Noob question! When do you need to top to H mark on dipstick? really needed?

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Hello,
Car brand and oil used is irrelevant here.
I have about 3600 miles on the oil and filter now. Oil level is 1/4 of the distance from H mark on my dipstick.
Like in this pic, see the arrow:
[Linked Image from i.ibb.co]
I know the hatched area (from L to H) is around 1 quart of oil distance.

Should I top it?
What do you do usually in such a case?

Thanks
 
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You don't NEED to top off unless it's below L level, but you MAY top off at any time to bring it up to H.

Personally, I don't bother unless it's getting close to L.
 
Anywhere b/w L&H is considered safe.

I wait to top off when near L so I can dump in the full quart and not have any leftover oil.
 
My mind works like this. If it's about a pint down and the hood is up, I top it up.
 
The oil level in your vehicle is just fine.
If I am close to an oil change and the oil is close to L, I don't bother with top off
If I am NOT close to an oil change and the oil is halfway down, I will add half a quart and continue on
Hope this helps
 
From a different perspective, if you are inclined to top off your oil, it seems dumb to wait and add a pint or more if you only have 500 miles until your OCI. I would shoot for about 1/2 of your OCI to make the best use of that extra $1.00 of oil.

EDIT: LOL, toneydoc just beat me to the punch with a much better explanation.
 
ive run until it was off the dipstick before on accident. didnt know the engine started usng oil that oci. put two quarts in a 4 banger that only took 4qts. engine still ran fine to 150k miles (98 mitsubishe eclips with the non turbo Chrysler motor).

Didn't hurt it at all and this was before i started usng synthetic, penzoil conventional SM :0!!! oh the horror.

if it goed to tye low mark. put some in. until then drive on and check it, until you get a feel for the burn rate,
 
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Originally Posted by mahanddeem
Should I top it?
What do you do usually in such a case?


Do you have more of the same oil to top it off with? Since I see what's in there now based on some of your previous posts.
 
Originally Posted by SatinSilver
Originally Posted by mahanddeem
Should I top it?
What do you do usually in such a case?


Do you have more of the same oil to top it off with? Since I see what's in there now based on some of your previous posts.


I can buy a quart at anytime from my local NAPA, at a lower price than you see on the maker's website.
 
Options:

Do nothing; your oil level is fine.
If you are in the middle of your OCI, perhaps top it off.
If it makes you happy, top it off.
Run it till the hubcaps fall off.
 
It's fine like it is. I'd wait til it got 1/2 way down before I added any oil. Of course that would depend on how soon my next oil change was and if I had an already opened bottle.
 
If my oil level is anywhere less than the 4/5 mark, I can't sleep
grin2.gif


Typically keep all cars at Full mark ... prefer just a hair over F as oppose to a hair under
lol.gif
 
A factor to consider:
I live in a hilly area - e.g. my street is a 26% grade.
On steep hills I wonder about how much margin I have above the oil pickup when I am below ‘full' on the dipstick.
I think it's a valid concern - although the oil light has never come on in 30 years in various cars.
No idea if my Hondas have baffles in the oil pan to help keep the pickup covered.
Maybe someone from San Francisco can offer a worst-case scenario.
 
It's a range - anywhere within the range is perfectly fine. Leave it alone.
 
I am with most others.
So long as oil is between Min and Max, I usually don't worry about it.
The oil level is a range, not a specific (that is why the dip sticks are labled Min/Max or H/L or "Full" then 1 inch (or whatever distance) "Add"

But, if you are @ min and are 500 miles from an oil change, I would not add the full qt to get it to max. I may change early, or add 1/4 qt, or just leave it alone depending on consumption.

Just a few examples.
My truck uses 1 qt every 1500 or so miles, so I check it at 1000 miles, if almost at min, I just add a full qt. If not, I check it again in 500 miles.
My Scion has been about 1/2 qt low at oil change time (5000 miles), but @ 2500 miles the oil still reads at max, so I don't worry about it.
Sisters Santa Fe, hers uses a qt every 7000 miles, so I add a qt when I am around, even if it still reads at the half way point since I don't see it often.
Same for my brother in laws truck, he is about 1 qt every 2000 miles, so I add a qt around 2000 miles, then change it at 4000 when it is close to low again.
 
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