with a 4.6-liter engine is 6 quarts, or 5.7 liters. Keep in mind that other model years and engine sizes have different oil capacities—it's not one size fits all.

You can save both time and money on routine maintenance when you change your

Ford

F-150’s oil at home instead of taking the truck to a mechanic.

Thankfully,

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2004 Ford F-150 4.6 oil capacity

You can locate your 2004 Ford F-150 4.6’s oil capacity, as well as the recommended oil type, in your owner’s manual. If you misplaced the manual—or purchased the truck used without a manual—never fear, we’ve got all the information you need right here!

The 2004 Ford F-150 pickup truck equipped with a 4.6-liter Triton V8 engine has an oil capacity of 6 quarts, or 5.7 liters. Be careful not to confuse your engine’s displacement—the 4.6-liter volume the engine’s cylinders take up—with its oil capacity, which is the actual amount of oil you’ll need to perform an oil change.

These numbers are not interchangeable and represent very different properties of your Ford F-150’s engine.

What kind of oil does a 2004 Ford F-150 4.6 need?

The owner’s manual for the 2004 Ford F-150 4.6 recommends that owners use Motorcraft SAE 5W-20 motor oil when performing an oil change. But what exactly does that mean?

Every engine is different, and there’s not one singular type of motor oil that is going to work well for all of them. Instead, different engine types prefer different oil types to keep them running as smoothly as possible for as long as possible.

Again, when it comes to the 2004 Ford F-150’s 4.6-liter V8 engine, the preferred oil type is known as 5W-20 motor oil.

If that sounds like gibberish to you, here’s what you need to know: the numbers that make up the oil grade refer to its viscosity, or how thick it is. The “W,” on the other hand, stands for winter—with the preceding number 5 telling us that the oil’s viscosity is low at 0°F, while the number 20 refers to the oil’s high-temperature viscosity at 212°F.

Plenty of different brands carry 5W-20 synthetic motor oil or something similar. As a general rule,any synthetic engine oil that conforms to the same viscosity requirements as the engine oil recommended by Ford in the F-150’s owner’s manual will work.

When changing the oil in an older truck like the 2004 F-150, the use of synthetic oil designed for high-mileage vehicles is preferred.

2004 Ford F-150 4.6 oil change intervals

You can use your Ford F-150 owner’s manual to look up how often you should be

changing the oil

in your 2004 model, but to save you the time and effort, here’s what you need to know:

If you’re using conventional oil, you should be changing your F-150’s oil every six months or 5,000 miles—this is specified in the F-150’s owner’s manual

If you’re using synthetic oil, you can reduce the frequency of your oil changes to every 7,500 to 10,000 miles

Of course, there is a lot that can happen between your F-150’s 5,000th mile and its 10,000th mile, so it’s important to be vigilant about keeping your oil fresh. You should be checking your oil levels regularly—we recommend at least once a month—to have a better idea about when to perform your next oil change.

The following signs might mean that you need to change your F-150’s oil:

Unfamiliar noises coming from the engine

New smells, especially anything that smells like oil, smoke, or burning

Changes in your vehicle’s performance

Jerry sends free alerts to keep your car up-to-date so you can avoid costly repairs

* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score

Get ahead of my car maintenance

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2004 Ford F-150 4.6: how to change your oil

That’s right! You can perform an oil change on your 2004 Ford F-150 from the comfort of your own garage to save yourself both time and money on maintenance expenses. All you’ll need to get started is a drain pan, a sufficient amount of replacement oil, a filter wrench, and a socket.

The F-150 is far enough off the ground that a car jack and jack stands shouldn't be necessary to get underneath the truck’s engine.

Ready to change your oil? Let’s get started.

First, start by warming up your F-150’s engine for a few minutes to get the oil up to its typical running temperature

Once it’s all warmed up, you can shut off the engine

Pop the hood and remove the oil fill cap and loosen your old oil filter—this will help the oil drain faster

Next, get underneath your F-150 to access the bottom of the engine

Remove the 17-mm oil drain bolt and oil filter

Place your drain pan under the oil drain to catch the old oil—this may take a few minutes

Once drained, install your new oil filter

Replace the 17-mm oil drain bolt—don’t overtighten!

Once the filter and bolt are secure, pour in your replacement 5W-20 motor oil and replace the fill cap

And that’s it! If you’ve done everything correctly, your truck’s check engine light should turn off once you’re finished.

Be sure to empty your F-150’s old oil into a sealed container and deliver it to a recycling facility to be properly disposed of.

After changing your oil, it’s a good idea to turn on your car and let your engine run for about 30 seconds before you check the oil level. This will give you a more accurate measurement, and you’ll be able to top it off if necessary.

MORE:

Ultimate FRAM oil filter guide

How to save money on Ford insurance

Performing regular maintenance on your Ford is a great way to avoid major repair costs down the line. Another great way to save on your Ford’s ownership costs is to use

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