How much oil do you add when you change your oil and filter?

BlazerLT · #1 08-20-2005, 10:34 PM

Let's see if everyone is filling up their engine to the proper level not just going by the dipstick.

Lay it out guys and be honest, how much oil do you add?

s10blazerman4x4 · #2 08-20-2005, 10:40 PM

3/4 quart for filter
4.75 quarts for crankcase

BlazerLT · #3 08-20-2005, 10:48 PM

Good example,

You do know you are a 1/2 quart overfilled right? You engine calls for 5.0 quarts with the filter included.

This can lead to the crank slapping the oil causing air bubbles which will draw air up into the oil system causing lifter noise, and a fluctuating oil pressure gauge when the air passes the oil pressure sender.

s10blazerman4x4 · #4 08-20-2005, 10:49 PM

Well see i dont mind because in 2 days time that 1/4 quart is on the pavement.It burns it on top of that/

BlazerLT · #5 08-20-2005, 10:50 PM

It is a 1/2 of a quart overfilled.

s10blazerman4x4 · #6 08-20-2005, 10:55 PM

It does not really matter i paint every parking spot and by the end of the week its back to normal then it won't take it for a couple of weeks.For instance on Friday it took a quart 2 weeks before that i drove 170 miles put a quart in drove 126 miles home different way put in 3 quarts.

BlazerLT · #7 08-20-2005, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s10blazerman4x4

It does not really matter i paint every parking spot and by the end of the week its back to normal then it won't take it for a couple of weeks.For instance on Friday it took a quart 2 weeks before that i drove 170 miles put a quart in drove 126 miles home different way put in 3 quarts.

I understand, but not everones engine is leaking like yours and has an owner that doesn't get the probems fixed.

Some people fill by the dipstick level which is actually wrong.

s10blazerman4x4 · #8 08-20-2005, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlazerLT

I understand, but not everones engine is leaking like yours and has an owner that doesn't get the probems fixed.

Some people fill by the dipstick level which is actually wrong.

I agree with that but i am at the point of no return on that oil leak with school and a 40 mile round trip each day.The v8 will be in the spring and i am looking at either a whiskey rocket and ur rice.Found a couple for nothing

PBking82 · #9 08-20-2005, 11:28 PM

Yep, got screwed the other day when i went to get my oil changed (living away from home right now, don't have a garge) and when I went to pay they charged me for 6 quarts. I was like excuse me my car is only supposed to have 5, and the manager brought the mechanic in and was like well you're dipstick said full at 6. Long story short, got them to knock of the price of the extra quart and drain it for free. Never going back to that place. Hopefully I'll have a garage soon. Peace-

drdd · #10 08-21-2005, 01:33 AM

from the Jimmy forum ...

where are you finding 5 qts ?

My Haynes say 4.5 for a '97. My owners manual does not give a specific capacity. Rather, it provides instructions for checking the dipstick as a means for assessing oil volume.

Noting a level on the dipstick as full depends solely on how long the engine has rested and how long the oil has had to trickle to the pan - yes?

anyhow, 5.0 may very well be the best for our trucks as the owners manual is very clear in saying that these capacities are approximate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlazerLT

I understand, but not everones engine is leaking like yours and has an owner that doesn't get the probems fixed.

Some people fill by the dipstick level which is actually wrong.

BlazerLT · #11 08-21-2005, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PBking82

Yep, got screwed the other day when i went to get my oil changed (living away from home right now, don't have a garge) and when I went to pay they charged me for 6 quarts. I was like excuse me my car is only supposed to have 5, and the manager brought the mechanic in and was like well you're dipstick said full at 6. Long story short, got them to knock of the price of the extra quart and drain it for free. Never going back to that place. Hopefully I'll have a garage soon. Peace-

Smart man.

I had the same thing happen to me.

Let me tell you the background to the story.

For one, when I have the proper 4.5quarts of oil in my crankcase, the oil level only comes up to the 3/4 mark on the hatched area. This is completely normal.

Before, I used to fill it right to the top of the hatched area. Then I noticed that sometime when I checked my oil, there was some small bubbles on it? This was usually coincided with a noisier than usual valvetrain and the oil pressure gauge flickering on me. I though my engine was about to be toast and my oil pressure sender needed replacing.

