Could that be motivated by being able to advertise their vehicles to potential customers by actually letting them drive them and get used to one?
Yes. When GM had a lot of Caddys that were not moving in the 80s, they gave National a sweet deal provided they also upgraded employees with business rentals. So we got Caddys instead of Celebritys and other rental customers got Caddys instead of Ford Crown Vickys or similar full size cars.
I have a 2018 Versa which has the same 1.6 engine. Iâve done all the oil changes myself and usually overfill it slightly, maybe by a pint. Itâs not a problem.
People also routinely exceed the speed limit âslightlyâ, or overinflate their tires âslightlyâ (by 5-10 psi).
That doesnât mean itâs the correct thing to do.
Markers on dipsticks are not necessarily precise. With my car (different make and model from the 1980s versus your rental example), I allow more than half an hour for the oil to drain completely, then I carefully add the specified 3.5 quarts of fresh oil. After that, the level on the dipstick is above the âfullâ mark.
Apparently damage can be caused by adding âa lotâ of extra oil. One of my mechanics told me that a bad customer was suing them for damage. The shop had worked on her vehicle, which included changing the oil. Apparently she subsequently did something weird, like adding a full oil-change amount of oil to the already-full engine. Then, while driving, something blew out. Possible discrepancies in that case are at a larger order of magnitude than half a quart high or low, or oil levels on dipsticks being +/- 2 mm relative to the âfullâ mark.
One of our forum members claims that he allows the oil to drain overnight, so I assume that he waits 8 or more hours to put the plug back in.
After changing the oil, Do you start the vehicle, let it run for a few seconds, then shut it off before checking??
Is the car level when being checked, not with the front still up in the air??
I change the oil with the car level and resting on the ground, no lifting. Checking the oil is any time after the oil change. But I do not check the oil right after changing the oil (no need). A normal reading is with the oil level a little higher than the âfullâ mark.
Using my 2010 Honda Accord EX trim as an example, engine oil capacity is 5.6 quarts (5.2 litres):
2010 Honda Accord Specifications and Features
If I fully drain and and refilter and refill the engine, cold, with 5.6 quarts of oil(plus-minus one tablespoon), and wait at least one half-hour to settle, where, on my factory dipstick, should that oil level indicate?
I perceive the concept of keeping oil, assumption cold, always over the high mark on a dipstick to be akin to keeping ones tires consistently 5-10psi over the cold spec pressures on the vehicle door frame sticker.
Correct me if my perception is wrong.
A normal reading is between the full and add oil mark. Not above. Thatâs per every owner manual on every car Iâve owned. About 10 so far.
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I would guess somewhere just below the full amount. But I doubt dipsticks are 100% accurate so it may vary a bit from midpoint to a bit over.
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THANK YOU!
Others, who are filling to over all marks on the stick, do you get this?
Me going to get flagged but neither John Lump or Chris the self appointed tire person are not on my list of vehicle experts.
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Despite Carolynâs warning that he needs to stop telling everyoneâtime and time againâthat he is smarter than everyone else, he canât seem to cease that routine.
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Read the owners manual. Iâve never seen one say to go over. They are written by the experts that built the cars they came in.
And yes I took auto mechanics training in school. 2 years. How about you?
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HA!! Iâm gonna throw a monkey wrench in all this.. My truck calls for 6.2 quarts, I only put 6 quarts in it, that is 97% full in my book and it is almost to the max mark⊠lol
I am not measuring out 6.4oz in hopes I donât go overâŠ
Did you check again, after allowing 15-30 minutes to settle?
Does 24+ hours without starting work for you??? As well as waiting 10 minutes after driving and it being at operating temps⊠
PS The longer you wait the more out the level will rise, so if it was almost full after just 1 minute after turning the engine off then it would be even higher waiting your 15-20 minutes, you know for the oil to settle (drain back).. Just common sense right??
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Most car designs wonât allow pre-filling of the filter and even if they do, some oil is captured in the galleries leading to the filter and elsewhere in the engine. So unless you start the engine and let it run for a bit, then shut it down and wait for the oil to settle, youâre going to get a false reading.
Another issue is the specifications. They donât specify if that 5.6Q is service capacity or dry capacity. Most are dry specs so 5.6Q on a wet service is likely to read high because there is still a lot of oil trapped in various spots that would not be there on a dry engine- no matter how long you wait during the draining period.
For the life of me, I never understood this obsession with oil changes that many people have. You drain out what comes out in a minute or two (at most) and then refill 1/2Q less than spec. Start engine, wait 20 seconds, shut it off and wait a minute before checking dipstick and adding enough to top off. Done. Move on to something elseâŠ
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I could never understand the obsession with overfilling and over- inflating things that people have. Iâm glad at least, one other person came on here and stated the correct way to do engine oil.
Do people really think 6 quarts of oil in a 5 quart spec, and 40psi when 33psi is spec for tires, are better?
Or, are they really that afraid of fluids and air leaking out so quickly, like itâs a car from the '20s..
..the other '20s?