Urge to Top Off !

Pennzoil motor oil
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HTSS_TR

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I intentionally filled my E430 with 7 quarts of oil plus 6 oz VSOT while the capacity is 8.5 quarts when I changed oil few weeks ago. Checking the oil level then and now, it is slightly below mid point of add and full lines.

According to the manual, it is OK if the oil level is above add line, do not add any oil until the level is at or below add line.

Even if I like to have oil level below max line so that the oil will get to operating temp faster, it still bug me to add 1/2 to 1 quart to bring the oil level near the max line. The engine never used any measurable amount of oil between OCI's of around 11-13k miles or 1 year.

Do you have an urge to top off when the oil level is at half way between min and max lines ?
 
In a vehicle that uses oil, i will top off. If a vehicle uses no oil I will even fill them to halfway between add and full.
 
Unless the car is a serious oil burner I'd wait until the dip stick reads near the (but not right at) add line.

As far as the level reading a tiny bit above the full mark, no problem as long as you know there is 1 qt or less of an overfill.
 
I typically do a yearly OCI. When the oil is changed, purposefully the oil level is in the mid point. At about 7 months I add close to a quart to replenish the TBN. At that point the oil level is on full. I do this procedure with both of my vehicles.
 
The best time to check the oil is in the morning when the vehicle hasn't been driven. If you check it when it's cold, you will get a more accurate reading on the dipstick. It won't hurt to top it off as long as it's between the two dots. Too much oil is just as bad as not having enough.
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
I intentionally filled my E430 with 7 quarts of oil plus 6 oz VSOT while the capacity is 8.5 quarts when I changed oil few weeks ago. Checking the oil level then and now, it is slightly below mid point of add and full lines.

According to the manual, it is OK if the oil level is above add line, do not add any oil until the level is at or below add line.

Even if I like to have oil level below max line so that the oil will get to operating temp faster, it still bug me to add 1/2 to 1 quart to bring the oil level near the max line. The engine never used any measurable amount of oil between OCI's of around 11-13k miles or 1 year.

Do you have an urge to top off when the oil level is at half way between min and max lines ?
 
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
I intentionally filled my E430 with 7 quarts of oil plus 6 oz VSOT while the capacity is 8.5 quarts when I changed oil few weeks ago. Checking the oil level then and now, it is slightly below mid point of add and full lines.

According to the manual, it is OK if the oil level is above add line, do not add any oil until the level is at or below add line.

Even if I like to have oil level below max line so that the oil will get to operating temp faster, it still bug me to add 1/2 to 1 quart to bring the oil level near the max line. The engine never used any measurable amount of oil between OCI's of around 11-13k miles or 1 year.

Do you have an urge to top off when the oil level is at half way between min and max lines ?


It holds 8.5 quarts and you're worried about the last half a quart requiring THAT MUCH MORE warm up time? Come on.

I personally check the oil in my cars every few weeks and even if it's a pinch below the full line, i'll add a few ounces of oil to bring the level all the way up to full. I don't like to have it less then full. I'd never check the oil, see it at the midway point and not add anything because technically, its fine and not at the desperate ADD part... yet.
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Yeah, half way between full and add is where I add.

Interestingly on my Nissan, that's 7,000km, and it gets back there again by 10,000km come change time.
 
I don't top off unless it needs a full quart but I don't think there's a wrong answer here. With an oil burner, sometimes topping off (above the add mark) increases the perceived oil consumption, because some engines will burn off that upper level of oil then consumption will slow as it nears Add... but even that isn't a universal constant.Beyond keeping the above the add mark, I doubt there's anything in between you can name that's a significant factor for the good or the bad. But then debating minutiae is part and parcel here, so forgive my brief lapse into practicality. ( : < )
 
At an oil change, I fill to the Full mark, and don't top off until it gets to 1/2-way between Full and Add. On the Camaro, that's a 1/2-quart. On the Dodge truck, that's 1 quart. I use that procedure because I think it gives me the best reference for gauging oil consumption.

There's a lot of different methods shown here, but they're all good. As long as the oil is between Full and Add, you're safe. Most engines will run fine even 1 quart below Add.
 
Either way - an oil user or a non user, is the same for me.
I keep them topped off.
The non user is full and stays there, and the user gets filled to the line.
 
I usually check levels once a week and top-off to full mark. I did not top off the G6 on the last OCI after reading a different thread where Jim Allen had mentioned some cars will burn to a point and then slow or stop. I also got an analysis and wanted to have that done without anything added if I could. Went down just past half by the time I changed it, his OCI should be longer so I'll see what I get this time.
 
i recently went to extended drains on a car i take care of. Pennzoil Ultra 5w30 with a distance plus and 10k drains. it used 1/2 quart at 5k but i added a whole quart, knowing i wouldn't see the car until the 10k was over. i figure adding will help keep the TBN up and 1/2 qt over is not that big of a deal.
 
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