Oil Fill Levels...Who Would You Believe?

[CarbonSteel]

Thanks, EXACTLY what I was getting at. The oil never had a chance to fully drain back to the sump so it gave an inaccurate reading showing a lower level than it really was.

I can say this ..in all my years of owning vehicles and there have been a couple of dozen of different brands/models, I have never had one that had an oil level 1" over full no matter how many quarts were specified in the owners manual.

 

[eljefino]

I want to know why, according to the owner's manual, there are four different dipstick designs.

When I worked at the tire store, an oil change over 5.0 quarts cost extra. This is a nearly universal truth in America. How they bill it varies a bit. I'm not a fan of engineers that make it 5.1 "with filter" and wish the owners manual were more explicitly clear about quantity "with filter."

 

[PimTac]

It sounds like they are using the same dipstick regardless of the application.

 

[CarbonSteel]

I want to know why, according to the owner's manual, there are four different dipstick designs.

When I worked at the tire store, an oil change over 5.0 quarts cost extra. This is a nearly universal truth in America. How they bill it varies a bit. I'm not a fan of engineers that make it 5.1 "with filter" and wish the owners manual were more explicitly clear about quantity "with filter."

In the screenshot I posted of my owner's manual the capacity is 5 quarts with filter.

The 5.1 number came from the service writer, which I don't believe.

 

[CarbonSteel]

It sounds like they are using the same dipstick regardless of the application.

I have not looked at a regular GC's dipstick, maybe someone can post a photo.

My GCL's dipstick is different versus my Wrangler with the same engine that also specifies 5.0 quarts...

 

[TeamZero]

The L isn't important if you are talking about the newest style Jeep(WL body). Correct way to check is hot, after a few min. If you do it cold the next day, It will probably show high, as most 3.6 will drain down as filter is up top. I just got done arguing with customer last week, that was adamant his cummins was being overfilled. .......these drain back quite quick and have a huge filter. He was checking it in the morning. Whats billed is also not 100%, as other have said, we always round up. If I pump 5.1 L, 6L is getting billed. Honestly I can never remember what year/3.6s take how many. They all get 5, and then I check it.

 

[CarbonSteel]

The L isn't important if you are talking about the newest style Jeep(WL body). Correct way to check is hot, after a few min. If you do it cold the next day, It will probably show high, as most 3.6 will drain down as filter is up top. I just got done arguing with customer last week, that was adamant his cummins was being overfilled. .......these drain back quite quick and have a huge filter. He was checking it in the morning. Whats billed is also not 100%, as other have said, we always round up. If I pump 5.1 L, 6L is getting billed. Honestly I can never remember what year/3.6s take how many. They all get 5, and then I check it.

It is important from the oil capacity standpoint in that an L is 5 quarts and non L is 6.

If all dealers did what you do, it would be perfect...but they clearly don't.

 

[TeamZero]

It is important from the oil capacity standpoint in that an L is 5 quarts and non L is 6.

If all dealers did what you do, it would be perfect...but they clearly don't.

No, they both take 5 by the book L and standard, .....the OLDER style(WK body) takes 6. See attached pic, they , both L and standard are lumped together. I would assume oil pan if diff. between WK and WL.

 

[MattPersman]

They are 2 different vehicles in 21. The WL and WK. you have a WL. The WK is the older style they still made.

Your oil pan is different. That’s why they take different amounts. The axles go through it on a 4wd. The WK did not.

My guess is they are assuming it takes 6 quarts if it’s a GC 3.6.

The literature is confusing indeed on both sides of the coin. Leave a lot of room for a quart either way.

Put a sign on your steering wheel that says it takes 5 quarts or under your hood before you hand them the key.

If they question it then just ask them to show you on the service info.

 

[mobil]

As you said the key here is that you have the “L” model; 2021 was a crossover year with both the WK2 and WL (only available in the “L” model for 2021).

The oil capacity in the WK2 Pentastar is 6 quarts and the capacity in the WL Pentastar is 5 quarts (not 5.1 quarts).

