-towing conditions. 25K for regular driving a Margquis? No way, you might be thinking of Honda.


I'm certainly not wrong. I've owned a dozen big Ford and Merc sedans since 1984. A couple of them I got used at the 50K-75K mile point. And I wasn't yet up to speed on changing trans fluid as often as I should have. I believe owners manual on these has ALWAYS been 25K-30K.



Nope. By 2004 it was highly likely that Ford considered the factory fluid, a lifetime fluid. Nothing large(r) in Ford's passenger vehicle fleet had 25K-30K by the turn of the century except severe duty loads.

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After losing 2 transmissions on my earlier Crown Vics at 75K and 125K respectively, I went to a strict 25K-30K regimen. Never lost a big sedan trans early on again. 150K mile fluid changes on a big Ford sedan? That's nuts...unless you want to replace the trans by 75K-125K miles. I prefer to go 200-250K miles. The fluid is pretty beat up by 25K and heavily sheared down if you're using non-synthetic Merc/Mercon V. 25K miles on most regular Merc/Mercon V's and I'd bet the viscosity has sheared down from 7.4 cSt @100C down to 5.2 or lower. Being below the normal range of Mercon V specs should be reason enough for changing it by 25K miles.


I can't help it if you or a former owner drove abusively, but the 4R70W has been put in millions of vehicles and did not have (even its share of) problems by 200K mi. Quite the opposite it was one of the most durable trannys out there, and again, it was even used in F150's with > 5000lb towing.

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Fwiw Ford's recommended trans fluid change for the 2004 GM is 30,000 miles. A typical life for one of these is probably 125K-175K miles.... assuming you change the fluid as recommended and don't pay much attention to your driving habits.


No, it's not. Some Ford trannys such as 4F50N or 4F27E had 30K. They were in a lot of Taurus, or 4F27E in Fiesta, Focus, and some Mazdas.

If you want to go to the extra effort, you can do that with anything but don't pretend this is important or unique to the 4R70W because it's the exact opposite. Changing fluid in that every 30K would be like changing fluid in most other vehicles every 8K. In either case it would be excessive.

Show me where Ford, not someone else, specifies 30K mi for 4R70W? It's not in the Owner's Manual, which refers to the service guide, which only specs to CHECK, not replace it except on the two lesser trannys mentioned above. This is common in many different Ford Scheduled Maintenance Guides, that lesser trannys get 30K but not the 4R, E4OD, then onward with newer 5R.

The difference is these were not light duty trannys to improve fuel economy, rather built like tanks for heavy load.

You never lost another Crown Vic, Marquis, SUV, Truck, etc (many different vehicles prove this) sedan tranny not because you changed fluid excessively but rather that they trannys got better, good enough that the manufacturer themselves did NOT specify a fluid change, even after their warranty liability ended. If they had any concern it would certainly be BEFORE the 60K warranty ended. If you are pushing a car harder than a truck, yeah you might have all kinds of problems and burdens.

Don't do that. Do change it at least by 100K, but let's not get silly about excessive cost and burden for something Not Worth Much Money in the first place. Do that for your new car, sports car that you drive hard and put away wet. Maximizing burden on an old domestic freight train of a car is senseless.
 
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I vote for a synthetic 5w30. I ran Amsoil OE in my '03 Marauder and it used less than a quarter quart every 5k, at 225k miles no less. I drove that car HARD.

Ford switched back to a mostly 5w30 recommendation for a reason. 5w20 will be fine, no doubt, but i stuck to 5w30 in mine.
 
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