Dipstick discrepancy?

[Andy FitzGibbon]

On my '85 GL wagon, the oil has always read high on the dipstick. When I put in what the manuals say to put in (both original owner's manual and Haynes- I think it's 4.2 quarts) it reads almost a quart over the "full" mark on the dipstick. The dipstick looks like it's the original, with the wire pull loop on the top, and I don't think it goes too far into the crank case or anything like that. I also tried the dipstick from my '92 Loyale in the '85 engine, and it reads basically the same. Does anyone else have this issue? This is true after driving, not just after changing the oil, so it's not that the filter isn't full or anything like that.

Thanks,

Andy

[Durania]

Are you taking into account the filters capacity?

[Andy FitzGibbon]

This is true after driving, not just after changing the oil, so it's not that the filter isn't full or anything like that.

 

Andy

[GeneralDisorder]

You'll never get every last drop out of an engine. The "capacity" is for a brand new engine or a rebuild where there is NO oil present. There's going to be residual oil in the pan that won't drain, and there's going to be some in the valve area's, etc. Not to mention coating virtually every surface in the engine. Start off with 4 quarts - fill the filter till the element is saturated to prevent oil starvation when starting. Then fill the crankcase till it comes up to the proper level on the dipstick - NO MORE. Stop when it's full - not when you have used up all the oil - check the reading often after the 3rd quart.

 

GD

[Andy FitzGibbon]

You'll never get every last drop out of an engine. The "capacity" is for a brand new engine or a rebuild where there is NO oil present. There's going to be residual oil in the pan that won't drain, and there's going to be some in the valve area's, etc. Not to mention coating virtually every surface in the engine. Start off with 4 quarts - fill the filter till the element is saturated to prevent oil starvation when starting. Then fill the crankcase till it comes up to the proper level on the dipstick - NO MORE. Stop when it's full - not when you have used up all the oil - check the reading often after the 3rd quart.

 

GD

 

I agree with all that, and I also know not to necessarily trust the capacity instructions, even in the factory owners' manual. I have been sort of "splitting the difference" between the dipstick full level and the 4.2 quarts the books all call for (wasn't sure weather to trust the dipstick entirely, and possibly be running too little oil).

Funny, though, that after sitting two months with the heads off and the drain plug out of the oil pan, I still got the exact same dipstick reading when I put it back together with new oil. There couldn't have been that much residual oil left in the engine. I guess 4.2 quarts is just too much.

Thanks,

Andy

[GeneralDisorder]

EA82's have baffled oil pans - there's quite a bit more going on inside there than just a simple bowl shaped pan. It holds a lot of oil and residue. You may want to take it off and give it a cleaning. Some of your capacity may be taken up with un-drainable sludge.

 

GD