How Much Oil Does It Take B4 It Registers On A Stick

Why does dip stick show overfull but no oil will drain?

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Asked past MrKarst (95 ) November 26th, 2010

I changed the oil in my 2002 Toyota Sienna yesterday. When I was done, I checked the levels and the dip stick showed it to be overfull. I should have stopped before calculation the 5th quart, simply I didn't.

And then this forenoon I pulled the drain plug out to reduce the oil level and inappreciably any oil came out. Later maybe ¼ of a quart, it went to a steady baste. I put everything back together and ran the engine for v minutes to warm things upwards, and then when I pulled the plug out, NO oil came out! However, the dip stick stills shows it to exist overfull!

Did the oil become pulled into a part of the engine where it'due south not supposed to exist and at present it'south existence held there past vacuum? I admit that I only understand the basics of combustion engines, only I've changed my own oil earlier and never seen anything like this. I was merely trying to avert any problems associated with overfilling the oil.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

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are yous parked on a hill?

You demand to give it a couple of minutes between turning your engine off and pulling the drain plug, and or checking the oil level. All that oil is still dripping downwardly from the engine compartment. You won't become accurate readings until all the oil has had fourth dimension to pool in the pan.

I'm guessing you've changed the oil on this same vehicle before. Usually by experience you will take an idea when to offset checking your oil levels before you overfill. If I've changed the oil in my truck several times then by experience I would know to add together at least four quarts without a need to check. When I would get to the fifth quart and so I would add a little scrap of oil from that quart at a time checking the dipstick each time until the oil level was within range. Information technology always helps to warm your engine for most 5 to 10 minutes before draining the onetime oil. Make sure you are cleaning your dipstick with a towel before each check as well to avert a faux reading. Just trying to cover the basics here so yous didn't miss something.

If you did everything I said (again make sure you clear the dipstick with each check) and you did overfill the engine with oil (yes I've made this mistake myself) do not run the engine. In fact you shouldn't even run your engine earlier verifying you accept the correct corporeality of oil in the engine to begin with. Exit your engine off and look a around ten minutes and and so check your oil once more, you should now go an authentic reading. If you did overfill then the oil should drain hands. Sometimes gunk can go along the oil from flowing out of the drain plug hole freely so you may take to warm the engine again for a few minutes to assist loosen any gunk, plough the engine off, take the bleed plug commodities off and just await for the oil to come out but exist set up to cap information technology speedily again and repeat the dipstick check/s.

About times I've ever had oil"stick" similar that were when I forgot to disengage the oil cap on the valve comprehend. Other times were when the car was not level, and within a couple of minutes of shutting it off. That concluding one makes a difference of near ½ a quart on my automobile. I also tend to give it a couple of minutes between pouring and checking since it takes a while for the oil to trickle through my old engine to the pan.

@Paradox You lot are right that it helps to know the motorcar. With mine, I add iii quarts, run it for about xxx 2d to refill the filter and prime the pump, and and so add well-nigh of the 4th quart slowly. If I don't do that then I wind upwardly nearly a quart low afterwards my first drive.
And I also keep a paper towel or something handy (often jammed behind my battery) to wipe the dipstick every time. Few things suck more than than thinking you're okay and finding out that yous are actually so depression that you lot demand to add a total quart to even touch the bottom of the dipstick :P

@jerv Yep I forgot about mentioning the filter and pump. Its been a while since I've washed stuff similar that. I just accept my vehicle to my mechanic to do this stuff anymore. Usually I would fill the oil correct effectually the max because I always knew that by the time the pump and filter was filled with the oil I would nonetheless be well to a higher place the minimum. Again this was just from experience with my ain vehicles from irresolute the oil and so many times by instinct.

That was skilful communication you mentioned however which I forgot to mention.

No i tin can answer your question. There are many possibilities. The oil should drain when the plug is removed. Something is preventing it from draining, gunk, garbage, crap. Call it what you want. It could even exist paraffin, if y'all have been using a high alkane series (cheap) oil. Warm the engine. Remove the oil fill cap so air can make it. Pull the drain plug. If no menses, employ a pocket-sized screw driver in the drain hole. GENTLY wiggle it around to come across if you can remove the blockage. If this doesn't work, buy a can of seafoam at the parts shop. Pour it in the oil fill hole. Run the engine for an hour or and so. Try again to drain the oil. Only use meridian quality oils. Cheap oils will exit deposits in your engine.

@Paradox I try to keep mine near the top as it tends to drink oil (about a quart every two weeks/600 miles or so) and I need enough to be able to proceed running if I forget to check it for a few days. That is a quirk of my old Corolla, and the nearly-identical one I had 12 years ago. The Toyota 4A-LC engine has many great qualities, but it also has a few oddities, similar oil consumption and overcooling.

@UScitizen Practiced advice. Personally, I go for Valvoline Maxlife. My father-in-constabulary prefers the $1.79/qt no-name stuff, and he blows engines well-nigh yearly :P

I have the same problem with my 2013 Sienna today. Started the oil change like normal. Did another stuff. Looked like information technology was done draining. Added a couple of quarts. Checked and information technology was overfull. Tried to drain some. Cypher. Took the unabridged filter off and null would come up out. I only apply a total constructed 0–twenty. Gently probing did nothing. Turned information technology over a few times with the filter off and a little chip came out. Nevertheless showed over-full. Have never come across anything like this. Also looking for some suggestions. I modify my oil regularly.

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