Okay I checked my oil level today when i was filling up and it was right in the middle of the two marks...my question is, if the oil gets to the bottom mark is that a quart low? I quess maybe it would say in the owners manual but i didnt check before posting=i'm going to catch heat for that.

Other than that I love this site...I learn something everyday!

Thanks

 

It wouldn't hurt the engine if you overfill a bit, just dump a full quart in there.

 

^^ Do NOT overfill the oil or it's gonna end up in your air intake box. You do not want to overfill any engine, be it piston or rotary.

Just pour it in and check it little by little until it reaches the full mark.

 

You've been here 5 years and you give that kind of advice?
Why not dump a gallon and be done with it until the next oil change?

 

Curious but when is the most appropriate time to check oil: After driving it and letting it sit for a couple minutes OR can I just go check it BEFORE driving or would that give me an inaccurate reading?

 

there's never a bad time to check your oil

 

I believe the manual says to get it up to temp., shut it off and then check it. You should also not let the dealer do your oil changes (if they are like mine) cuz the overfill it Every time, and it does end up in your intake and on your air filter.

 

Check oil after the car has been off for at least five minutes. "At least five minutes" includes longre periods, such as after it's sat overnight. If you check it right after driving, not all the oil has drained back into the pan.

Check it on level ground, of course.

There's a TSB about the improved dipstick that has a nice picture showing how much each mark on the stick means. If you have the older stick, you can use that as a guide to scribe your own marks.

Ken

 

Oh ok. Just making sure, so no checking when engine is COLD?

 

each mark is about 1/2 qt approx., don't overfill, that is all.

 

hmmm i dont agree with that...

wouldnt you think letting all the oil settle down at the same level be smarter?? why wait till its heating and expanding? would you not get a false reading??..

Idk i dont see what the reason for having it warmed up is

 

Do I need to put "a bit" in bold?

 

Read "a bit", sigh...

 

Since so many are **** about precision volume, OP please drain oil completely and measure drained oil to the nearest thousandth of a litre then pour in the same amount, otherwise the extra oils get into ur intake, clogged your SSV valve then your rotary engine sublimes and turn into fairy dust.

BTW you should use a 5 gallon tank to make it a oil catch can if you can coz you know, A BIT of extra oil can kill your engine. We don't want that to happen, I've been here 5 years only so I'm not really sure.

 

That's better.

 

Wrong. You can check it when cold. See "...at least 5 minutes..." That includes long enough for it to cool off completely. Checking when cold is also good because you wn't burn yourself on hot parts. Just allow a little margin, since when hot the oil will expand to a cup or two more than when cold. But that's not enough to cause problems if you fill exactly to the line when cold.

Are my eyes deceiving me, or did someone in this thread also say to not check tire pressures when cold?

Ken

 

Just throwing it out there.

Show of hands how many people think the difference in shown level on the dipstick cold versus hot is more than a hatch mark (or 0.01 qts)

Seriously check that **** cold or hot it will be the same. EVEN if the oil expands when hot, it will be thinner and fall down the dipstick faster when pulled from the motor. Also giving a lower reading.
The only reason to check when warm is that when the car sits for a long time the oil comes down off of all the places it should be attached and up in. (Like the filter and lines leading to it) BUT I do not however think that the oil expands to a degree that the reading on the dipstick is visibly different.

 

Well, I looked up the coefficient of thermal expansion of oil, and it does come out that it will expand by a cup or two when hot. I've never noticed it, though. Fill it to the line when cold, and it still comes up to the line when hot.

It just dawned on me that the oil pan will also expand when hot. I have not looked up steel's coefficient, or thought very hard about what the pan's volume will do as its area expands, but it's likely that this can be a zero sum game: the pan expands just as much as the oil.

Anyone care to figure it out?

Ken

 

^^^Touche. You're definitely right. Don't check it when it's cold; wait 5 minutes after shutting off the engine to check the oil so the oil has drained properly, but it's still warm enough to get an accurate reading.

 

I'm not supposed to check my oil when it's cold?

Now when I do an oil change, should I take all my oil and put it in a pot on the stove to warm it up too before adding it so I can get an accurate reading that I've filled it?

It doesn't really matter. I check my oil when it's convenient for me, warm or cold. This is the only forum I've seen that talks about "thermal expansion" of oil and when the best time to check it is. Just check the freakin' oil and add if needed, stop worrying about "is it the right temp?", "is it the right time?", "is the moon the right distance form the earth so the effect on gravity doesn't effect the reading?".

 

After reading up, It does not matter when you check your oil. It can be cold or warm. I prefer to check my oil when it is warm. The only time i see a problem with checking your oil when it is cold is when it is cold outside. Due to the fact that there can be condensation on the dipstick. There is no right or wrong answer.

 

This is the internet. Someone, somewhere will find a way to arrive at the wrong answer.

 

With the reported incidents of oil in the intake / MAF, seems important to make sure the oil does not get over-filled. Checking the level when the oil is warm is one aspect of preventing this. I've checked this when I change oil, and it DOES make a noticeable difference in the oil level. When changing, I re-fill the oil to within about half a quart from full, then top it off after warming it up.

 

does that also happen on 2007s? i thought it was a problem with 2004s or so :[

 

From my '05 Owner's Manual:

Inspecting Engine Oil Level
1. Be sure the vehicle is on a level
surface.
2. Warm up the engine to normal
operating temperature.
3. Turn it off and wait at least 5 minutes
for the oil to return to the oil pan.