Wrong Dipstick? Honda Accord 2.4 Reading Low

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Feb 23, 2007
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Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Hey everyone,

One of my friends brought his 2007 Accord 2.4 over yesterday and I offered to do an oil change on it for him. I looked in the owners manual and it stated 4.4 quarts for the 4 cylinder model, with filter. I added 4.5 and we checked the level 3 times on 2 different flat surfaces, and it only showed that the oil level was just up to the bottom hole (one quart low). We added one extra half quart to get it up between the lines, thus having put in a full 5 quarts when it should've only been 4.4. Has anyone else ever experienced this? He bought the car used, so could it be that someone else swapped the dipstick for some reason? Or is it common in these cars to have inaccurate readings? I've never experienced this before.
 
Things could have changed after the owners manual was written. Its possible but not likely somehow the wrong dipstick got in the vehicle.

Drive it to a Honda dealer and see if the parts person has a new one in stock. If its different then buy the new dipstick.
 
I had to replace the dipstick on my 84 Civic because the disk that located the position, depth wise on the dipstick came loose.

The closest one to correct reads low so I just remarked it after an oil change.

This made me wonder if this kind of dipstick failure could cause problems. If the disc comes lose the dipstick will slide down and indicate a full condition when the oil very low and an overfull condition when the oil is at the correct level.
 
My 2007 Accord 2.4 takes a full 5 quarts also.

Draining on level ground it takes about 4.6 or so.

Check out the shape of the bottom of the oil pan, draining on a level surface actually will let less oil drain out.

Having the front up in the air; like having it up on ramps will drain more oil. Depending on the angle of your driveway and the height of your ramps, I could imagine it taking a smidgen over 5.
 
Very well could be the angle of the car when the oil was drained. My transmission will take exactly 3 quarts on a drain and refill if the front end is lifted up and a little more fluid if the car is raised level.

My Grand Prix seems to take a full 5 quarts if the front end is raised up for an oil change when it only calls for 4.5 quarts.
 
Another possibility. I had a '01 Buick that read low with the OM correct quantity. The problem was that GM had mid year changed from a steel to an aluminum oil pan and the oil required increased by a pint. OM was wrong.
 
For K series engines, I found that five quarts is the magic number for an oil change with a fresh A02/7317/110-sized filter.
 
Page 268
http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/OM/AC0707/AC0707OM.pdf

accord.JPG


You just got more to drain than level? was car on ramps?

total capacity is 5.6qts

I'd add a quart to full mark and be done.
 
The oil was changed on ramps. Just like ive done every single other oil change ive ever done.

I appreciate others mentioning how much these engines tend to take in their experience as well.
 
I have a 2017 Accord 2.4L and the owners manual calls for 4.4 qts. with filter. Every time I do a oil change and put in 4.5 qts. it shows between the two dots on the dipstick. I always have to add to get it to the full mark. And yes I check it on level ground. This seems to be a known issue from this engine.
 
This is very common on the K series engine. Both of my 8th gen Civic Si's (with K20 engine) required a full 5L to get to the full mark properly. My normal oil change procedure was to get the oil fully up to temp, then let it drain for at least an hour. Just let it drain while I rotated the tires, serviced the brakes etc.
 
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I have a 2006 and 2007 Honda Accord 2.4L, both I fill up exactly 4.4 Qts and it hits the full mark. And yes, these vehicles burns oil.
 
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