have a brand new 2008 Ranger ,manual says to change oil at 8000 kilometers,
5000 miles if this was your truck at what milege would you do your first oil
change, what type of oil and filter would you use , and also why does Ford
on a new truck with 10 miles on it not fill oil to top notch of dipstick, the oil
level is exactly half way between top notch and bottom notch

 

I would change the first few at 3000 miles then let them go to 5000 miles.

The normal oil level is between the two marks. If you are higher than the top make then you have too much oil and if you are below the lower mark then you have too little oil. Anywhere in between is ok.

 

I agree, change it at 3,000 miles then again at 5,000 miles. From then on, go with 3,000 miles intervals or if you switch to full synthetic oil, go to 12,000-15,000 mile intervals.

 

^^ just like he said. anywhere in the middle is fine. id change it every 3k if it were my truck. i do mine at 2500 on an 01. its to simple to try and stretch the time length longer then that.

use a motorcraft filter. and have fun with the 1st oil change. the factory puts the 1st filter on SOOO tight. cant move it by hand.

 

Really??? 12-15? I run full synthetic and I don't let it get past 5000. I only just started doing that recently. Before I didn't let it get past 3000.

 

Less oil within spec is better. Regularly adding .5 to 1 QT over 5QT, on each oil change can increase the likelihood of leaks. More oil, more pressure, more chances to leak at a seal.
3-5k is ok, I can't get used to really long intervals even though the oil may be good.

 

If you are running Royal Purple or AMSOIL then you can run extended lengths

 

If you spend the majority of the time on the interstate, go with 5,000 mile oil changes. If you drive a mixture or mostly in the city, change at about every 2,500 to 3,000.

I change the oil in everything I drive at about 2,500 miles.

 

Oh yeah. I though you meant all synthetics. I just use Castrol and Lucas.

 

Lucas has full oil? I thought they only have oil stabilizer?

BTW: Even if it is a new truck, I would run 1 quart Lucas oil stabilizer and 4 quarts whatever else you want to run. I stand behind the Lucas stuff 150%. I have noticed a difference in oil consumption and how all my vehicles run.

 

They do make full oil but I just run their stabilizer with Castrol Syntech.

 

Their stabilizer is all you need. I also use their fuel injector cleaner with every tank in every vehicle.

 

as i understand most oil filters are rated for 3000 to 5000 miles. in my 03 4.0L i change the oil as close to 3k as possible. with 61k on the truck, the oil still looks clean and does not feel gritty at all.

 

I dumped my trucks oil at 1000, with Castrol syntec, and plan on doing it at 3000, then every 3000 afterwards.

Jeez, I guess im just used to dumping the oil in my mustang almost every weekend.

I just figure its worth having clean oil in it at all times, its not worth it to loose a motor due to oil.

 

I always change the oil in a brand new vehicle. You don't know how long the oil was in there. When I bought Ranger 4, I did the CarFax. The vehicle sat on the lot for over a year and the mileage was 285. I changed it at 600 miles. I usually do the 3k interval, but I have been cutting back lately and waiting 3500-4000 miles, and the oil still looks pretty good. FYI I do 95% highway driving, so my circumstances are a little different. In the wife's I try to do 3K, but that doesn't always work.

 

I did my first change at 3000 miles. went with mobil 1 and will now change it every 5000.

 

I would warm the truck up and do some long hard runs in the middle of nowhere. Or do few good dyno pulls with it. Change the oil at 300 miles then again at 3k, 6k, 9k, then switch to synthetic. Then run 15k oil changes with new filter every 5k.

 

Another thing i noticed about the oil in my new 2008 is that the original oil that came
with 4.0 liter engine is like a yellow **** color ,usually oil is a gold color,could there be
some kind of breakin additive or am i seeing things.

 

No clue. My 3.0 liter looked "normal". Could be the batch or since it is a new vehicle -- there is absolutely no dirt in the engine. They may put something in at the factory, I wouldn't worry about it. But, I would change it. Some believe it is a must -- even on a new engine since their are microscopic bits that get loose from the engine. My dad used to work for Ford in the Cleveland Casting Plant and they use an air hose and blow through the engine when it is made, but for piece of mind, you can't change the oil too much, especially in the break in period.

 

What about Mobile 1 oil and filter?

 

Use a Mobil 1 filter or a Napa gold which is made by WIX, The motorcraft filter is not very good I have cut into a few filters and that one made it almost to the bottom of the list as did FRAM and STP, I wouldnt run any filter except mobile 1 Napa gold or if you want to spend the money the K&N filter. I agree with what was said above also the Lucas oil stabilizer is great stuff and using Mobile 1 oil or syntec oil are both good ways to go. And intervals of 5k are fine if you are going full synthetic with a good filter

 

that would be my guess, my truck had the same crap in it. it was unusually sticky for oil too.

 

I'm sure all the assembly lube & grease that got washed out will make the first oil change slightly different.

 

I believe Ford is using a semi-synthetic now so I think there oil every 5K (or less) should be fine.

I used my dealer free oil change at 3000 miles. At 6000 I switched over to Amsoil and Amsoil filter. I use the Amsoil XL7500 (sais its good for 7500 miles) and change it and filter every 6K.

I switched my 01 Focus (bought new) over to Amsoil and Amsoil filter at 10K and have changed it about every 10K or every year sence then. It goes up every winter so it might not see 10K in the summer. It just rolled 54K and I put 4K on it sence mid April 08.

 

I am old school. I know they power wash the block clean after machining but I still change the oil at 500 miles for the first change just in case the machine missed some chips. I then change it between 5 and 7000 miles.
My '94 S-10 was 7500 miles on an oil change by the book. When I check my oil level between changes I look at the color of the oil. If it looks dirty to me I change it. Changing it too often just wastes good oil and we don't need to do that. Also check you air filter, in most cases if it is dirty your oil is getting dirty because of the conditions you are driving in.
Hope this helps.