CHANGING YOUR ROADSTER'S ENGINE OIL

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Socket/Wratchet or Wrench or Spanner - 15mm for the Drain plug (may vary)
Oil Drip Pan - Available at a car store, or anything you can place under your car that holds 5-6L of oil
New Oil - 5L (Sold in 4.4L or 1L quantities) Conventional 5W-20 (for my Escape)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Run your engine for a couple minutes to warm up the oil. It will drain easier this way. The process really is easy. The recommended interval for changing your engine oil is 5,000km. Ford requires it every 10,000km.

2. Determine the grade of oil your Roadster takes.  (Synthetic is unnecessary...see above). The capacity of the 3.0L V6 is 5.2L. But keep in mind that not all the oil will ever drain out of the system. Buy a big 4.4L jug plus one more Litre for additions.  Castrol GTX 5W-20 for example.

3. Jack the car for a bit more space.  Use jackstands to hold the car (from the front crossmember)   If they are not available, take the spare off and put it under the car near the sump.

4. Remove the oil filler cap. This is where you ill put the new oil.  Take this off and put it somewhere obvious where you won't lose it to help the oil drain easier. 

5. Place your 6+ liter drain pan under the oil plug on the sump/oil pan.

6. Place your drainage pan under your oil pan. The oil pan on the Roadster is the waffle textured metal container at the bottom of the engine. There is a drain plug (screw) on the rear side of this oil pan. This is where the oil will be drained out from.   

7. Remove (unscrew) the drain plug, It is done with the 15mm socket. If you are fastidious, use gloves or a safeway bag, etc. over your hands, to unscrew after it is sufficently loose.. Oil will start coming out as soon as it is out, so hold on to it so it does not get lost and drops in the oil drip pan. Give it a while to drain fully. When the oil has drained, simply screw the plug back in and torque firmly with the 15mm tool you are using. 

8. Your car's oil pan is now empty and re-sealed. Now you are ready to change the oil filter (recommended with every oil change).


CHANGING YOUR ENGINE OIL FILTER

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

Ratchet - For attaching to the Oil Filter Wrench 

Oil Filter Wrench - Available at any autostore or factor. There are several now that are made to attach to a ratchet.
There are also versions of Oil Filter Wrenches. Any one of them will work. 

Oil Filter - FRAM or any other type. For example the '02 Ford Escape takes the FRAM CPH2 or HM2. For these kinds with good grip on them, 
a filter wrench is actually not even needed.

9. Locate the oil filter. It is at the front of the car, underneath. If you poke your head under, you will see a cylindrical shaped oil filter attached upside
down.   Place a large rag underneath it as there will be more than a bit of old oil that  comes out with the filter and the old filter itself is full of old dirty oil. 

10.  Attach the oil filter wrench, and unscrew the filter (counter clockwise). Do it quickly, as oil will drain out. Dump the oil filter and clean the area. Get rid of the rag.   

11. Carefully oil or grease the rubber seal on the engine side of the new filter. This prevents the seal from pleating when threaded and subsequently leaking.

12.  Then fill the new filter (mostly) with clean new oil. This will take a minute or two as the new oil has to displace the air in the new filter.  Place it carefully on the
 threaded posted of the oil filter housing and thread it on. Gently continue threading it on until you feel the rubber meet the housing. Now use your hands (or the oil filter wrench if necessary) to turn the filter one further 360 degrees. Clean the filter area thoroughly, (I use brake spray cleaner) and you are done here.

13.  Now add oil at the oil filler until the dip stick says you are full. (Officially the 3.0L holds 5.2L of oil but you will need less than this).

14. Replace the cap. Start the car with your eyes fixed on the oil pressure gauge. After no more than 30-45 seconds the needle should move. If it does not, stop the engine

15.  If the needle shows pressure, get out the car and go see if  there is any dripping from the filter or oil plug area. If not..

16. Turn off the engine and re-test the oil level with the dip stick. It will have gone down as there is always a bit more space in the filter and other areas. Top it off to the full level.

The used oil can be disposed of at any local garage.