Whipcitywrencher
Site Donor 2024
Try to keep it on the full mark,
rarely does it go any lower than a 1/4 of an inch from the full mark...
rarely does it go any lower than a 1/4 of an inch from the full mark...
Where do you keep your oil level?
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Anywhere above half in the safe range. If it's in the middle of the safe range or higher, I don't add any, I've overfilled many a time like that.
Previous vehicle was full at oil change, and burned down to 1/2 way on the stick in 10,000 miles. Completely acceptable.
New vehicle will be watched closely, but if reading tells the tale it shouldn't burn much if any over 10,000 miles either.
New vehicle will be watched closely, but if reading tells the tale it shouldn't burn much if any over 10,000 miles either.
At 1/2 to max
FULL mark or just under it. I will add when it's no more than 3-6 oz or so lower. That might only be once during an OCI.
The new Cherokee specifies 6 quarts capacity. This brings it to the bottom of the safe line and I usually add another quart to get to the top and maintain if needed, I haven't had to add any yet.
Old XJ I accidentally filled probably 2-3 quarts over once and it didn't have any apparent consequences. No bubbles on the dipstick or any sign of aeration and cavitation. So now I just dump oil in and if I have a bit extra in I don't worry.
Check both cars monthly and add to full if needed.
Old XJ I accidentally filled probably 2-3 quarts over once and it didn't have any apparent consequences. No bubbles on the dipstick or any sign of aeration and cavitation. So now I just dump oil in and if I have a bit extra in I don't worry.
Check both cars monthly and add to full if needed.
Originally Posted By: redbone3
I have had several cars ...that would burn off any oil above half way on the safe area.
A number of airplane engines reportedly will blow out the first 1/2 quart or so.
The owners say "If I put it on 'full', it'll be a 1/2 quart down in one hour... but then stay there for the next 50 hours! If I add another 1/2 quart, it'll blow that out, too!"
I have had several cars ...that would burn off any oil above half way on the safe area.
A number of airplane engines reportedly will blow out the first 1/2 quart or so.
The owners say "If I put it on 'full', it'll be a 1/2 quart down in one hour... but then stay there for the next 50 hours! If I add another 1/2 quart, it'll blow that out, too!"
I, boringly, follow the owner's manual.
So I fill to the full mark at an oil change.
I will only add oil if the oil reaches the minimum level or is close to it before a long trip. If an oil change is going to be due soon, then I'll change oil instead.
I typically will add enough oil to take it up to the full mark.
So I fill to the full mark at an oil change.
I will only add oil if the oil reaches the minimum level or is close to it before a long trip. If an oil change is going to be due soon, then I'll change oil instead.
I typically will add enough oil to take it up to the full mark.
Patman
Staff member
I am surprised nobody has mentioned this but here are my reasons for keeping it at the full mark or even slightly above. I figure that with a higher amount of oil, that means there is less overall stress on the oil, it'll retain it's TBN longer, and any contamination in the oil will be more diluted with the higher amount, especially in the engines that only hold 4 quarts to begin with. Imagine running that down to 3.5 or even 3, that's a significant amount to be down.
And just the practice of constantly topping off the oil with fresh oil to keep it full, means you're freshening up the cleaning ability of the oil. If you just fill it at the start of the interval and then never top it off and let it get down to the low end, you're not getting the benefit of that fresh oil working for you along the way. You can almost look at it like a partial oil change if you're adding a quart of oil during the interval.
And just the practice of constantly topping off the oil with fresh oil to keep it full, means you're freshening up the cleaning ability of the oil. If you just fill it at the start of the interval and then never top it off and let it get down to the low end, you're not getting the benefit of that fresh oil working for you along the way. You can almost look at it like a partial oil change if you're adding a quart of oil during the interval.
Originally Posted By: CharlieBauer
I, boringly, follow the owner's manual.
So I fill to the full mark at an oil change.
I will only add oil if the oil reaches the minimum level or is close to it before a long trip. If an oil change is going to be due soon, then I'll change oil instead.
