Ok so the manual says to check the oil 5-10 minutes after the engine has been turned off right? My question is, why the dipstick reads higher when checking the oil on a warmed engine vs. checking the oil when the engine is cold. So am I to go with the warm engine check or the cold engine check? Warm engine = oil is over the line, cold engine = just at the line.

I'm just curious because last time the dealership changed my oil, it seemed they filled it just over the top.

BTW I did use the SEARCH...doesn't work that well.

 

The oil level should be the same cold as it is 5-10 minutes after turning it off. That 5-10 minutes is the time it takes for the oild to drain into the pan. Maybe you're seeing a little expansion when it's warm. Are you checking the oil warm and cold with the car in the same spot?

I have yet to have anyone but me - dealer, gas station, Gippy Lube, whatever - fill any car exactly to the line. They always overfill. Dealer has been overfilling my 8 by 1/4 to 1/2 quart. That much would not do any harm.

I wouldn't worry about small amounts of oil. Remember that one usually adds a quart when the level is down by a quart, so that's pretty much the necessary resolution. A lot of us here will top up when the oil is half a quart down, but that's because the mythos of this car includes an obsession with its normal oil consumption, and the dipstick (current version) has a half quart mark.

Ken

 

are you wiping the dipstick off 4-5 times before taking a reading?

 

i usually read it after 3 wipes...does 4-5 times make a difference?

and yes, I do check on warm and cold engine on the same level.

 

fluids do expand when they heat up. I would say its pretty normal.

 

Guess my problem's similar, except I added my own oil. Mine was low - near the L. So I added a whole quart about 5-10min after I got home and the thing says its just OVER the F.... I thought the distance between F and L was 1.8 US qt? I'm really hopin its just expansion cuz ur not supposed to overfill these things...

 

add oil a little at a time

"measure twice cut once"

 

I over filled mine last month, a bit more than the max level. Nothing happen. When you drive for some time, the oil metering pump will reduce it for you and you may need to top up