Recommended 7 quarts too much according to dipstick.

[Mp7ski]

Hello, I have been puzzled by my recent oil change. I've been changing the oil on my own vehicles forever. I recently bought a 06 GMC envoy with the 4.2L I6. Got home from work, let it sit for 30 minutes, went out, drained the pan, pulled the filter let it sit for a bit to drain fully, put on new filter, and tightened drain plug back up. Then added only 5 quarts, started it for 10 seconds to fill the filter, turned it off and let it sit for 30 minutes, went out and checked the dipstick and it shows that it's overfilled...I thought these engines take 7 quarts. Makes no sense, IDK whether to go by the dipstick or go by the 7 quarts... Any ideas as to why it's doing this? Thanks!

 

[Redbeard]

My '04 4.2 holds full seven quarts. When you check the oil level are you on a good flat surface? If I check the oil level in my driveway which appears nicely flat it can show a bit over or under, but when I put in my garage with a nice flat floor it reads correctly. If I read correctly the oil pumps 11 gallons per minute at 45 - 65 psi. So if it can pump out the oil that quickly it must return to the drain pain that quickly too so by waiting 30 minutes you have left plenty of time for the oil to get to the full mark. I like that you waited for a few moments before checking the oil level. Once I recall listening to an older mechanic and he was asked how much time should one wait before checking the oil. His response has always stuck with me. He said after turning off your engine and filling the fuel tank up that should give the oil "good time" to make it back to the sump. And forty years ago it seemed like a good answer.
Something else might be causing the grief. If a prior owner replaced the dipstick with one from an autoparts store whose marks don't match up. Maybe borrow another 4.2 dipstick to match it up to. (like from a Junk yard or stealership)
Let us know what you find out.

 

[Mooseman]

Make sure you use a metal tipped one from a later model (03 or 04+). I had the plastic tipped one on the 02 and it was terrible to read correctly. Grabbed a metal tipped one from a junker and it was much better. The tube was the same so no issues there. I couldn't tell you how much I would add since we use liters and mostly large jugs. It takes all 5 liters and maybe one and a half from the second one. 1 liter=1.05669 quarts

Which filter are you using? From what I can tell, some part numbers have been replaced with another one that is shorter. That could account for some of that, but not much.



Fram only used as an example, not a recommendation except for their Ultra Synthetic.

 

[TollKeeper]

The longer filter, I refer to as a VO55 (VIOC Number) only holds about 1/4-1/3 of a quart more. Than the shorter filter, a VO16 (VIOC Number). So I doubt its the filter.

I would check to see which oil dipstick you have, like @Mooseman said, the plastic tipped ones always seemed to be off, and much harder to read. Theres more surface area that can scrape any residual oil from the tube itself, giving a false reading. The metal ones dont have that problem.

 

[Mp7ski]

Hmm. Thanks for the tips, as far as I can tell the dipstick is the original cylinder style with hashes which I hate. I check the level while sitting in my garage so it's definitely on a flat surface, I do use a fram filter but I also changey oil every 3000-5000 miles so I'm not really worried about brand. It's on the shorter side but not enough to displace 2 quarts. I don't understand it, I'm about to take it to a shop and see what they think. Probably will try comparing to another dipstick of the same model like you suggested first.

This isn't the exact dipstick but it is the same style which I believe is what the original dipsticks looked like.

https://autoplicity.com/9012642-dor..._36Ju2bg6I3XDl3K5vNzaaI1dKnx-ikEaAo0mEALw_wcB

Mod edit: Your posts have been merged. Please use the edit button if adding more info within 10 minutes. Thanks.

 

[mrrsm]

The only other thing that can cause an Excessively High Level of the motor oil in any engine is if Coolant has invaded the Oil Pan via a Blown Gasket or a Crack somewhere inside of the Engine Block adjacent a Water Jacket and since Oil floats on Water... Up She Goes. You can discount this possibility only if the Oil in your Drain Pan did not look like a "Chocolate Shake" and filled the Drain Pan to the brim. When the Engine is Cold... unscrew your Radiator Cap and check the level inside... look for any Oil Floaters or if the level is so low that you cannot see the Coolant nearly topped off.

Then... check your Coolant Reservoir for signs of it being low and/ contaminated with that familiar Brown Mung. Hopefully ...none of these artifacts are present. One last suggestion... if you want that engine to endure... Start using Mobil1 5W-30 Motor Oil or a comparable Pure Synthetic and either Mobil1 or K&N Oil Filters...and put those FRAM Oil Filters where they belong... in The Garbage.

