Chitty-Chitty-Bang! Bang! to Purring Like Miss Kitty

[CJJon]

First oil change in my 2020 GT/CS at 1320 miles (tee-hee). Castrol Edge full synthetic in 5W-30 flavor and one 300ml bottle of original flavor Ceratec.

Before - Shake, rattle, and roll. I though it was just the DI system and the ubiquitous 5.0 noises. Maaaaybe had the BBQ tick...maybe. It didn't really bother me too much. I just didn't want it to get any worse.

After - Markedly different...no clicks, rattles, or ticks! As soon as I turned it over I noticed the difference. Truly sounds like two different motors!

The old oil was as black as the Castrol jugs. I puddled some on white paper and floated it around a bit under strong light and there appears to be no floaties. Sweet!

I'd like to choke the dumb ass that designed the filter location and what is up with the shorty factory filter? It's a little stubby thing. Probably saved a dime.

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[Cobra Jet]

Yeah, I remove the front wheel to access the filter

Just wait till you get to change the cabin air filter. Now that's a special pain in ass.

Yea, that cabin filter is the absolute worst design I’ver ever seen... every single time trying to reinstall the damn cabin filter door onto the HVAC unit is a royal PIA...

Why couldn’t Ford design a damn HVAC cabin filter compartment that is a like a drawer and allows the user to just pop the door and pull the cabin filter straight out of the glovebox cavity... is freaking behind me.

 

[Matthewstorm]

Changing the cabin air filter in my C7 was easy peasy.

 

[young at heart]

Or how about my Charger:

1. Open hood
2. Remove cabin air filter cover
3. Remove old filter
4. Insert new filter.
5. Replace cabin air filter cover
6. Close hood (optional)

I love the Mustang, but it really seems like they designed everything around encouraging dealer service

Yeah I couldn’t believe it the first time I simply went to check the oil. They couldn’t have hidden the dipstick any better or made it harder to access if they had put an engineering team on the task.

I can only imagine actually changing the oil and filter.

 

[Vlad Soare]

Yeah I couldn’t believe it the first time I simply went to check the oil. They couldn’t have hidden the dipstick any better or made it harder to access if they had put an engineering team on the task.

What's wrong with the dipstick?

 

[young at heart]

What's wrong with the dipstick?

What's wrong with the dipstick?

Based on your pics, in your case nothing at all. It couldn’t be better.

On my ‘20 GT however it is completely obscured by the strut tower brace both visually and to the hand. Couldn’t have been more poorly thought out.

 

[W.O.T. Stang]

Try getting to the dipstick with the strut tower brace. It's much harder to get too, and if you try to check it while hot, you'll be burning your hand on every piece of metal under there.

Also as far as the cabin air filter, that door is a real pain! I thought it was just me. Also.. a T-20 Torx? Why? a simple phillips or 8/10mm would have been fine. I replaced mine for that reason.

 

[1emglenn]

Machinery is never put together with the mechanic in mind. My '67 with the 390, to change the spark plugs in the rear cylinders you had to put a ten inch extension on your ratchet with a universal on its end then the plug socket. Then you had to patiently try over and over to get the socket to go into the recess on the block. It was almost easier to do a small engine pull to get those rear cylinders clear so you could change the plugs (and back then you were changing them about every 3000 miles).
Also, they had a little 3 inch bypass tube from the block to the water pump that had a 90 degree bend in it. It was always rupturing at some point. I used to carry a length of 3/4 inch hose some snips to cut it and jug of anti-freeze (coolant) in the trunk for the inevitable blow-out of the little sucker. Truly well thought out... well designed.

 

[ice445]

Yea, that cabin filter is the absolute worst design I’ver ever seen... every single time trying to reinstall the damn cabin filter door onto the HVAC unit is a royal PIA...

Why couldn’t Ford design a damn HVAC cabin filter compartment that is a like a drawer and allows the user to just pop the door and pull the cabin filter straight out of the glovebox cavity... is freaking behind me.

Yeah it was HORRIBLE to do. Mostly because you can't get comfortable during any part of the process, and every part is so fiddly. Especially that damn access door.

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