How Full is Full?

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Life, in the form of a one year old and a wife who works an opposite shift than I, has gotten in the way of me doing my own oil changes for the last couple times. I've taken it to the dealer simply becuse they have sent some pretty good coupons so I figured I'd use them vs. some other quick lube place.

What I have noticed is that they fill to halfway between the full and add mark on the dipstick. On my Frontier, there is probably about and inch or inch and a half between the two.

I've always filled to the full mark on all my vehicles so was wondering if their "half fill" was actually the recommended fill level, or if they are cheaping out and not filling it completely. My vote is on the second, but I have no basis for that other than I'd prefer to have as much oil in the pan as is recommended - my assumption is that is the high mark on the dipstick.

Thoughts?
 
Originally Posted By: cmhj
Full is full, bottom line!


I am pretty sure the full line is the top line and not the bottom line.
 
What is the oil capacity for the Frontier? If it is ?.5 qts, I suspect that the LOF tech does not set the bulk oil spout to include the .5 qt. They probably use the same setting for all vehicles and never follow the proper steps to check the dip stick after running the engine to check for leaks; per the owners manual and Nissan maintenance procedures.
 
Depends on the manufacturer's advice. For my wife's car, it takes 7 qts and no mention of less than full fill. But my car (Z4 M Coupe), there is a BMW TIS for the dealers advising fill to halfway between the marks on the dipstick.

Of course, usually they overfill by a bit, which is definitely not good! I always check it if they do an oil change and make them take some out if overfilled. I no longer get the free oil change on my car since they overfill.
 
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Thats a good point. I don't remember exactly, but the capacity is over five quarts but less than six. Might be five and a quarter or so..

I miss my old Chevy 350 where you dumped a 5 quart bottle in and were done. No partial bottles laying around the garage.
 
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Originally Posted By: Jonny Z
Originally Posted By: cmhj
Full is full, bottom line!


I am pretty sure the full line is the top line and not the bottom line.


Didn't say that! shesh Full is full and that's the bottom line!!!!!
 
Originally Posted By: cmhj
Originally Posted By: Jonny Z
Originally Posted By: cmhj
Full is full, bottom line!


I am pretty sure the full line is the top line and not the bottom line.


Didn't say that! shesh Full is full and that's the bottom line!!!!!


So, the bottom line is the top line?? Does that make the top line the bottom line?
grin2.gif


If who's on first, what's on second, and I don't know is on third, who's pitching???
 
My wifes SUV when refilled to prescribed qty (4.3qts) including filter changeout puts the oil level at 1/2 way between the OVERFULL and the ADD line. Possibly, all attitude terrain vehicles have some capacity wiggle room. Most wet sump engines typ have better passing power (WOT) with a cup to a pint low in my drag racing experience.
 
Frontier capacity is 5.4 so they probably just put in 5 quarts (I have the same truck). That's what I do. I sure am not going to crack open a fresh quart (or jug).

also, consider some customers check their oil after an oil change and will complain and demand a free coupon of some sort if it's overfilled so it's safer to "underfill."

I worked at lube shop and that happened all the time.
 
TWG, these guys aren't being very nice with all their talk of bottom and top lines, and all terrain vehicles with an attitude.

We have had discussions of this topic before, but I don't think we came to any conclusions.

With the recommended 5 qts., my caravan shows 1/8" above the top line. My daughter's Sebring shows half way in the middle with the recommended 5 qts..

Until you test yours out with the recommended amount and a dipstick check, you won't know if the dealer is shorting you.

I tend to use the amount recommended in the manual and note where "full" is on the dipstick.
 
How much oil is included in the change you are buying? If the change is only good for 4 quarts and your capacity is 4.5, then 4 quarts is all your going to get. You'll have to make up the difference yourself.
 
My thoughts have been that if the OM calls for 5 qts of oil with a new filter, they have taken into account that an engine has some residual oil that just doesn't drain out. I add the suggested amount with a new filter and in all my vehicles that I've ever owned I was always very close to, or exactly at the full line +/- 1/16th of an inch. Only once did I have a problem, and that was easily resolved with a check from a dipstick borrowed from another vehicle same year, make, model and engine. The fill mark was in the wrong spot, I cut a new full line.

As a side note, I let the oil drain hot, and no less than 30 minutes. I can see going for a 10 minute oil change having 1/2 qt or more oil remaining and getting an overfilled reading.
 
My mechanic is a former Honda service guy, and he says the Honda SOP calls for filling the engine with oil till it reads 2/3 of the way between the lower and the upper oil marks on the dipstick.
 
The responses by dealers & mechanics on this thread is exactly why I change my own oil. I fill the exact amount required by the owners manual. It hits the top mark on the dipstick every time.

I mean this is not rocket science...the real question is should you be letting a guy who doesn't understand how to read an owners manual OR a dipstick touch your car? Then the guys who make up the 1/2 way between story? Where did they come from?

If you went to Starbucks and they gave you 3/4 of a cup of coffee would you say anything like maybe "Hey, how about filling it up"?
 
My mechanic is a former Honda service guy, and he says the Honda SOP calls for filling the engine with oil till it reads 2/3 of the way between the lower and the upper oil marks on the dipstick.

Next time you see him...pay him 2/3 of the bill....
LOL.gif
 
I can see going for a 10 minute oil change having 1/2 qt or more oil remaining and getting an overfilled reading.

Exactly, but if they took 1/2 quart of dirty used engine oil they just drained and dumped it back in...would you go there again?
 
Originally Posted By: ProfPS
What is the oil capacity for the Frontier? If it is ?.5 qts, I suspect that the LOF tech does not set the bulk oil spout to include the .5 qt. They probably use the same setting for all vehicles and never follow the proper steps to check the dip stick after running the engine to check for leaks; per the owners manual and Nissan maintenance procedures.


Plus one. Imagine the extra profit 1/2 qt x $3.00 x 1gazillion changes = 1.5 gazillion dollars.
 
Originally Posted By: TWG1572

What I have noticed is that they fill to halfway between the full and add mark on the dipstick. On my Frontier, there is probably about and inch or inch and a half between the two.


Thoughts?


Yeah, they don't care enough about you or your car to pay attention to the small details like oil capacity but would rather just figure 1/2 quart low is "good enough"

That is my thought.

Try that on their payment and watch them go ballistic.
 
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