I then remembered that I put in over 5 quarts when this usually happened to bring the level up to the fill mark on the stick. I was overfilling my crankcase and this was leading to the crack slapping the oil making it bubbe and introducing air into the oil stream when it was sucked up by the oil pump. This air will compress in the oil system and will lead to lifter noise seeing the air will get trapped where oil should be. This was the cause of my valve train noise. Also, the air bubbles will also cause the oil pressure needle to jump all over the place and flick when the bubbles passed by the sender.

Since I have filled it with the appropriate amount of oil, everything has been fixed. The oil gauge no longer flicks, the valvetrain noise is gone and there is no longer any ubbles on the dipstick.

Bringing this story back to the quick lube story, I went in for the last oil change I would ever have a shop do for me. Not only were they overfilling the crankcase ABOVE the full mark on the dipstick, they were also never greasing all my grease points in my front end.

Then they say that it is ok for the oil level to be high. I looked at then calmly and told them to drop some of the oil. I am not stupid and you are not going to tell me this shit and expect me to believe it. They also tried to tell me that I should use synthetic and change it every 3000 miles. Friggin idiots, I told that guy off quick, he knew he was lying.

So the moral of the story is, do oil changes yourself and save some money and do the job right. AND DON'T RELY ON YOUR DIPSTICK FOR THE PROPER OIL LEVEL.

BlazerLT · #12 08-21-2005, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drdd

from the Jimmy forum ...

where are you finding 5 qts ?

My Haynes say 4.5 for a '97. My owners manual does not give a specific capacity. Rather, it provides instructions for checking the dipstick as a means for assessing oil volume.

Noting a level on the dipstick as full depends solely on how long the engine has rested and how long the oil has had to trickle to the pan - yes?

anyhow, 5.0 may very well be the best for our trucks as the owners manual is very clear in saying that these capacities are approximate.

I have that exact Haynes manual to and do you notice that it doesn't break down the difference for the years much?

Well, in 1996+ 4.3L , the capacity went from 4.5qts to 5.0qts. This is going by the Chilton's repair manual which breaks it down year to year. This was also verified by a fried who is a GM mechanic and looked it up for me.

BlazerBoyLT98 · #13 08-21-2005, 01:51 AM

So when I drain the oil, put on a new filter, then refill with synthetic Mobil 1 out of the 5 quart jug, am I doing something wrong? I am getting so confused!

drdd · #14 08-21-2005, 01:52 AM

well I don't have a chilton's ... only a Haynes ... Haynes says 4.5 clearly for Blazer and Jimmy 1995 - 2001. Again, owners manual is vague. However, both clearly stated that capactities are approximate ...

Are you saying you have been overfilling and 4.5 is better?

thoughts? seems to me, an overfilled crank will begin to uneccessarily wear on the seals ... its the next thing vertically "up" after overflowing the pan ...

the owners manual (in so many words) DOES say that "a little bit" over the min mark on the dipstick is satisfactory ... no need to fill to the max ..,

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlazerLT

I have that exact Haynes manual to and do you notice that it doesn't break down the difference for the years much?

Well, in 1996+ 4.3L , the capacity went from 4.5qts to 5.0qts. This is going by the Chilton's repair manual which breaks it down year to year. This was also verified by a fried who is a GM mechanic and looked it up for me.

drdd · #15 08-21-2005, 02:01 AM

oh yeah ... for what its worth ...

my owners manual say's 1997 GMC Jimmy on the front ... nothing else ... no 1995 - 2001 like my Haynes ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by drdd

well I don't have a chilton's ... only a Haynes ... Haynes says 4.5 clearly for Blazer and Jimmy 1995 - 2001. Again, owners manual is vague. However, both clearly stated that capactities are approximate ...

Are you saying you have been overfilling and 4.5 is better?

thoughts? seems to me, an overfilled crank will begin to uneccessarily wear on the seals ... its the next thing vertically "up" after overflowing the pan ...

the owners manual (in so many words) DOES say that "a little bit" over the min mark on the dipstick is satisfactory ... no need to fill to the max ..,

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