How Looooow Can You Go? AKA Boneheaded Oil Change...

Been really preoccupied with work lately.... finally thought to check the oil and it wasn't even showing on the dipstick.

Added a whole quart and that got it up to two holes low.

Anybody know how much was in the system before I added that quart.

I'm thinking maybe this has validated my decision to use Mobil-1....assuming that stuff would hold up better and there'd be less damage under those circumstances.

Reply to
(Pete Cresswell)
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Not sure which engine you have, but it probably holds 5 quarts when full. Unless you have a diesel, at which time, I want to say it's 12 quarts.

Enjoy Bill

91 Audi 200TQ 96 Chevy K1500

Mobil-1....assuming

Reply to
bill

RE/

5 quarts...VORTEC 5.7....but I don't know how much two holes on the dipstick represent.
Reply to
(Pete Cresswell)

My understanding of the "holes", "hash" marks, and lines is as follows.

  1. The lines indicate a point at which the oil is either too high or too low.
  2. The holes are a way to differentiate between oil in the pan and oil in the tube. When the dipstick is immersed in the oil in the pan, surface tension will ensure that the holes will be filled with oil (but only those holes that are immersed in oil). The holes that are not immersed in oil will not be filled with oil.
  3. The hash marks provide a contrasting background on which to read the exact oil level.

But to answer your question, your oil was 1 quart low, because you added one quart and the level was between the "too high" and "too low" marks.

Your statement should have been: "I added a whole quart and that got it up to two holes below "too full".

A funny side note here. I asked my s> Been really preoccupied with work lately.... finally thought to check the oil

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KENG

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Michael McNeil

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Elliott

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