How low it my oil?

[firetruck41]

Wow. Now I'm really confused.
I'm just going to pour a quart in every time the light goes on (idiot or other wise) between oil changes.

Why not fill it to the appropriate fill line on your dipstick? Does it look like flintknappers pic? and measure the same? There is no need to worry about whether you need 7.5 or 8.2qts, just fill it up, so after sitting for a few minutes, it reads full on the dipstick.

 

[flintknapper]

Wow. Now I'm really confused.
I'm just going to pour a quart in every time the light goes on (idiot or other wise) between oil changes.

Are you afraid of the dipstick?



(the dipstick is your friend, the dipstick is your friend....)

 

[CJBury]

I am, I don't believe it is. It is not all yellow and pretty like the other ones I see.

 

[gray]

Order a new dipstick from Cruiserdan and be sure.

 

[RavenTai]

I use 8 quarts also, I think that is a very slight overfill but the full mark on the dipstick is about where the lower pan meets the upper pan, the excess gets hidden in the larger volume of the upper pan and does not show as a rise on the stick.

My light comes on at about 1.5 quarts low,

Are you sure you are checking the oil correctly? before you say of course let me explain,

If you are checking in the morning after it has been sitting all night it will read high.

If you start a cold sitting engine and then shortly after shut it down still cold it will read low.

Proper way to check the oil on a 1FZ is a few minutes after shutting down after being run for a wile (oil at full operating temp witch happens after coolant warm up)

I check mine evry time I fill up, I get the pump filling and then pop the hood and check all the fluids.

 

['74 UA FJ]

Why would it read high after it's been sitting all night? Shouldn't it read right on?

 

[RavenTai]

Why would it read high after it's been sitting all night? Shouldn't it read right on?

Most motors yes, 1FZ no,

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=95251

The oil filter is mounted sideways even if the filters anti drain back valve works works (some do not) it does nothing to keep oil from flowing out the outlet and then out the chain lube nozzle bearings and other lower end openings.

with a working ADBV the filter can drain out the outlet to less than half full,
with a leaking ADBV it can drain to about 1/4 full,

this excess oil from the filter will make it read artificially high after sitting for a wile ,

In the owners manual:

With the engine at operating temperature and turned
off, check the oil level on the dipstick.
1. To get a true reading, the vehicle should be on a level
spot. After turning off the engine, wait a few minutes for the
oil to drain back into the bottom of the engine.
2. Pull out the dipstick, and wipe it clean with a rag.
3. Reinsert the dipstick and push it in as far as it will go, or
the reading will not be correct.

Add oil O.K. Too full

4. Pull the dipstick out and look at the oil level on the end.
If it is between the full line ( ) and the low line ( ), it is O.K.
If the oil level is below or only slightly above the low
line, add engine oil of the same type as already in the
engine.

Remove the oil filler cap and add engine oil a little at a time,
checking the dipstick. The approximate quantity of oil
needed to fill between the low line and the full line on the
dipstick is indicated below for reference.
When the level reaches within the correct range, return the
filler cap and turn the cap clockwise.


Oil quantity. L (qt., Imp. qt.) 1.5 (1.6, 1.3)

 

['74 UA FJ]

Most motors yes, 1FZ no,

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=95251

The oil filter is mounted sideways even if the filters anti drain back valve works works (some do not) it does nothing to keep oil from flowing out the outlet and then out the chain lube nozzle bearings and other lower end openings.

with a working ADBV the filter can drain out the outlet to less than half full,
with a leaking ADBV it can drain to about 1/4 full,

this excess oil from the filter will make it read artificially high after sitting for a wile ,

In the owners manual:

Interesting, thanks.

 

[scottm]

After many years of two leaky 80s, I've had the low oil lights come on a few times. Each time it was more than 1.5qt low, kinda shocked me. Yesterday and the day before my oil light came on for several minutes a couple times. I ran out for oil, came back and checked the level, it's half a quart low. The light doesn't seem consistent enough to rely on for maintaining oil level. It has become much less of a problem since switching to Rotella synth, I don't lose a quart between 5k oil changes. Obviously, I did with Mobil 1 on both 80s.

 

[CJBury]

I use regular oil. Maybe I'll try the Rotella next oil change.

 

[PACNW96]

IIRC my owners manual says 7.8 quarts with filter change. This gets me right up to level with the small 20004 filter.