The myth of putting too much oil

It's not like the moving parts go down to dip themselves in the oil pan then go back-up and if the pool in the pan is not deep enough they'd be half coated

There is an oil pick-up and that would be dry only if you tilt the car sideways or up-down so much that I'd worry about other things at this point Or if there's less than some minimum amount of oil that in my estimate would be considerably less than 3 quarts....

That said, my '02 is filled with exactly 4 quarts with Toyota OEM filter change and that brings it to the top mark. I will however drain some this weekend to see if the alleged MPG improvement materializes for me.

Having enough oil helps the engine cope better with heat waves from sudden bursts of excessive power demands IMO and more oil will last longer b/w oil changes in terms of quality.

Having more than the recommended amount however can be a problem - leaks, frotting...

 

That can't be true. The ADD mark on the dipstick is 1.1 quarts below the FULL mark. Surely any level between those two marks provides adequate lubrication.

The owner's manual states that the system capacity, including the filter, is 3.9 US quarts. But because some oil always remains inside the engine, coating the interior surfaces et cetera, you will never drain 3.9 quarts from the engine during an oil change. Therefore adding 4 quarts will overfill the system by some amount.

 

.
This is about how the engine sits in the car, and the dipstick
marks have been emphasized for your volumetric pleasure.
.
_H*

 

So, when I get an oil change I should tell them to use 4 quarts? 3.5?

 

When I get an oil change I give them three (3) US quart bottles of oil and sternly warn them not to add any of their own oil. I tell them that I will check the level before I drive away, and then I do it. This has always left the level halfway between ADD and FULL; life is good.

Hobbit, I'm confused by the picture: I can see what appear to be the ADD and FULL marks on the dipstick, but then exactly what is indicated by the red band of oil, which corresponds with neither mark on the dipstick? (I'm going to borrow your phrase "volumetric pleasure" :->)

 

I dissagree with the "half way between the marks on the dipstick" is OK comment. Even Toyota's can use a bit of oil. Being low on oil is not a good thing. I bet most people never even check their oil level between oil changes. Also, having a your oil level topped up increases the life of the oil. The difference between 3 and 3.5 quarts is about 15% more oil.

Your oil level should be at the full mark after an oil change. If you see that your oil level has dropped to the halfway point on your dipstick after a few thousand miles, you should top it up with a half quart.

 

True, one does need to watch the oil level. In four years the oil level in mine has never dropped noticeably between oil changes. If the level dropped from the midpoint to ADD in six months I'd think the engine needed repair.

 

So, 3.5 quarts of oil every 10,000 miles?

 

Simple. Gold is good. Red is bad. The exact boundary is
fuzzy.
.
_H*

 

Master Hobbit, may we say that the gold above the dipstick minimum line is better than the gold below it?

 

I use 3.0 because it's convenient, but 3.5 almost certainly will not be too much.