Adding oil too soon

[mjoekingz28]

I think I've read in manuals to only add oil if it is at or below the add line. So I wondet is it good for the oil and/or engine to go through the full range of the crosshatch OR is addind a few ounces from time to time to keep the level at its upper limits prefetable?


Thanks Bob,
Joseph

 

[PimTac]

I like keeping the oil level at the full mark if possible. If it’s just a hair or a quarter of a inch below it I will do nothing. If it was halfway between the full and add marks I would add.

Fortunately I haven’t had a vehicle in the last 30 years that consumed oil.

 

[supton]

All the manuals I've seen said to keep between the lines. We all know those lines aren't super precise, due to the vulgarities of the production line & tolerances due to making things cheap. So oil below the add line doesn't blow up engines, nor does oil over the line. How far outside the lines one can go is debatable. But between the lines is all one needs to be.

 

[Eddie]

The safe engine operating oil level is anywhere between the full & Min marks. The rational for waiting until the oil drops to the add mark is that you can pour in a full quart. My engines don't use anywhere the min mark so it is a no issue for me. I'd be happy running anywhere in the safe range. Ed

 

[JLTD]

Engines were designed to operate with oil between the lines.... Nothing wrong with refilling any time and going to the top (or letting it get to the bottom ... but BITOG OCD makes that unlikely doesn't it?)

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

My Corolla never drops to the minimum in even a 6K OCI. But when the level on the dip stick drops a quarter of an inch or is below the max level and I'm going on a trip I top it off. Its never hurt the car.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
The safe engine operating oil level is anywhere between the full & Min marks. The rational for waiting until the oil drops to the add mark is that you can pour in a full quart. My engines don't use anywhere the min mark so it is a no issue for me. I'd be happy running anywhere in the safe range. Ed
My Camry is like 0.7qt between the marks. Now, I don't mind overfilling, but I'd read the manual before assuming Add means it'll take a quart.

Pretty sure my lawnmower has the same max/min marks yet total sump is like 0.5qt...

 

[raytseng]

you also have a fuel gauge. consider what you do with your fuel and do you do the same with your oil.

 

[HondaBroMike]

Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
My Corolla never drops to the minimum in even a 6K OCI. But when the level on the dip stick drops a quarter of an inch or is below the max level and I'm going on a trip I top it off. Its never hurt the car.


JJ,

The oil never drops a smidge below the top hash mark, not even 1 degree of separation. This is on the new Civic, but on the Accord of yesteryear, it was add city as in add makeup ounces on the weekly. And this is a turbo application, mind you.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

If your old Honda was add weekly it was way past time to get rid of it. I've only had a couple of cars in my life that used much oil. They didn't hang around long!

 

[demarpaint]

I look at it this way. If I popped the hood to check the oil, and it needed oil I'd add it. Even if was only a few ounces to top it up.

 

[PimTac]

The decision to add may hinge on whether that person has oil on hand to do so. I suspect a large number of car owners do not keep a spare quart of oil handy. If the owner uses a quick lube or dealership for oil changes then having any spare oil on hand would be unlikely.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: PimTac
The decision to add may hinge on whether that person has oil on hand to do so. I suspect a large number of car owners do not keep a spare quart of oil handy. If the owner uses a quick lube or dealership for oil changes then having any spare oil on hand would be unlikely.


Good point. The last thing I would ever think of is paying for an oil change, as many other Bitoger's. We're the exception though.

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: PimTac
The decision to add may hinge on whether that person has oil on hand to do so. I suspect a large number of car owners do not keep a spare quart of oil handy. If the owner uses a quick lube or dealership for oil changes then having any spare oil on hand would be unlikely.


Good point. The last thing I would ever think of is paying for an oil change, as many other Bitoger's. We're the exception though.




I learned from my dad to always keep a quart handy in the trunk or somewhere. I found that quart cane in handy to help out others rather than having it for my uses which I never needed.

 

[Hall]

Nissan and Infiniti has "H" and "L" markings on their dipsticks. A few folks at an Infiniti-focused forum insist that the proper level is at "H" and you must keep it there, all the time. If it goes below "H", you have to add oil. My belief is anywhere in between the two marks is perfectly acceptable.

What do "H" and "L" mean ? No one seems to know but logic says "high" and "low", right ? If so, I'd think right in the middle would be the ideal level. Filled to "H" could mean it's filled on the high side and filled to "L" means it's on the low side. Does that mean you have to drain some oil or add some oil if it's at either mark ? No idea.... The manual does say oil level should be "within the range" (meaning the two marks). If it's below, add oil, but it doesn't say to drain oil if it's over.

 

[Eddie]

Thanks for validating what I said except I wasn't aware that Toyota Max & Min marks were only 0.7 quarts apart. Ed

 

[Bryanccfshr]

It takes 1.6 qts to go from min to max mark on my Tacoma according To the owners manual. After a couple of 500 mile trips of 75 mph and a lot of 3200 rpm running I can detect the drop in oil in the new engine on the dipstick. Although not but a quarter inch below the full mark. I just added half a quart.
I won’t wait to need to add 1.6 to to a 6/qt sump.

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
Thanks for validating what I said except I wasn't aware that Toyota Max & Min marks were only 0.7 quarts apart. Ed



Every make and model will be different and it could change by model year as well.

 

[Omahaug]

You can add oil any time you want. Only adding the oil when it gets below the add line makes no sense.

If the oil is above the low but below high, you can choose to add oil if you wish at any time.
If the oil is above high, don't add any more (but being a little over high is no problem).
If the oil is below low, add more (but being a little below the low is no problem either).

 

[blupupher]

Originally Posted By: PimTac
The decision to add may hinge on whether that person has oil on hand to do so. I suspect a large number of car owners do not keep a spare quart of oil handy. If the owner uses a quick lube or dealership for oil changes then having any spare oil on hand would be unlikely.

Well, considering most of the motoring public never even bothers checking their oil, I doubt they have oil on hand even if they do check.

Every once in a while I will see somebody checking their oil at the gas pump, but no idea if they have any to add (except the $7/qt generic oil in the store).

I have 2 qts under the hood of my truck, and a spare qt under the hood of my wife's.
My truck uses oil (1 qt every 1200-1500 miles), my wifes does not, but I have use the qt in my wifes car on other family members that I check (actually make my kids check oil levels at family get-togethers).