This motor and its large heads make getting an accurate reading very hard. I try to make every possible condition exactly the same when I do regular oil checks and even then I've gotten different readings. If it's between the holes your good to go. I've seen the level on the dipstick vary as much as 3-5mm.

In regards to consumption, mine consumed about 1qt per 5000mi oil change with a steady decrease until around 8-9k miles. Now she consumes barely anything. I just monitored it very closely until I noticed a change and then calmed down. My understanding is high compression equates to a higher risk of blow by. I monitor blow by with my oil separator which in the past 3000 had only a few drops in it. (A few WOT pulls included)

 

Oil level this morning...

 

All OHC's are that way. That's why its best to check it before you first start it for the day so that all the oil is back in the pan that is going back in the pan (the heads always retain a little).
I check mine in the garage before I start and it has never 'fluctuated' as you described. I can tell you the hash mark it's on.

 

What do you want, a sight tube in the block?

Think of it as analog. Some things are still best analog.

 

Redline a day keeps the mechanics away.

 

That's what i'm beginning to think! I don't beat on it, but it does get the occasional WOT. Maybe it needs to be driven to where my MPG's drop from 17 to 14?

 

Haha best line

 

Well, sitting at the dealership now for my oil change and dipstick marking. I asked why i have to go through all this checking when it is already known it is using oil.

They said they need to prove to Ford how much it is using and if it's more than acceptable.

I asked what is considered acceptable and was told a quart for 1500 miles.

Wow.

 

That sounds like the old days. "If it doesn't use a quart every 1000, its not getting enough oil up top to the valves" my dad used to say in the 60's & 70's.

 

What happened?

 

Nothing since that visit. I don't go back until it's down a quart.

Deysha "escalated" this for me but all that does is give me a customer service rep. that asks me if i'm satisfied with what the dealer did and when the planned end date was. With doing this three times and that being 6K miles based on current usage and 400 miles a week, it'll take a while.

All the dealer did was do what Ford told them to do which is what i've been doing for the past 9 months.

I complained but was given the usual response of certain steps need to be done to verify the problem before going any further.

In any case, if Ford (Fill Oil Reservoir Daily) says 1 quart every 1500 miles is acceptable, and i'm using 1 quart every 2000 miles, i'm in the acceptable range and nothing will be done.

I have the feeling i'm just going to live with it.

Times like this it makes me wish I could have afforded the extended warranty.

 

And I checked the oil this morning for the first time since the change. Right now it looks like it's still up to the top hash mark. Clean oil is hard to read, but so far it's good for almost 3 weeks.

 

A quart every 2k isn't too bad, though it is a bit high for a modern engine.
I added a qt in Bullitt after 4300 miles (bottom hash to top) with 20k on the clock, and added 1/2 qt in the Cruiser after 2700 miles with with 7k on the clock.

 

My '11 GT used a quart+ between changes until about 12,000 miles. Never pressed the dealer to check it as I could manage it. Follow their directions though so it is documented properly. Once it stopped using...it has not wavered in 18,000 miles. I drove it like I stole it from day one.....

As far as reading the dipstick, cold is best and the splattering above the solid oil area are just that....splattering to be ignored. If you cannot see the oil, try a light or gently lay the stick on a rag and see where the oil marks the rag.

 

I always check the oil after it has been sitting overnight.

The dealer has known about it since day one so it is documented.

A quart between oil changes isn't bad if you're changing at 5K. It's 2.5 quarts for me between a 5K change.

 

There seems to be a lot of questions about oil consumption in the 5.0. I am attaching a link to a Consumer Report which may shed some light, as the 5.0 is not the only engine using oil, i.e. a Porsche Panamera ($105,000) which was using a quart every 2000 miles.

http://news.consumerreports.org/cars...test-cars.html

I should add, my '11 never used a drop of oil in 27000+ miles, most driven at 75 on the Interstate. I did the first change at 3000 miles, and used Mobil 1 or Motorcraft Full Synthetic, every 5000 miles or six months. My 2013 SHO with the Twin Turbo 6, has over 5000 miles and again no oil usage. So, there may be something to running the car at speed in lieu of driving in stop and go traffic, when new, to bed the rings in. Just a thought.

 

I've never had to 'add' oil to any of my last 4 cars i've owned in between oil changes. Just saying......


I do change my oil every 3,000 miles.........

 

When I had my beautiful 2012 yellow Blaze Boss 302 it used oil to the tune of about a quart every 1000 miles. It stayed on that track monitored by the dealer right up until I traded it at 8900 miles... for the oil consumption problem. Most of my driving in the car was some light to moderate stop and go traffic. In the end what the mechanics at the dealer told me several mustangs later was that the motor never got driven at temperature long enough to properly seat the rings. I drove it on weekends, to some car shows and such.

 

That must be why my 5.0 doesn't use any (so far). Ford test drove my GT 52 miles before it was shipped.

 

I ordered mine and it had 40 some odd miles on it when I picked it up. I'm assuming that it was picked for quality control too.