The Ford F150 continues to be the best-selling vehicle in America, just like it was in 2018. In the 2018 model year, there were six available engines for the F150, but only one of them was a V8. It offered slightly less power than the

F150 Raptor

’s 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine.

If your 2018 F150 has a 5.0-liter V8 engine, then you’re in the right place to find all the info you need for changing your truck’s oil. Oil capacity is varied between the different engine options.

Of course, you could just consult your owner’s manual for all the information we’re about to list here. But if you can’t find it—or if you’re looking for the details along with a splash of charming personality—we’ve got you covered.

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2018 Ford F150 5.0 engine oil capacity

The largest available engine for the 2018 Ford F150 was the 5.0-liter V8, which has a formidable oil capacity of 8.8 quarts. That’s a lot of oil! The observant reader will have of course converted that in their head to 8.3 liters, not 5.0 liters. So what’s that about?

The “5.0-liter” designation describes your engine’s size or “displacement,” not its oil capacity! It can get a bit confusing; we measure engine displacement in either cubic centimeters (cc) or liters, we measure oil capacity in quarts, and we measure gasoline in gallons!

What kind of oil does a 2018 Ford F150 5.0 need?

Now that we know how much oil needs to go in the 2018 Ford F150’s beefy 5.0-liter V8 engine, we need to make sure we’re putting in the right type of oil. There are many different kinds of oil, differentiated primarily by viscosity ratings.

Your owner’s manual recommends using 5W-20 oil. Here’s what that means: the “W” stands for “winter,” so 5W-20 has a viscosity rating of 5 at 0 degrees Fahrenheit—meaning it’s quite thin. It remains rather thin at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or the normal operating of an engine, where it has a viscosity rating of 20 (the second number in the name).

The thinner—or less viscous—your oil is, the less wear and tear it will cause to your engine!

If you’re looking for extra longevity and stronger performance out of your oil, you could opt for a higher-end synthetic oil, but Ford recommends just using conventional oil. If you’re still not sure what to get, and you’re standing confusedly in the engine oil aisle at the department store, you can’t go wrong with these three choices:

STP Pro Formula Engine Oil Conventional 5W-20

Napa Motor Oil 5W20 High Mileage

Pennzoil 5W-20 Full Synthetic Motor Oil

MORE:

Ultimate FRAM oil filter guide

How often to change the oil on a 2018 Ford F150

There you go! You’ve got the oil, and you’re headed home to

do the thing

But hold your horses for a second there, pal! Don’t change your oil if it’s not time yet. First, let’s check to make sure you’re actually due for an oil change.

According to your 2018 Ford F150 5.0’s owner’s manual, you only need to change your oil every 7,500 to 10,000 miles driven! Synthetic oil may extend this range a bit, but conventional oil will do the trick and be far more affordable—especially since you need 8.8 quarts of the stuff!

Even though your oil life will be pretty solid, you’ll always want to make sure you’re checking your oil at least once a month using your truck’s dipstick. Here are some things to look out for that may be signs your oil is in need of changing:

Dark brown or black oil—a good rule is you want your oil looking like clear, yellow/amber tea, not dark like cola

Corse, gritty, dirty oil

Unfamiliar noises coming from the engine

Unfamiliar smells when driving—specifically oil, smoke, or burning smells.

Reduced engine performance

MORE:

How to build a custom Ford F150

How to change your oil and oil filter

Assuming you are, in fact, due for an oil change, here are some supplies you’ll need to do the maintenance yourself:

Socket wrench

Drain pan

Filter wrench

Replacement oil filter

8.8 quarts of 5W-20 engine oil (or one of the other two options listed above)

A rag or two for the mess

Now that everything’s ready, run the engine for a few minutes to get the oil warm. This allows for faster draining. Make sure to turn the engine off again, then follow these steps:

Open up the hood, find the oil fill cap, remove it, and set it somewhere you won’t forget it.

Now, shimmy underneath your engine and place your drain pan below the oil drain bolt to prepare for drainage. This next step might get messy depending on how fast that oil starts draining!

Once you have the pan in place, remove the oil drain bolt and washer, and your engine’s oil will start draining.

Once the draining starts slowing down, remove your old oil filter (usually just by unscrewing it). This might also get messy!

As the draining starts to slow, remove the old oil filter.

Install the new filter, following any instructions on the packaging

Put the oil drain bolt back on using a new washer, and tighten it to 29 lb-ft.

Now you can fill your engine with the right amount of fresh oil!

When you’ve finished with this process, use your dipstick to ensure you’ve filled your engine to the right level, consulting the markings at the end designating the ideal level.

You’re almost done, but don’t forget to clean up! You should store your old oil in a sealed container so that it can be brought in for recycling. Dirty engine oil is terrible for the earth and can poison local wildlife, so never dump your oil on the ground.

Don’t forget regular insurance policy maintenance

And you’ve done it! Now that you know how to change your oil, you’ll be able to save a ton of money avoiding commercial oil changes, and you’ll never have to wait in line to get your oil changed again!

But there’s another way to save money on your 2018 Ford F150 5.0’s expenses, and that’s by finding the cheapest deals available for

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Jerry’s users save an average of $800+ on their annual auto insurance premiums, and Jerry will always be there if your insurance is due for an update!