One other thing for future reference. Fill the oil filter with oil before installing it.
You beat me to it, STLwagon.
Also, since this is your first change... let me just add, besides filling the filter... to take your finger and smear some oil around the surface of the gasket. This ensures you won't tear off the gasket as you tighten the filter to the engine; you probably wouldn't anyway, but it's just something I've done since I started driving and changing my own oil.
and what ever you do,,,DON`T run the motor afterwords. cause if you do, the oil will break down and get dirty and you`ll have to do the whole process all over again!!!!
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goina hundred in a 55, and i dont know why..
some things were just meant to be..
05 V6 auto, torch red, basic, a few mods
06 V6 stick, vista, premium (g/f`s car)
I have never filled the oil filter with oil, and I have never experienced a problem. But definitely clean the area where the oil filter sits, and coat the new gasket with fresh oil. I usually dip my finger into a bottle of new oil and rub it along the gasket.
Doesn't our filter (V-8) fit sideways? I always spill a fair amount of oil when I remove the old filter, so wouldn't the same happen while trying to install a new filter filled with oil? With my old F-150, there is no way in heck you could reinstall the new filter filled with oil!
IMHO, filling the filter is an unnecessary step. What is important is to check the OLD filter to make sure the OLD gasket is still there! If it isn't, then it's stuck to the engine, and you better remove it before installing the new filter!!
The V6 oil filter goes straight up not sideways like the GT.I think Stl is saying to put a little bit of oil in the new filter.Not completely filled up.I generally fill my filter about 1/2 way.No problems at all on spilling any of it.You might try about 1/4 in the filter that you install on the GT.
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2005 4.0
Sonic Blue Premium Coupe
Auto/Spoiler Delete
K&N Air Filter
GT Takeoff Muffler
Silver Stripes
14"Antenna
Ford Racing License Plate
Priming the filter does not hurt the engine. I dont prime oil filters and I have never had a problem on any of my vehicles, even the high mileage ones.
I'm not sure Ford has a recommendation or not on oil filter priming. If anyone knows that Ford has a recommendation please post it.
I would think starting a cold engine on a very cold day would have more impact on the upper engine than whether the filter is pre-filled on oil change every so many thousands or miles or months.
when you put oil in the filter your just saving the engine some time from filling it up. once you start your car it flows oil into it filling it up so it only takes a second to fill
Priming the filter has no effect on whether you suck air or not through the oil pump unless your dealing with a commercial rig equipped with an oil filter that holds more oil than the crankcase.
However, not having oil in the pan will cavitate a pump.
Priming strictly affects the second or so of time it takes to fill an otherwise dry filter. However, if a good quality lube has been used there is enough residual film to lube components while you start the car with a dry filter.
Starting a cold car on a very cold morning probably has more of an effect than starting a car with a dry filter after an oil change.
The only time I would say priming a filter is required is if the manufacturer says to do it.
Again, you arent hurting anything by priming a filter but there has also been no information offered so far that proves that it hurts the engine or that Ford recommends it for the Mustang or other Ford models.
My new oil is in... start it up? 
