LincolnMark VIII1998Overview/lincoln/mark-viii/1998/base/

1998 Lincoln Mark VIII

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1998 Mark VIII.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII, paired with an automatic 4-speed transmission, delivers an EPA-estimated 15 city and 24 highway mpg while requiring 6.0 quarts of 5W-20 API oil for its engine. Though this model year logged 86 total owner complaints primarily focused on visibility alongside two recalls, it represents a notable step forward in the nameplate's reliability trajectory. Sitting well below the 157 complaints that plagued the 1995 model yet above the single complaint of the 2000 model, the 1998 Mark VIII occupies a transitional middle ground that indicates a platform steadily moving past its early-generation faults.

Model year199819971996199519941993

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque85-105 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/24/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 65 · 650 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 65 · 650 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-60R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-JJ inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length207.1 in
Overall width74.8 in
Overall height53.5 in
Wheelbase113 in
Curb weight3768 lb
Track (front / rear)61 / 59.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 24 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Mark VIII of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.6–7.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.60 sec — 1993 Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1997LSC Coupe 4.6L V87.00 sec15.30 sec290 hpRWD
1996LSC Coupe 4.6L V87.20 sec15.40 sec280 hpRWD
1993Coupe 4.6L V86.60 sec14.90 sec280 hpRWD
1993Coupe 4.6L V86.80 sec15.30 sec280 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 85-105 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 19.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.0 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts114-121 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts14.0-16.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug19.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts85-105 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.052-0.056 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing10, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance2 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity2.38 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity7.00 oz
Optional BCI Group Number65
Optional BCI Cranking Performance750 cca
Standard BCI Group Number65

Service checks

Pressure Test13-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature183-190 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)30.0-45.0
Injector Primary Resistance11-18 ohms

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket22-30 ft-lbs / 87 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle72-97 ft-lbs / 85-105 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.125; Rear: 0.125 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.030
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.00035 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in / 0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.024 in / 0.709 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.024 in / 0.709 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 6 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Coat new bolts lightly with specified oil

128.0-31.0 ft. lbs.28–31 ft. lbs
285-95 degrees85–95 degrees
3Loosen all bolts completely.
428.0-31.0 ft. lbs.28–31 ft. lbs
585-95 degrees85–95 degrees
685-95 degrees85–95 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 5,000 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 10,000 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miSteering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 20,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · PCV Valve (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1998 model year sits at the tail end of the Mark VIII’s production run, and the federal record shows a clear downward trend in complaints from 157 in 1995 to 86 in 1998, while recalls remained steady at two per year from 1995 through 1998 before dropping to zero in 1999. The number of Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) peaked at 83 in 1998, the highest of any year, indicating that Ford had accumulated extensive knowledge of the car’s issues and issued many fixes by this point. The 1998 model’s top complaint areas are visibility (21) and exterior lighting (9), along with suspension and steering (6 each), and it recorded two crash complaints and three fire complaints—figures that are moderate but worth noting. Because the 1998 is the final year of this generation and benefits from years of incremental refinements and a high volume of TSBs, it is a reasonable choice for a used purchase, provided you verify that all recalls have been performed and that common visibility and lighting issues have been addressed.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
83
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
86
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 3 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 86 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Visibility21
Exterior Lighting9
Suspension6
Steering6
Service Brakes, Hydraulic5
Electrical System5
Vehicle Speed Control4
Engine & Engine Cooling3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16E026000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:PadsReported 01/04/2016

Bosch Brake Components LLC (Bosch) is recalling certain aftermarket replacement front brake pads, models Bosch QuietCast BC598 and BP765, Bosch Blue BE598 and BE598H, Prostop PD598 and PD765M, Duralast Gold DG598… Remedy: Bosch will instruct the owners how to have the affected brake pads replaced, free of charge. The recall began on May 26, 2016. Owners may contact Bosch customer service at…

07V336000Vehicle Speed ControlReported 03/08/2007

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. OWNERS OF THE PASSENGER CARS INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 83 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
0416012005-11-14Engine And Engine CoolingWDS COP KIT DIAGNOSTIC TIP - COIL ON PLUG (COP) IGNITION SYSTEMS - ENGINE MISFIRE OR…
0421072004-12-13Power TrainGENERAL (PCM) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT
042172004-11-01Power TrainGENERAL POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT
0314042004-08-23Engine And Engine CoolingENGINE MISFIRE OR RUNNING - COIL ON PLUG (COP) IGNITION SYSTEMS - WDS COP KIT DIAGNOSTIC…
032032003-10-13Electrical SystemMALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS) P0442, P0455…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Mark VIII. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1998 Mark VIII take?

6.0 qt of 5W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1998 Mark VIII have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Mark VIII get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 24 highway / 18 combined mpg.