Just changed my engine oil and...

[VegasMirage2]

For some reason when I drained the oil and I measured it only 2.5 quarts drained out instead of 3 quarts. I'm kind of weirded out about it. I filled it back up with 3 quarts and now my oil stick is showing that it's a smidge high, I'd say almost a millimeter past the full dot. So I have 2 questions...

1. Does anyone think that for some reason the .5 quarts didn't drain out?

2. Do you think the engine will be okay with the oil showing a hair over the full dot?

[mr.bishi]

Not sure what a quart is, but...

If you didn't change the oil filter there would be quite a bit of oil left in that, even if you did there is a bit of oil that stays behind in various oil galleries and valleys in the cylinder head etc, the amount you're talking about is not enough to worry about, and same with your overfill. It's not smart to overfill the engine with oil but less than a millimetre is OK. Rest assured that your car will be fine.

[VegasMirage2]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah it just worried me. I have changed my oil myself ever since I bought my Mirage in 2014. Have done it the same way every single time so when something different happened I didn't understand why.

[VegasMirage2]

Also 1 quarts is just a little more than a litre.

[nickpon]

No, one quart is a little less than one litre. It's 946ml.

So what was the problem? Did you not change the filter this time?

[VegasMirage2]

No, one quart is a little less than one litre. It's 946ml.

So what was the problem? Did you not change the filter this time?

Oh sorry about that you are correct on the litre. But yes I always change the filter when I change the oil. That's why I'm confused on what happened.

[namco]

I can only think of 2 reasons why its high, oil is getting thick and turning to sludge in your motor causing a higher than normal level, or you didnt replace the oil filter. As a mechanic is see it way too often that people go too long between each oil causing sludge issues, worse are the ones who assume full sythetic means they can go longer but dont realizing the harder you drive, the faster you go, the quicker you have to change your oil. We get old ladies who barely drive the speed limit, the kind to do 40mph on the highway when the speed limit is 65, they can go longer between oil on regular dino oil since they dont really stress the motor. In fact ive seen thise old ladies able to go longer than some who use full synth just cuz of their slow driving habbit. My STI by nature burns oil, by the time 2000 miles come i burnt 1 qt. Subaru only warrenties if its 1qt every 1000 miles so being at .5 qt i am sol on oil my motor eats. My mirage so far at 600 miles has burned only maybe a 10th of a qt. But i dont follow conventional engine/car break ins after the research i read and copied.

[Cleartec]

I can only think of 2 reasons why its high, oil is getting thick and turning to sludge in your motor causing a higher than normal level, or you didnt replace the oil filter. As a mechanic is see it way too often that people go too long between each oil causing sludge issues, worse are the ones who assume full sythetic means they can go longer but dont realizing the harder you drive, the faster you go, the quicker you have to change your oil. We get old ladies who barely drive the speed limit, the kind to do 40mph on the highway when the speed limit is 65, they can go longer between oil on regular dino oil since they dont really stress the motor. In fact ive seen thise old ladies able to go longer than some who use full synth just cuz of their slow driving habbit. My STI by nature burns oil, by the time 2000 miles come i burnt 1 qt. Subaru only warrenties if its 1qt every 1000 miles so being at .5 qt i am sol on oil my motor eats. My mirage so far at 600 miles has burned only maybe a 10th of a qt. But i dont follow conventional engine/car break ins after the research i read and copied.

I don't get what you want to say with the last sentence, do you want to reexplain?

[VegasMirage2]

I chang my oil between 3k and 5k. And when the oil drains out it still looks pretty decent. But now that i think about it the only other thing it may have been is that I had the car jacked up at a weird angle possibly causing not all of the oil to drain out, something dumb like that

[foama]

1) Dont worry if the oil level is a hair over the max mark.

2) Before you want to check the dipstick, make sure to park level and wait a minute after turning the engine off.
If you don't park level, the dipstick will read wrong.

3) Oil expands when hot, and contracts when cold. The dipstick level will vary a little bit according to oil-temp. A millimeter higher or lower on the dipstick is of absolutely nill importance. Just make sure to change the oil as required according to the manual, It says all you need to know.