I typically will add enough oil to take it up to the full mark.
Pretty similar here.
I know my truck uses 1 qt every 1500 miles. I usually check the oil every other fill up. When I get to the low mark, I add a qt, unless as said, I know I will be doing a lot of driving, in which case I will top up with the appropriate amount (maybe a little extra).
If I drove a lot, I could probably easily go 10,000 miles per oil change (or more) since in 10,000 miles, I would have added 6 qts to a 6 qt sump.
But with the mostly short trips I do, I come up on a year before I even get to 7,000 miles, I plan on changing every 6000 miles/1yr (just before time to add another makup qt).
I, boringly, follow the owner's manual.
So I fill to the full mark at an oil change.
I will only add oil if the oil reaches the minimum level or is close to it before a long trip. If an oil change is going to be due soon, then I'll change oil instead.
I typically will add enough oil to take it up to the full mark.
Pretty similar here.
I know my truck uses 1 qt every 1500 miles. I usually check the oil every other fill up. When I get to the low mark, I add a qt, unless as said, I know I will be doing a lot of driving, in which case I will top up with the appropriate amount (maybe a little extra).
If I drove a lot, I could probably easily go 10,000 miles per oil change (or more) since in 10,000 miles, I would have added 6 qts to a 6 qt sump.
But with the mostly short trips I do, I come up on a year before I even get to 7,000 miles, I plan on changing every 6000 miles/1yr (just before time to add another makup qt).
Originally Posted By: Rick in PA
I like to drill 1/16" diameter holes at full, half, and low on all my dipsticks
Well, if you like to do it, then you should.
It doesn't seem to serve any useful purpose though, and it isn't all that trivial to do.
I like to drill 1/16" diameter holes at full, half, and low on all my dipsticks
Well, if you like to do it, then you should.
It doesn't seem to serve any useful purpose though, and it isn't all that trivial to do.
Originally Posted By: Ducked
Originally Posted By: Rick in PA
I like to drill 1/16" diameter holes at full, half, and low on all my dipsticks
Well, if you like to do it, then you should.
It doesn't seem to serve any useful purpose though, and it isn't all that trivial to do.
Might make it easier to see the level with the hole vs trying to find the oil level on the hash mark of many dip sticks.
Originally Posted By: Rick in PA
I like to drill 1/16" diameter holes at full, half, and low on all my dipsticks
Well, if you like to do it, then you should.
It doesn't seem to serve any useful purpose though, and it isn't all that trivial to do.
Might make it easier to see the level with the hole vs trying to find the oil level on the hash mark of many dip sticks.
I fill to the 'full' mark and check the engine cold to see if it hits that mark.
I top up when it's down 1 notch, equal to half a quart, I never let it get lower, the oil ages
better when operating stress is shared by the most oil possible.
When the dealer did oil changes, they filled consistently over the 'full' mark, I guess
to prevent witless customers running out of oil!
I top up when it's down 1 notch, equal to half a quart, I never let it get lower, the oil ages
better when operating stress is shared by the most oil possible.
When the dealer did oil changes, they filled consistently over the 'full' mark, I guess
to prevent witless customers running out of oil!
I fill mine to 3-5 millimeters below the full mark when cold. When the engine warms up, the level rises.
I keep the oil level at full plus 8 oz. on all my cars!
Oil and water and air used to need much more eyeballing in days of yore. E 28s have a low oil level light in the heads up display. Also a low coolant level sensor. Between the 2, only a dumkoph would melt an engine. The Borman 6 used a qt every 1500 miles. The light would go off at the qt mark on the stick. After the first 100K of checking the stick, I skipped that and just added a qt
I dont know how the LOL worked. The low coolant level sensor was just a float switch supplying a ground to a bulb. Even so, most of my cars came with the switch jumped out, because it had failed. A 15$ part.
I dont know how the LOL worked. The low coolant level sensor was just a float switch supplying a ground to a bulb. Even so, most of my cars came with the switch jumped out, because it had failed. A 15$ part.
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