[pleopard]

Both my mechanic and I are confused as to why the published 4.6L (4.9 US qt.) oil fill volume (with filter change) results in an overfill of about half a liter. 4.0 to 4.1L brings the level to the full mark. I’ve seen one or two others report this but no answers.

Wrong dipstick? Dipstick stamp mark error? Is the engine actually overfilled when 4.6L is added?

Something that should be so simple. Weird.

 

[Dimension C137]

Really? I eyeball 4.9 Qts and I've been pretty spot on every time. I drive around few blocks to warm the car to operating temp and then wait ten min and check. It's right at the max line on the dipstick. I have the M20A-FKS as well.

 

[invader]

After a thorough drain, it takes exactly 4.5 liters (4.75 US quarts) to have it just a hair below full mark when checked cold... Drain engine oil only once fully warmed up, then give it time to drain until it stops dripping, preferably with front end jacked up.

 

[peng]

I don't have a hatchback, but I do have an SE sedan and mine takes exactly 4.6l. I just dump 4.6 in, run the engine for a couple of minutes, turn the engine off, let it sit for a couple of minutes and I'm right at the full mark. Just to test your dipstick suspicion, mine measures 515mm from the point at which the handle contacts the top of the dipstick tube to the full mark.

 

[pleopard]

Thank you! I’ll check the length to confirm. As far as how I change the oil - I follow all of the above recommendations. Nothing out of the ordinary. This is the first time I’ve encountered a fill volume so far off the mark.

 

[pfdaxe]

I put exactly 5 quarts in every time. It puts me right at full.

 

[peng]

Thank you! I’ll check the length to confirm. As far as how I change the oil - I follow all of the above recommendations. Nothing out of the ordinary. This is the first time I’ve encountered a fill volume so far off the mark.

It looks like the dipstick part numbers aren't the same for the SE sedan and the hatch, so my measurement may mean nothing. I can't see why they would be different though, unless it's an origin of parts issue.

 

[pleopard]

It looks like the dipstick part numbers aren't the same for the SE sedan and the hatch, so my measurement may mean nothing. I can't see why they would be different though, unless it's an origin of parts issue.

Thanks for checking this. If they are physically different, I wonder if it’s possible that the wrong part was installed, giving me a false reading. That sounds very unlike Toyota, but I don’t want to rule it out.

 

[peng]

Just try measuring from the point marked in red down to the full mark and see what you get. Perhaps someone with a hatch can do the same (invader?)

 

[yushikaneda]

drain until it stops dripping, preferably with front end jacked up.

INTERESTING! Is there a optimum angle from your experience??

I always (somewhat blindly) thought the car should be level when draining.


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[invader]

INTERESTING! Is there a optimum angle from your experience??

I always (somewhat blindly) thought the car should be level when draining.

I didn't measure the angle, but I always change the oil with front end jacked up... Engine oil drain plug is at the rear of oil pan.

 

[yushikaneda]

I didn't measure the angle, but I always change the oil with front end jacked up... Engine oil drain plug is at the rear of oil pan.

Next time I get underneath the car I’ll pay more attention to the position of the drain plug and the shape of the oil pan.

Commercial places (including dealers) drain with the car level, right?
I don’t know of any lift allowing tilting the car either.

I remember changing the oil of AE86 without jacking up at all…

I didn't measure the angle, but I always change the oil with front end jacked up... Engine oil drain plug is at the rear of oil pan.

Thanks for adding pix. Yeah, that makes sense!

 

[invader]

Thanks for adding pix. Yeah, that makes sense!

That's the original 0W-16 oil at 621 miles when the car was 9 days old... Aug 15 2018 was the very first day any Canadian could own a new 12th gen with M20A-FKS.

I've since refilled with 0W-20 every 4,000 ~ 5,000 miles, now at 97,000 miles.

 

[pleopard]

Great info. Thanks everyone. Tomorrow I’ll check the dipstick length as I have a strange suspicion there’s an issue surrounding this. My mechanic raises the car level, but I’d assume Toyota bases the fill volume spec on a level lift, as this is how most shops raise vehicles.

 

[invader]

Great info. Thanks everyone. Tomorrow I’ll check the dipstick length as I have a strange suspicion there’s an issue surrounding this. My mechanic raises the car level, but I’d assume Toyota bases the fill volume spec on a level lift, as this is how most shops raise vehicles.

Look at the oil pan and drain plug location. Draining the oil with car level may be easy and convenient for a mechanic with a level lift, but it prevents draining at least 1/2 quart more old dirty oil sitting in the pan's drooping belly.

Your mechanic did however avoid overfilling, by starting with 4 quarts and topping off accordingly.

 

[Skinny guy]

After a thorough drain, it takes exactly 4.5 liters (4.75 US quarts)

Same here.
Only difference is that I don't fill oil to the top mark. I know my car so I fill about 80 to 90% of safety portion of the dipstic

 

[igzy]

I have changed oil on my HB about 6-7 times now, and every time it took 4.3~4.4L. I have the front jacked up so I can get under it...

 

[pleopard]

I have changed oil on my HB about 6-7 times now, and every time it took 4.3~4.4L. I have the front jacked up so I can get under it...

Well, I'm not the only one seeing this then... In my case, it's more like 4.0 to 4.1L to the full mark! I'll be checking the length of the dipstick later today.

Looking at Invader's photos, the drain volume shouldn't be significantly different whether the vehicle is raised at the front or not.

 

[igzy]

Well, I'm not the only one seeing this then... In my case, it's more like 4.0 to 4.1L to the full mark! I'll be checking the length of the dipstick later today.

Looking at Invader's photos, the drain volume shouldn't be significantly different whether the vehicle is raised at the front or not.

After it drains, I drop the car down to fill up oil...

I've noted that on every oil change I have around 0.5L still left over in 4.73L jug...

 

[pleopard]

After it drains, I drop the car down to fill up oil...

I've noted that on every oil change I have around 0.5L still left over in 4.73L jug...

Thanks. This is yet another report suggesting the fill volume is not the same from car to car. You're using 4.2L, which is just a bit more than what I use but 0.4L less than published...