Adding motor oil to engine

alan wrote in rec.autos.misc

> Dick C wrote:
>> Sanjay Punjab wrote in rec.autos.misc
>>
>>
>>>My accord with 130k is using between 1/4-1/2 quart of oil a month.
>>>I was told by many that engines with this age typically do require a
>>>top-off each month of motor oil. Is there some type of gadget that you
>>>can attach to the top of the oil bottle to make measuring a bit
>>>easier? Often I have to add a little oil, then run the engine a bit
>>>and then check the dipstick again and repeat to get the oil level to a
>>>desired level again. Just want to save some time
>>
>>
>> The proper way to check oil is to do it when the engine has been
>> shut off for several minutes, at a minimum. 20 or thirty minutes
>> is better. This ensures that all the oil has run back into the
>> pan. Running the engine and then checking it moves the oil up into
>> the various engine parts, and the oil level will look lower than
>> it really is. Adding oil at this point will cause you to overfill
>> the engine, which can lead to excess oil consumption, and possibly
>> blown seals.
>> Also, the add mark on the dipstick indicates that the oil is one
>> quart low, depending upon the shape of the oil pan, the distance
>> between the marks may not be linear. Ergo, the half way point may
>> or may not indicate 1/2 quart. Do not add oil until the level is
>> at the add mark. And check it only after the engine has been
>> shut off for several minutes.
>> The engine does not need to be warm to check the oil either. You
>> can go out in the morning and check it before you go to work.
>>
>
> I checked my oil level this morning with the engine cold, and it is
> actually 1/8" over the full mark. I guess this is because I filled up
> the oil while the engine was warm. Do you guys think that is "close
> enough", or should I really drain that 1/8"?

Leave it. It's close enough, and if you have to add oil between
changes, it will go down on its' own. If not, it isn't high enough
to worry about.

>



--
Dick #1349
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
~Benjamin Franklin

Home Page: dickcr.iwarp.com
email:

> I checked my oil level this morning with the engine cold, and it is
> actually 1/8" over the full mark. I guess this is because I filled up
> the oil while the engine was warm. Do you guys think that is "close
> enough", or should I really drain that 1/8"?

Drain oil if it is more than 1/2 quart overfilled. Otherwise, not
enough to worry about.

JM

Seth wrote:
> "alan" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>I checked my oil level this morning with the engine cold, and it is
>>actually 1/8" over the full mark. I guess this is because I filled up
>>the oil while the engine was warm. Do you guys think that is "close
>>enough", or should I really drain that 1/8"?
>
>
> Oil level I believe should go *DOWN* when the engine cools, not the other
> way around. Matter expands as temperature goes up.
>

Which is MORE than offset by the fact that it takes time for all the oil
to finish dripping back into the bottom of the pan. Engine oil should be
checked with the engine OFF for at least 5 minutes (longer is better)
before checking. Cold or hot doesn't matter- the expansion of the oil is
not significant- much less significant than in an automatic transmission.

"Steve" > wrote in message
...
> Seth wrote:
> > "alan" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >>I checked my oil level this morning with the engine cold, and it is
> >>actually 1/8" over the full mark. I guess this is because I filled up
> >>the oil while the engine was warm. Do you guys think that is "close
> >>enough", or should I really drain that 1/8"?
> >
> >
> > Oil level I believe should go *DOWN* when the engine cools, not the
other
> > way around. Matter expands as temperature goes up.
> >
>
> Which is MORE than offset by the fact that it takes time for all the oil
> to finish dripping back into the bottom of the pan. Engine oil should be
> checked with the engine OFF for at least 5 minutes (longer is better)
> before checking. Cold or hot doesn't matter- the expansion of the oil is
> not significant- much less significant than in an automatic transmission.

Yes, I addressed how there is more in the pan after the engine has been off
for a while in the part of my response you snipped out like so...

> > I would gather it is more a case of all the oil is in the pan cause it
> > drained down during the night.

The part you address above is my merely commenting on what oil (or any other
matter) does based on temperature.