Oil Change Help

George Pompano · October 16, 2019

Hello I have a 2018 chevy express cargo van. I changed my oil today myself. Book calls for 6 quarts of oil. I put in 6 quarts of oil. Now oil is barley on the stick. I let the truck sit for over 2 hours after running if to let oil circulate. It;s not leaking dip stick is all the way in. Where is the oil and why is it not showing on dip stick. Thank you for your help. It is a 4.3 chevy express 2500 cargo van. Thank you

txab · October 16, 2019

Van on level ground? When oil is fresh, it can be hard to see on the stick. If it requires 6 and you put 6 in, then you should be good to go. The oil should change color a little bit fairly quickly making it easier to see on the stick

Thomcat · October 16, 2019

If it takes 6 qt. and you put in 6 qt., ran engine to fill the filter, then measured on the fully seated original dipstick on level ground it should read full.

If it doesn't read full after above, only explanation is the oil company short filled the oil containers

greatmizzou · October 16, 2019

Oil filter steals some of it, but not a ton. My wife had a honda civic that ate an extra quart out of spec. The other thing if someone can confirm...the dipstick slotted range at the bottom is about one quart total? So if its at the bottom barely, an extra quart will get it to the top, so add half

Black02Silverado · October 17, 2019

Six qts is what it calls for and you put 6 in so it is good.

How long have you owned the van? Have you checked it in the past? How much oil came out?

TXGREEK · October 17, 2019

Hello I have a 2018 chevy express cargo van. I changed my oil today myself. Book calls for 6 quarts of oil. I put in 6 quarts of oil. Now oil is barley on the stick. I let the truck sit for over 2 hours after running if to let oil circulate. It;s not leaking dip stick is all the way in. Where is the oil and why is it not showing on dip stick. Thank you for your help. It is a 4.3 chevy express 2500 cargo van. Thank you

Did you buy it new or used and if used, are you sure it’s the original oil pan? It may be a larger upgraded pan that would be the reason for the low dipstick.

Sent from Above

davester · October 17, 2019

I would fill it to the dipstick level rather than just put in the specified amount...

George Pompano · October 17, 2019

Hello thank you all for the replies. I purchased the van from the dealer used with 21000 miles. My first oil change after purchase was done at a garage. I decided to do this one on my own. Old oil level was full and on dip stick before I drained oil and changed filter. Changed oil and filter and barley any oil on dip stick. The truck was on level ground, I made sure that the dip stick did in fact not have oil on using a paper towel. I did notice that I used a 7 quart oil drain pan and it was almost full to the top. I own an older express and have changed the oil the whole time I owned it without an issue. So I may just add some more oil and big level up on dip stick. I doubled check and the it states 6 quarts. I even versified with part stores. The dealer however wont give me info.

TXGREEK · October 17, 2019

Hello thank you all for the replies. I purchased the van from the dealer used with 21000 miles. My first oil change after purchase was done at a garage. I decided to do this one on my own. Old oil level was full and on dip stick before I drained oil and changed filter. Changed oil and filter and barley any oil on dip stick. The truck was on level ground, I made sure that the dip stick did in fact not have oil on using a paper towel. I did notice that I used a 7 quart oil drain pan and it was almost full to the top. I own an older express and have changed the oil the whole time I owned it without an issue. So I may just add some more oil and big level up on dip stick. I doubled check and the it states 6 quarts. I even versified with part stores. The dealer however wont give me info.

Your specs calls for 6.2 quarts, add half a quart more and then check the fluid level.

Sent from Above

George Pompano · October 18, 2019

Hello thank you everyone for your help. I added a half a quart as mentioned above and all is good now. Thank you again. It is great people like you that help. Have a great weekend everyone.

Shashika Sudasinghe · September 30

Hello, I have some kind of a same problem. Bought a 2013 Express with 4.3 v6. Took it to get the first oil change and it took 6qts instead of 4.5qts. I search everywhere and all of the sites states that 4.3 engine takes 4.5qts. But my mechanic put whole 6qts anyway. I was just wondering why and does it matter when it comes to over filling the engine with recommended amount of oil? can someone please explain.

elcamino · September 30

It took 6 qts or the mechanic put in 6 qts?

Does the dipstick read overfull?

You sure its a V6 engine? 4.3L V6 can be confused with 4.8L V8 at times.

The owners manual calls for 4.5 qts in the 4.3L V6; 6.0qt in the V8 engines. So it would appear your mechanic is wrong. Show him the owners manual...

Grumpy Bear · September 30

12 hours ago, Shashika Sudasinghe said:

Hello, I have some kind of a same problem. Bought a 2013 Express with 4.3 v6. Took it to get the first oil change and it took 6qts instead of 4.5qts. I search everywhere and all of the sites states that 4.3 engine takes 4.5qts. But my mechanic put whole 6qts anyway. I was just wondering why and does it matter when it comes to over filling the engine with recommended amount of oil? can someone please explain.

I'll bet he confused the 2013 4.3 Vortec with the newer Ecotec3 4.3 which does take six quarts and a hair.