 

[dbias]

I’ve looked at several things online and they all point to 5 quarts. Blauparts even puts 5 liters bottle and filter only in their oil change kits for WL. 5liter bottle and a single liter bottle for WK for a total of 6 quarts.

 

[TheOilWizard]

As you said the key here is that you have the “L” model; 2021 was a crossover year with both the WK2 and WL (only available in the “L” model for 2021).

The oil capacity in the WK2 Pentastar is 6 quarts and the capacity in the WL Pentastar is 5 quarts (not 5.1 quarts).

An 18 year old account with 9 posts. That takes some real self control!

 

[CarbonSteel]

No, they both take 5 by the book L and standard, .....the OLDER style(WK body) takes 6. See attached pic, they , both L and standard are lumped together. I would assume oil pan if diff. between WK and WL.View attachment 151914

According to the two 2021 owners manuals that I posted in the OP-- The Grand Cherokee "L" takes 5 quarts and the Grand Cherokee (No "L") takes 6 quarts so yeah...lots of room for improvement everywhere it would seem. I realize the "regular" Grand Cherokee just adopted the body style of the "L" in 2023 and that takes 5 quarts, but the
Here are the screenshots:

2021 Grand Cherokee L

2021 Grand Cherokee (NO "L")

 

[CarbonSteel]

...

 

[CarbonSteel]

They are 2 different vehicles in 21. The WL and WK. you have a WL. The WK is the older style they still made.

Your oil pan is different. That’s why they take different amounts. The axles go through it on a 4wd. The WK did not.

My guess is they are assuming it takes 6 quarts if it’s a GC 3.6.

The literature is confusing indeed on both sides of the coin. Leave a lot of room for a quart either way.

Put a sign on your steering wheel that says it takes 5 quarts or under your hood before you hand them the key.

If they question it then just ask them to show you on the service info.

Yeah...that did not work because I told them they overfilled it the first time and I told them to only put 5 quarts in it this time. They still installed 6...just lame, but in the end it's a lease so...

 

[TheOilWizard]

Yeah...that did not work because I told them they overfilled it the first time and I told them to only put 5 quarts in it this time. They still installed 6...just lame, but in the end it's a lease so...

Probably wishful thinking, but have you considered contacting MOPAR customer service and escalating this concern? I know myself, and maybe others here, would be very interested in what they come back with.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Probably wishful thinking, but have you considered contacting MOPAR customer service and escalating this concern? I know myself, and maybe others here, would be very interested in what they come back with.

No, not really. I suspect they would tell me to switch dealers and truth be told I should just start changing it myself. I have more than enough oil and filters sitting on the shelf given that I had 3 Pentastars in the stable at one point.

It's my wife's car and so it goes to the dealer and that is the only reason that I keep doing it...

 

[ZeeOSix]

I then showed him a photo of the dipstick (engine cold) that shows the oil nearly 1” above the full mark. He ignores it and checks the oil (engine hot from drive to dealer 35 miles away) and it shows the oil at the full mark. He points to it and says that it is filled properly, and you cannot check the engine oil cold, it must be at operating temperature. He agrees to take it into the back and check it and comes back a short time later and says it is properly filled.

I've compared cold vs hot oil level checks on dozens of vehicles I've owned and every one of them shows a higher oil level when hot vs cold. Only time a cold level may be higher than a hot level is if the oil filter ADBV isn't sealing and letting a bunch of oil drain back into the sump when it sits over night.

Have you done your own cold vs hot level checks in the same lever spot? Didn't read the whole thread, so just throwing that out there.

 

[Jango]

You can buy a fluid transfer pump for $6 at Harbor Freight to remove the excess. It has a thinner insert that goes into the thicker tube and that fits nicely down the dipstick tube.

 

[wemay]

This would eat away at me at night. I'd empty and refill it myself. Not going back to that dealership even if they had the best coffee in town during that 2 hour wait for an incorrect oil change.