And for God's Sake.... Spend at LEAST Two Minutes to Pre-Fill the New Mobil 1 Oil Filter...B4... Installing it onto the bottom of the Engine. If you start your Engine with an Empty Oil Filter... all of that Air has to pass through the Oil Galleries...and their First Stop is the Main Crankshaft Bearings.. That "shudder" you must be familiar with by now just after starting your Engine... is the Rotating Assembly struggling and making Metal on Metal Contact for as long as it takes to drive out that huge Air Bubble. Its worth the inconvenience for the sake of spilling a few drops of Motor Oil (tuck in a Paper Towel in and around your Nitrile Glove to catch the stuff and Your Engine will Love You for it!

 

[Mooseman]

If it was never replaced, it's likely the metal tipped one. Still worth it to compare to another one.

I doubt very much it's a coolant leak as it happens when it has just been filled from empty.

Fram filters are garbage. Just search on YouTube for Fram. 'Nuff said.

 

[Capote]

I've always put 8 Quarts in my truck. Was never too much or too little, was right where it is supposed to be on the dipstick

 

[xavierny25]

We are forgetting the basics here and was never mentioned. How much oil did you get out when drained it in the first place?

 

[Mp7ski]

Between 5 and 6 quarts was originally drained from the pan but I didn't measure the level using the dipstick before hand and my change engine oil light was on before the oil change. When I checked it a couple weeks ago it was actually over full by a little bit then but I didn't think anything of it.

Now that it sat overnight, I checked it and it is not registering on the dipstick... I added another quart and it indicates full, still one quart below what it should be but I'll check it again I guess after sitting for most the day. Weird. Definitely no coolant in the oil, dealt with that on my truck.

 

[Mektek]

I thought I was the only one that pre-filled oil filters before installing them......

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

Now that it sat overnight, I checked it and it is not registering on the dipstick... I added another quart and it indicates full, still one quart below what it should be but I'll check it again I guess after sitting for most the day. Weird. Definitely no coolant in the oil, dealt with that on my truck.

The manual states to check when at operating temp.

I always do:
at operating temp- shut off engine- and let it sit for a few minutes to allow oil to make its way back down to the oil pan- check oil.

 

[JerryIrons]

My 06 traiblazer ext 4.2 4wd engine takes 7 quarts. I only let it run a minute or so, and then stop the engine, maybe wait a few minutes. Clean off dipstick, and check oil level.
Make sure you are looking at both sides of dipstick, one is sometimes lower than the other and that's the actual level. I had the same thought the other guy did, maybe different dipstick.

 

[Sparky]

The way I've always seen it is all the engines are made the same with the same oil pan. There is no way one will take 7 quarts and another only 5, and another take 8, given the proper filter is used (and even then, unless it is massive it isn't going to account for a quart+ variance). So, if they take 7 quarts, then 7 quarts is going to be very close.

I always just dumped 7 quarts in every time I changed the oil. I didn't even bother checking the level afterwards, just made sure I had no leaks from the drain plug or filter. Maybe I'm a terrible person for that lol.

 

[littleblazer]

I tend not to prefill my filters only because you end up with unfiltered oil entering the galleys. Generally speaking if you change the oil hot, there is enough residual coating that wear is minimal anyway. I add 6.5 quarts, run and drive it then top off. Usually if I add 7 it shows high but my street has pretty significant pitch at the curb and my driveway is pitched significantly as well. So it is still a guess.

 

[mrrsm]

To be fair to @littlelazer… I’ll follow the ‘Socratic Method of Argument’ and take HIS side of the discussion...with equal fervor… even though I still advocate for Pre-Filling to avoid the Damned Shudder and strictly pour in the Oil Directly from a Newly Opened Bottle of Mobil1 5W-30 Motor Oil. THIS video follows and supports his approach and thus, it helps me to appreciate @littleblazer ‘s reasoning:

I suppose a Good Compromise would be to NOT Pre-Fill the Oil Filter… But… After performing Oil/Filter R&R and Prior to Starting the Engine… PULL THE FUEL PUMP RELAY… AND TURN THE MOTOR OVER FOR 20-30 SECONDS TO VACATE THE AIR POCKETS INSIDE OF THE OIL FILTER AND THE INTERNAL OIL GALLERIES AND MAIN BEARINGS and avoid the Dynamic Stress that becomes instantaneous once the Engine Fire Up.

Afterwards… Replacing the Fuel Pump Relay and Starting the Engine can occur without risking any Sudden Engine Wear and/or Internal Bearing Damage. Upon reflection… This idea seems like it is very worth doing instead of Pre-filling the Oil Filters.

Here another On Topic Video of a NEARLY VIRGIN GMC Envoy during a Textbook Oil Change:

Hopefully… Socrates is Smiling Down Upon Us All with approval after observing this Discussion… :>)

 

[Sparky]

Fresh brand new oil should not be so full of contaminants to be any issue. But I have no testing done. Meh. Over 200k on two of my vehicles and no issue so whatever.

 

[HARDTRAILZ]

I sure hope my new oil does not need filtered...