The 2020 Ford F-150 5.0 needs 8.8 quarts of engine oil for optimal functioning—keep up with its regular oil changes to ensure your truck maintains its luxurious work/play capabilities.

Pickup trucks aren’t exactly the most affordable vehicles to maintain. Efficiency has gotten better over the years, it’s true, but they still tend to need a lot of gas, and your insurance and maintenance costs are likely pricier as well. A great way to save money on car expenses over the life of your 2020 Ford F-150 is to keep up with regular

basic car maintenance

—and to do some of the servicing yourself.

DIY oil changes are a great place to start! But first, you’ll need to know your engine oil capacity and a few other bits of information. So

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2020 Ford F-150 5.0 engine oil capacity

Let’s first establish how much engine oil the 2020 Ford F-150 5.0-liter V8 engine needs. This vehicle’s engine oil capacity is 8.8 quarts, or 8.3 liters.

Wait, huh? How does a 5.0-liter engine require 8.3 liters of oil? The different liter measurements here can get tricky if you’re just glancing at specs, so take careful notes, as the two can’t be interchanged. “5.0-liter engine” refers to the volume of space taken up by the engine cylinders, in this case 5.0 liters, and is called the

engine’s displacement

. You won’t need to work with that figure for an oil change so just keep the engine oil capacity of 8.3 liters or 8.8 quarts in mind.

What kind of oil does a 2020 Ford F-150 5.0 need?

After you take your diligent notes about how much oil your engine needs, we can move on to the type of oil the 2020 Ford F-150 needs. Simply grabbing the first 8.8-quart bottle of motor oil you see at the auto store will not do.

Per the owner’s manual, the 2020 Ford F-150 5.0 engine needs an oil grade of 5W-20. What does that mean exactly? The oil grade tells us about an oil’s viscosity level at two different temperatures: the engine’s cold start temperature and the engine’s normal operating temperature.

5 is followed by a W, for “winter”, and indicates a low viscosity level at the cold start temperature. 20 indicates a slightly higher viscosity when your engine reaches its burning-hot normal operating temperature. So, you’ll need to look for 5W-20 oil because those oil conditions will work best with your engine’s design and prevent unnecessary wear.

Whether you go for synthetic oil or conventional oil is up to you, but make sure that the oil grade matches. If you’re really in a pinch, you can go for an oil grade that is one grade above or below the recommended grade.

If you need some oil recommendations to get you started, check out these options:

A good synthetic option:

Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic 5W-20 Motor Oil

A good conventional option:

Pennzoil 5W-20 Motor Oil

For high mileage vehicles:

Mobil 1 Extended Performance High Mileage 5W-20 Motor Oil

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Ultimate FRAM oil filter guide

How often to change oil on a 2020 Ford F-150 5.0

So you’re clear on the amount of oil and the type of oil your 2020 Ford F-150 needs—now, how do you know when it’s actually time for an oil change?

Ford's routine

car maintenance schedule

recommends changing the oil in your 2020 Ford F-150 5.0 every 7,500 to 10,000 miles when you use synthetic motor oil, and every 3,000 to 5,000 miles if you use conventional oil. Your driving habits and terrain will also play a role in determining how quickly you’ll need to change your oil.

No matter your driving habits, it’s always a good idea to regularly check the quality of your oil. Open the hood about once a month to check for any of these signs of bad oil:

Blackened color. Clean motor oil looks amber or light brown in color.

Oil is gritty

or sludgy in texture. Your oil should look like smooth syrup.

Smoky, burning, oily smell. A low level of oil or contaminated oil will start kicking up a burning scent.

Loud engine noises. Poor oil quality or not enough oil can lead to engine knock.

Decreasing vehicle performance. If you notice a worsening fuel economy or otherwise reduced engine performance, it could be time for an oil change.

MORE:

The most common Ford problems

How to change your oil and oil filter

If you’re ready to change your oil, start by gathering some materials:

Socket wrench

Drain pan

Filter wrench

New oil filter

8.8 quarts of 5W-20 motor oil

Before you start draining and replacing, it’s important to warm your engine up to its normal operating temperature. Drive around for a few minutes or let your truck idle in place for five to 20 minutes. Once you’re confident the engine is nice and hot, turn the truck off on a level surface. Then open your hood and follow these steps:

Remove the oil fill cap

Get under the engine with the socket wrench and the drain pan, then remove the oil drain bolt to let the old oil flow out

Remove the old oil filter

Wait until all the old oil is drained to install the new oil filter

Replace the oil drain bolt and clean up any excess oil

Pour 8.8 quarts of oil into the engine and replace the oil fill cap

After you’ve finished, turn your engine on and pull the oil dipstick out to make sure you have the right level of oil, and check around the vehicle for any leaks. No leakage? Congratulations! Your oil change is complete and the

oil pressure light

should switch off. Now you’ll just need to clean up by pouring the old oil into a sealable container and bring it to your local recycling center where it will be disposed of properly. Do not dump oil on the ground or in your trash.

Don’t forget regular insurance policy maintenance

Just like regular oil changes and other necessary maintenance will keep your car running in its best shape, regular

car insurance

policy shopping will keep your premiums and coverage in their best shape! And we know that shopping for car insurance a couple of times a year can sound like a total drag—so we’ve made the process much easier.

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