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1. Seven quarts.
2. I've read before, and it's been my experience, that the dipstick is awfully difficult to read. For the past nine years, I've added oil exactly as you do... a half-quart at a time while watching the gauge.
It's also been my experience that when the gauge is in the red (assuming the engine oil is HOT), it has meant that somewhere between a half-quart and a full quart will bring the needle up to 3 o'clock and the dipstick will register between the two notches = normal.
1. Seven quarts.
2. I've read before, and it's been my experience, that the dipstick is awfully difficult to read. For the past nine years, I've added oil exactly as you do... a half-quart at a time while watching the gauge.
It's also been my experience that when the gauge is in the red (assuming the engine oil is HOT), it has meant that somewhere between a half-quart and a full quart will bring the needle up to 3 o'clock and the dipstick will register between the two notches = normal.
+1
I hate trying to read the dipstick...glad my gauge is dead accurate.
i do punch a round hole in the top of the oil filter and use a compressor with a rubber tip to blow the oil out. All you need is a bit of paper towel under the filter when you take it off.
Just completed an oil change after 4000 kms (2,500 miles) since the last one. Currently I'm averaging about 2000 kms year, and since it's been two years since my last oil change, I thought it was time.
First I take the car out for a good drive to bring it to operating temperature. Then I find that because my car is lowered that driving the back wheels up on a 6 foot long 2x8 works great. I then use a large low profile plastic storage box that holds 28 quarts purchased from Walmart for $9. This keeps all the oil and splashing from the gushing oil well contained.
First I drain the oil tank and then the engine case sump and usually let them drain out for about an hour. Then I remove the oil filter and I don't find it necessary to punch a hole in it. I find that once you screw it off and carefully position it so the holes are facing upward when removing there is little to no oil that drips out. I did have a paper towel ready just in case, but as you can see from the pic below there was really no oil spilled.
Then I replace the filter and torque the two drain plugs back on and pour 7 quarts in the tank. Start it up and let it run for about five minutes and it usually takes about 2.5 more quarts for a total of 9.5 quarts to bring the oil gauge to the 9 o'clock position. I find that my oil gauge is pretty accurate and easy to read with the convertible top down while I'm adding the oil. I check the dip stick as well.
That's a great idea about the storage box! Last time I changed mine was when I adjusted the valves and the car was about 2 feet in the air. Boy, that was a HUGE mess with splashing!!!! Would not recommend using a 15qt oil pan with a 2 foot drop unless you like to clean up a garage floor
Think I'll have to snag on of those myself, not just for oil, but for all sorts of stuff, like cleaning say your brakes in your garage and using it to catch all the dirty water.
Going to bump this with a question. Recently did an oil change with an oil cooler swap. It looked like a little under a quart drained from the old cooler and the oil cooler lines. Moving on, I filled up around 7.5 quarts before it seemed like the tank wouldn't take anymore with the car off. So I start the car and get out to let it warm up some, and previously I always used my oil level gauge because it was pretty accurate with the dipstick. So I just kept adding until the needle would budge and it has not, so either it decided to die over the few days I was working on the car, or I'm still a little under. At this point I have a tiny bit under 10.5 quarts inside. And usually reading the dipstick was easy for me, but I don't know if its new oil or whatever, but getting a good read on it is really difficult at the moment. But I'm more concerned of overfilling at this point. Last oil change was at a shop with valve adjustment and they dumped all the 11 quarts I gave them inside.
Alex did you get it worked out? Sounded like you were right there almost at the max level...regardless you are safe to drive and get it hot with the amount of oil you added. Take it slow and you'll be ok. Get the car hot and add a little till you read the bottom of the stick. Do it on a sunny day, makes the stick much easier to read...but nice and slow with the oil good and hot...
How hot is the engine when you are checking the oil level.
Originally Posted by jimq
the gauge only measures the last quart or so.
Originally Posted by Goughary
Alex did you get it worked out? Sounded like you were right there almost at the max level...regardless you are safe to drive and get it hot with the amount of oil you added. Take it slow and you'll be ok. Get the car hot and add a little till you read the bottom of the stick. Do it on a sunny day, makes the stick much easier to read...but nice and slow with the oil good and hot...
For the past three years I've always checked my oil once the temple needle is at nine o'clock, but it was quite easy to see the oil before. It would be thicker on the dipstick that the rest of it. But now the dipstick is faintly moist but I feel that might just be from inserting in/pulling out. Today there should be a deliver for another box of oil. For the oil change I just had the ten quarts and a half quart that was in the frunk.
I've got an oil change on my list of projects to accomplish over the winter months while the car is in hibernation. Reading the procedure, I wonder how critical is it to bring the oil up to operating temperature? I cannot imagine being able to do it in the garage during the winter here in the Chicago area. Forgive me if this is common knowledge, but can someone explain to me the downside of changing the oil cold?
The hot engine oil will simply drain faster. It's still oil, whether cold or hot.
For those curious, after draining oil from oil cooler lines and replacing the oil cooler, I had to add 11.5 quarts just for it to register on the dipstick, and a little under 12 for it to be about halfway between the two notches. Was a bit scary to say the least, was so sure I was going to overfill.
Hello,
Never use an adjustable wrench or socket on the drain plug. Always use jack stands. Use new oil to coat the oil filter gasket before spinning it on.Always hand-tighten the filter. Refer to your vehicle owner's manual for recommended service intervals.
Thanks
02-17-2013, 01:53 PM
