Engine oil issues: capacity, garage data banks

[westslope]

Howdy,

 

short version: Why do garage databanks call for 4 1/4 quarts or of engine oil when the manual calls for 3 5/8 qarts or 3.4 litres? The Haynes manual calls for 3.3 litres.

 

In the past, when I performed the oil change myself, I have found that 3.2 litres is sufficient to fill the engine oil to the top of the dip-stick. All measures are WITH the oil filter.

[k9sar]

all quarts are not created equal and there are variations in models

 

VG30E 2WD w/ filter 4 1/4 US quarts or 3 1/2 Imp quarts or 4.0 liter

VG30E 4WD w/ filter 3 5/8 US quarts or 3.0 Imp quarts or 3.4 liters

 

VG30E 2WD w/o filter 3 7/8 US quarts or 3 1/8 Imp quarts or 3.6 liter

VG30E 4WD w/o filter 3 1/8 US quarts or 2 5/8 Imp quarts or 3.0 liters

[94extreme]

but it's the same damn motor in all these wd models. hmm

[Precise1]

but it's the same damn motor in all these wd models. hmm

 

Don't the 2wd have a different (deeper) oil pan??

 

Personally, I drain the oil, change the filter and put in 3 qts, and then top it off after running the motor. With the oil filter relocation kit, I find 4qts perfect in a 95 4wd...

 

B

[Whitebrick]

mine is 2wd and my oil pain is for a 4wd. the factory put it on there as well as the water pump its also for a 4wd. idk

[94extreme]

Don't the 2wd have a different (deeper) oil pan??

 

i guess i have heard that.

[GrimGreg]

Personally, I drain the oil, change the filter and put in 3 qts, and then top it off after running the motor.

 

B

 

What I do also. 3quarts run 2 min., wait 5 min, pull dipstick, fill based on it's reading.

[westslope]

I treat the 1993 4WD, 5spd 4-door, 3.0litre V6 pathfinder to Mobil 1 oil. I used to change the oil, filter and lube the nipples myself but lubing the 17-odd grease nipples is tough without a hoist so a couple of years back I started to go to a garage with materials in hand and pay them to do it.

 

The first place I went to--Mr. Lube--overfilled twice. The first time, I emptied some of the oil; the second time, I got the shop to redo at their expense. In both cases the guys working on the floor showed me the dipsticks which were difficult to read in the glare of the fluoroscent lights.

 

Then I went to a Budget, Break and Muffler shop in Burnaby (Dawson street) who had done some work for me in the past. That worked out well. Great, competent, open-minded honest guys.

 

Just recently we moved to White Rock about an hour drive south of Burnaby. At the nearby South Surrey BB&M shop, the guy dumped all 4 litres in the pathie and told me that I probably needed to top it up (!?!!). Twice we looked at the dip-stick and twice, he told me that it was fine though I could see that it was clearly OVERFILLED. Finally, I was impatiently ordered out of the shop and 0.8 litres of oil were removed. The oil now hits the top of the dipstick--as it should.

 

Mr. Lube's book called for 3.8 litres. BB&M's database called for 4 1/4 quarts (US I presume). I called my old BB&M shop in Burnaby and Jeff verified that his on-line database called for 4 1/4 quarts (~4.0 litres).

 

The manual calls for 3.4 litres. The Haynes manual calls for 3.3 litres. 3.2 litres seems to top it up in my experience.

 

I have to wonder how often this occurs, how many times vehicles have been overfilled with engine oil by professional mechanics and have subsequently experienced leakage and other problems as a result.

[k9sar]

I just dump in 4 and be done with it. That way I don't have my garage cluttered with partially empty oil bottles

[adamzan]

After 3 or so changes with the 4.4L bottle I can usually poor the remainder of the other ones and make one nearly full one. It's great I don't have to buy backup oil for the truck. Not that it ever needs it. 266,000kms and the oil stays full for the full 5k or or 7k if I get lazy.

[GrimGreg]

Both of mine have minor oil leaks, so I use up the remaining partial quart inbetween changes to keep them topped off.