Changing Oil - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Restless_Surfer · 06-23-2009, 09:21 AM

Hello

I bought 4 bottles of oil to do an oil change.

I live in Canada, so on the bottle it says 900ml. When you guys did your oil change, did you use all 4 bottles?

And when I used the oil dip stick and pulled it out, it didnt give me an accurate reading because the oil seamed to have smeared along the stick.

I was careful of not touching the sides when I pulled the stick out, and it still gave me a smeared result.

Any solutions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

LeanBurn · 06-23-2009, 09:30 AM

Usually the oil manufacturer fills the bottle to 946ml...50ml off 1L for the users in Canada. If you pretend the bottle is 1L and fill according to what the owners manual says for your model, you will get pretty much exactly on the full line.

For example, the 1.8L requires 4.2L with a new filter. I use (4) 946ml bottles and then another 200ml of a 5th bottle and it comes to about 1mm under the full line every time.

The dipstick is very susceptable to smearing after the car has just been running or after an oil change. I look at mine after it has sat all night and look at both sides of the dipstick, one side is usually more readable than the other. Unfortunately, after you look at the dipstick it tends to smear up the dipstick tube making a second reading pretty hard to do, so you have to let it sit for a while to get a more accurate reading.

Restless_Surfer · 06-23-2009, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeanBurn

Usually the oil manufacturer fills the bottle to 946ml...50ml off 1L for the users in Canada. If you pretend the bottle is 1L and fill according to what the owners manual says for your model, you will get pretty much exactly on the full line.

For example, the 1.8L requires 4.2L with a new filter. I use (4) 946ml bottles and then another 200ml of a 5th bottle and it comes to about 1mm under the full line every time.

The dipstick is very susceptable to smearing after the car has just been running or after an oil change. I look at mine after it has sat all night and look at both sides of the dipstick, one side is usually more readable than the other. Unfortunately, after you look at the dipstick it tends to smear up the dipstick tube making a second reading pretty hard to do, so you have to let it sit for a while to get a more accurate reading.

THATS what I wanted to hear, thank you Sir!

Also, does that extra 200 ml make a difference?

Sheargenious · 06-23-2009, 11:30 AM

I put 4 1/2 qts in. Just over max fill line

LeanBurn · 06-23-2009, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Restless_Surfer

THATS what I wanted to hear, thank you Sir!

Also, does that extra 200 ml make a difference?

Oil level between the full and add marks are the safe zone operationally speaking. I always add what the manual says which is 4.2L, so I don't know if adding only 4L would be detrimental to operation in the long run or not. If it consumes oil and you go without checking it could run low. For me it is a buffer against that type of situation. Also I find it easier as a frame of reference when I check once a week. I just look at the dipstick, its says at the full mark and I'm good. Any other level and I find I can't remember if it was 1cm or 1.5cm and was that from the bottom or the top...my life is busy enough without having to remember details like that.

From what I have learned reading, overfilling the crankcase oil can cause problems, so I have never done it.

Restless_Surfer · 06-23-2009, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeanBurn

Oil level between the full and add marks are the safe zone operationally speaking. I always add what the manual says which is 4.2L, so I don't know if adding only 4L would be detrimental to operation in the long run or not. If it consumes oil and you go without checking it could run low. For me it is a buffer against that type of situation. Also I find it easier as a frame of reference when I check once a week. I just look at the dipstick, its says at the full mark and I'm good. Any other level and I find I can't remember if it was 1cm or 1.5cm and was that from the bottom or the top...my life is busy enough without having to remember details like that.

From what I have learned reading, overfilling the crankcase oil can cause problems, so I have never done it.

Fair enough, do you use a measuring cup for that last 200 ml?

pinoyesv6 · 06-23-2009, 01:58 PM

i usually drop in the 4 bottles and use the dipstick to eye my way up to the full mark. sure it isn't exact but then again, i didn't exactly drain ALL the oil that was left in the engine.

a tad over full is ok, a tad under full is ok.

if the oil level is really low, nearing dangerous levels, the oil light will come on. its one of the reason's its there.

hungt1999 · 06-23-2009, 02:07 PM

Yes it is true, the dipstick smears, it is tricky to tell the oil level

One trick I found is I took sandpaper and sanded a length of about 2 inches at the end of the stick to make if rough so oil level can stick to it

LeanBurn · 06-23-2009, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Restless_Surfer

Fair enough, do you use a measuring cup for that last 200 ml?

I usually let the oil drain for about 1/2 hour, by then it has stopped dripping.

Kind of. I use an old 1L oil bottle with the see through window strip on the side that shows the measurements. So if I use the bigger jugs of oil eg:4.4L, I use the measurement bottle to get it accurate, and 4.2L gets it to the same point on the dipstick after every oil change.

jdhog · 06-23-2009, 03:18 PM

Agree, the dipstick is terrible for getting a good reading. Like Leanburn says best reading is after sitting for a long time and the next reading will be all smeared.........terrible dipstick terrible terrible terrible.

OkSlim · 06-23-2009, 03:42 PM

Do you guys really not know that you

1. let the car set for 10 or 15 minutes on a level surface
2. Pull the dipstick out and wipe it off
3. reinsert the dipstick
4. pull it out and read the level on the dispstick

?

jdhog · 06-23-2009, 09:06 PM

Dude give us some credit. No matter how many time you wipe it off and stick it back in after the first time it has sat for ages, it will smear all up the dipstick regardless and when you pull it back out the oil is all over the darn thing. It sucks, so the only decent reading you can get is after it has been sitting for ages.

wth · 06-24-2009, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hungt1999

Yes it is true, the dipstick smears, it is tricky to tell the oil level

One trick I found is I took sandpaper and sanded a length of about 2 inches at the end of the stick to make if rough so oil level can stick to it

Just what I did about a month ago, as this IS the hardest dipstick I've ever seen, and I've seen/looked at hundreds.

Restless_Surfer · 06-24-2009, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wth

Just what I did about a month ago, as this IS the hardest dipstick I've ever seen, and I've seen/looked at hundreds.

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one experiencing this.

twincorollas · 05-08-2010, 10:20 AM

Did my first oil change at home today (Ford semi-synthetic 5w20) and the dipstick absolutely SUCKS. I tried everything and it continues to smudge. Anyway, I did this at 1,800km or approximately 1,100 miles and I will change it again at 5,000 km and use full synthetic oil.

I did not like the filter set up as it is a pain in the ass!