Best Place for an Oil Change? (Midtown)

[cannon_fodder]

I want to know who the "they" is.

To answer the question, on most vehicles 1/2 qt won't matter.  On a Corvette or Boxter engine (probably other high performance engines) oil pressure is very sensitive and it might matter.  But still probably not.  At least in my amateur never-blown-up-an-engine opinion.

Also, was the engine stopped when you checked the oil? 

Bah!  Either way, I'd call the place that changed it and mention it to them.  See if they have an explanation and if they will remedy the problem.  Even if they say it isn't a problem they should agree to drain it to the fill mark imho.

[Conan71]

OK, update.  I checked my oil level the other day and discovered that they over-filled my oil by approximately 1/2 qt (I'm guessing...).  Am I hurting my engine by driving with too much oil?  Do I need to drain some out?

You DID wipe the dipstick replace it and check again, yes?  Every engine oil system I've ever seen was even quarts, so for someone to wind up putting in a 1/2 quart extra would be a real obvious no-no to the mechanic, unless you are using a Jiffy Lube and they've got one of the tank and pump systems where they fill your oil with a hose.

1/2 qt. shouldn't hurt anything, a qt over and you might start pushing oil out of places you don't want it coming out of.

[Hoss]

You DID wipe the dipstick replace it and check again, yes?  Every engine oil system I've ever seen was even quarts, so for someone to wind up putting in a 1/2 quart extra would be a real obvious no-no to the mechanic, unless you are using a Jiffy Lube and they've got one of the tank and pump systems where they fill your oil with a hose.

1/2 qt. shouldn't hurt anything, a qt over and you might start pushing oil out of places you don't want it coming out of.

I wonder if the engine was checked cold or running?  If it was cold, the oil has time to drip from the cylinders down into the pan.  Oil is always measured when hot, not cold.  And yes, a half quart could easily be up in the cylinders where it can drip back down into the pan as it cools.

[Red Arrow]

My 98 Buick (3.8 L) takes 4 Liters, not  counting filling the oil filter. Puttin in 4 quarts brings the level to about 1/2 quart low.  Adding another quart would make the level 1/2 quart over full.  I just carry an extra quart and add it when it gets down to add a quart.  I cannot explain the 4 liter capacity and quart markings on the dipstick.

Edit:  I looked in the maintenance manual to be sure and found the listed oil capacity with or without a filter change is 4.25 Liters or 4.5 quarts.  The filter is small but not small enough to be zero difference when they are already not even liters or quarts.  The fill up described above is valid with a filter change.

Edit 2: I found another reference in the engine mechanical section rather than the general lubrication section.  4.25 L or 4.5 Qt with filter change.  3.75 L or 4.0 Qt without filter change.  I would not change the oil without changing the filter.

[Red Arrow]

Oil is always measured when hot, not cold.  And yes, a half quart could easily be up in the cylinders where it can drip back down into the pan as it cools.

My 81 Buick Shop Manual prefers oil level to be measured warm.  It also states the oil level may be measured cold if the engine is NOT started before measuring for the drip down that you noted.  I couldn't find a temperature reference in the 98 Manual.

[cannon_fodder]

Oil has improved a lot.  The viscosity and volume is about the same hot or cold.  Also, the filters are now positioned such that they retain oil at all times.  Thus, the level is about the same with it hot or cold - there isn't a big change in volume and not a ton of oil gets "stuck" in the engine or the filter that needs to slowly drain back down.

So hot or cold is no longer an issue (so says the internet).

[sgrizzle]

OK, update.  I checked my oil level the other day and discovered that they over-filled my oil by approximately 1/2 qt (I'm guessing...).  Am I hurting my engine by driving with too much oil?  Do I need to drain some out?

I've seen your car. I imagine 1/2qt extra is like twice what the engine is supposed to hold.

(kidding)

I believe the marks on the dipstick at that shows "fill" is like 1/2qt low and then the full mark is whatever your rated capacity is. 1/2qt one way or the other isn't going to hurt. My car takes 7qts, so a bit extra isn't noticeable at all.

[Conan71]

Hot/cold, doesn't matter.  The issue is, pull the dipstick, wipe it clean, replace, pull it back out then read it.

[PonderInc]

Thanks for all the info!  I checked it both hot and cold and got the same reading.  Thanks for the advice and reassurance (that I'm not causing damage by driving it).  Next time I'm going to the guy at 31st and Jamestown for my oil change! 

Note to sgrizzle:  7 quarts?!  When are you going to quit driving the Exxon Valdez to work every day?! 

[sgrizzle]

Note to sgrizzle:  7 quarts?!  When are you going to quit driving the Exxon Valdez to work every day?! 

When I quit making payments on it, or sometime thereafter.

[Red Arrow]

Thanks for all the info!  I checked it both hot and cold and got the same reading.  Thanks for the advice and reassurance (that I'm not causing damage by driving it).  Next time I'm going to the guy at 31st and Jamestown for my oil change! 

Note to sgrizzle:  7 quarts?!  When are you going to quit driving the Exxon Valdez to work every day?! 

My weekend car takes 8 quarts.  It also gets about twice the miles before the oil change indicator lights as my car that takes 4 quarts.  I also recycle my used engine oil.

[nathanm]

1/2 qt should be fine.  Either it's within the capacity of the pan or it'll burn off.  If you haven't already noticed blue smoke, you're fine.

Or the excess pressure blows a seal somewhere. Then you can be like me, slowly dripping small amounts of oil onto your exhaust pipe, thus spewing smoke when stopped in the right wind conditions. (In the 'wrong' wind condition, it just smells like burning oil)

One of these years I might either buy a newer car or get it fixed...I might be more motivated if it went through more than a quart or so between oil changes.

[RecycleMichael]

Or the excess pressure blows a seal somewhere. Then you can be like me, slowly dripping small amounts of oil onto your exhaust pipe, thus spewing smoke when stopped in the right wind conditions. (In the 'wrong' wind condition, it just smells like burning oil)

I used to have a car like that. That car got a hundred miles to the gallon. Unfortunately, it was oil, not gas.

[custosnox]

Or the excess pressure blows a seal somewhere. Then you can be like me, slowly dripping small amounts of oil onto your exhaust pipe, thus spewing smoke when stopped in the right wind conditions. (In the 'wrong' wind condition, it just smells like burning oil)

One of these years I might either buy a newer car or get it fixed...I might be more motivated if it went through more than a quart or so between oil changes.

this is how I went so long without changing oil.  I had fresh infusions often enough I could easily triple my oil lifespan.  Right up until my rear main seal blew (hense the many posts on riding the bus lately).

[Red Arrow]

In the days of full serve gas stations, we had a car that I pulled in and said to fill the oil and check the gas.