2002 3.8 Oil Capacity

I changed my wife's Oil in her 2002 Windstar for the first time and the Haynes manual says that the 3.8 holds 5 Quarts. I put exactly 5 quarts in and it only comes up a little more than 1/2 way up the cross hatched area or what seems to be about 1/2 quart low. is this common. I'm kind of concerned about it having the wrong dipstick. I know a 1/2 quart is not much but I'm kind of anal about these things. I don't want to ruin the engine.

what's the owner's manual say regarding oil quantity? - I'd go by it fwiw.

My dipstick also has that confusing mid-crosshatch level when engine is properly topped off ... 3.8, 1999. I believe my manual indicates that this is normal. Some "normal"!

Ditto for my 2000 3.8. Put 5 quarts in in and don't worry about it. That's the way it's been for me the last 8 years!!

But some of the 3.8's did have a oil fill other than 5 qts ... and that was because of a different oil pan design. As suggested, check the owner's manual ... should be avail on-line if you do not have one. If you cannot find it ... check back.

I put 5qts in my 2000 3.8L. Level is about the middle of the crosshatch area on dipstick. Whenever I've tried to get level right to the full mark, it seems to burn that extra pint off, it'll run at "the 5qt" mark without using any oil.

I have a 2001 and i just did an oil change and it took 5.28QT according to the jug of oil and it is just under the full line and that was with the filter change as well.....

I have known alot of people that use the same filter and change it on the 2nd oil change but i change it everytime..

I hope this helps