I have discovered cars that have the wrong dipstick. A few years ago we compared dipsticks on 10 new identical cars being put into fleet service and found three different dipsticks. Not much difference but between the lowest and highest full marks looks like a quart.
1 oil change at the dealer, apparently 1 too many.
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My owner's manual calls for 6 quarts with a filter change, and when I pour in 6 quarts, I'm at least 1/4" overfull. Not sure if the dipstick or the manual is wrong, but I did what the manual called for. The car was overfull by that much when I bought it too.
According to my Ford manuals, you can 'overfill' our van to the F of the word "Full" on the dipstick before it will cause engine damage. Judging the distance from the top of the Full line to the letter F in "Full" it's around three-quarters of a quart, give or take.
If dipsticks are so inaccurate, what did you use to determine you had the proper level?
Dipsticks vary and some are designed so that design oil capacity is in the center of the range so the engine is never over 1/2 Qt from design capacity.
Some are also designed to measure hot or cold. My Detroit Series 60 Diesel (Capacity 10 gallons) has the full mark placed for hot oil after a 20 minute drain down. The add mark is down 1.5 gal to reduce the chance of someone overfilling if they check it cold or dont allow enough drain down time.
PS You can calibrate the dipstick. This has been done in HD Diesels for eons to insure the dipstick is accurate in various different applications.
Some are also designed to measure hot or cold. My Detroit Series 60 Diesel (Capacity 10 gallons) has the full mark placed for hot oil after a 20 minute drain down. The add mark is down 1.5 gal to reduce the chance of someone overfilling if they check it cold or dont allow enough drain down time.
PS You can calibrate the dipstick. This has been done in HD Diesels for eons to insure the dipstick is accurate in various different applications.
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The only time I recall having a dealer do an oil change (it was a Honda) they overfilled it. I don't know why it is so difficult for these guys to accurately measure the amount of oil they use.
So you used the dipstick?
Laziness is the biggest cause of overfilling. It's been my experience that the meter on the oil hose isn't to be trusted if bulk oil is in use. The shop I worked in had a 2-gallon clear 'pitcher' hanging on the side of the bulk oil tank for people to use when doing oil changes. It had graduation marks on the side in quarts and the meter on the hose was not accurate according to the pitcher.
This explains why I never have a problem with overfills when I take my own oil to the dealership.
I let them do it because it's already paid for, but I bring my own oil. They just provide the filter and labor.
I let them do it because it's already paid for, but I bring my own oil. They just provide the filter and labor.
4 quarts of oil plus 3/4 quart of sludge in the pan = 3/4 quart high on the dipstick.
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