Oil Consumption

[Grumpy Bear]

 

 Engine Oil

 

 

 

Transmission

Your book will have the temperatures and procedures

 

 

 

[Chuck FB]

12 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

 

 Engine Oil

 

 

 

Transmission

Your book will have the temperatures and procedures

 

 

 

 

In the top photo, option E ( the bottom dipstick ), I always find very satisfying for some reason after I've run the engine to fill the filter and after a period of time check the level and see that hard to see translucent oil at the area of the full mark ( and typically check the next morning to confirm the exact settled level ). 

[asilverblazer]

On 6/5/2026 at 7:57 PM, Grumpy Bear said:

Yea, not the reason. There is a nominal 1 quart/liter range on that stick. (Autos/light trucks) Some small metrics are a 1/2 liter. Gives a fella an idea how much to add. Your book should say something like, "Add when the level falls to the lower mark". Does in every one I've owned. 

Perhaps, especially as noted since this post in the days of smaller capacities. 

 

I haven't seen any data or official publication describing or acknowledging the same - especially in the last decade. 

 

I posted it already, but, yes, when level falls below (point of semantics, below, not, to) the marked area, add oil. Never add oil above the mark.

 

Given that above the mark is just as dangerous as below the mark (per the manual, not exactly my opinion) to keep the level at the top of the mark, or full, could be just as risky as at the bottom of the mark. 

[chris21]

24 minutes ago, asilverblazer said:

Perhaps, especially as noted since this post in the days of smaller capacities. 

 

I haven't seen any data or official publication describing or acknowledging the same - especially in the last decade. 

 

I posted it already, but, yes, when level falls below (point of semantics, below, not, to) the marked area, add oil. Never add oil above the mark.

 

Given that above the mark is just as dangerous as below the mark (per the manual, not exactly my opinion) to keep the level at the top of the mark, or full, could be just as risky as at the bottom of the mark. 

Here is the manual for my 2025 it does infer that the crosshatch area should be appox 1L. and it says the oil level should be checked cold and parked on level ground. Also to check every 400miles.

Edited Monday at 06:39 PM by chris21

[asilverblazer]

1 hour ago, chris21 said:

Here is the manual for my 2025 it does infer that the crosshatch area should be appox 1L. and it says the oil level should be checked cold and parked on level ground. Also to check every 400miles.

I take it as add one quart at a time until the level is within the hatched area. 

 

I'll be attempting to better determine on my current two trucks what 1 quart looks like on their dipsticks. 

[Grumpy Bear]

3 hours ago, asilverblazer said:

I haven't seen any data or official publication describing or acknowledging the same - especially in the last decade. 

 

Then you haven't read your book. It also says check every 400 miles.

 

If you need to add multiple quarts in that distance then reading the stick isn't the issue. Put the two together and it will make sense. Read it all. 

 

 

[asilverblazer]

19 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

 

Then you haven't read your book. It also says check every 400 miles.

 

If you need to add multiple quarts in that distance then reading the stick isn't the issue. Put the two together and it will make sense. Read it all. 

 

 

That's not what I was talking about.

 

I have not seen it specifically documented that bottom of the hatched area equates to "1 quart low". 

 

I've never measured or compared a dipstick reading at the bottom of the acceptable range, added 1 quart, took a new reading and it be exactly at the top of the range.

 

My view of the manual is if it is BELOW the mark, add one quart at a time until the level is within the hatched area, 1 quart could put it 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 all the way there. I don't know, none of mine have been BELOW the mark to require adding any to find out.

 

However, if over 400 miles it takes multiple quarts to keep it in the hatched area, yes, that is a problem.

 

EDIT:

None of my vehicles have ever been to the bottom of the range, every check shows them give or take somewhere on the top half of range. (I might even challenge my own memory and say at worst the top 3/4s.)

 

Never to the bottom, much less below the "add" mark, so I've never added 1 quart to see how much it moves the level up the stick. Circling back to my point, the volume coming out is less than what everyone suggests my dipstick readings should be indicating. 

 

If from the top to bottom mark of the hatched area equates to 1 quart of oil, I would see the dipstick reading (on every vehicle I've touched in the last 30 years) be at the top of the mark when I fill with new oil and be at the bottom just prior to changing; based on what I am measuring in the drain pan. However, the dipstick readings are NOT showing that amount of drop. See above.

Edited Tuesday at 05:47 PM by asilverblazer
More detail/clarity

[Grumpy Bear]

56 minutes ago, asilverblazer said:

I have not seen it specifically documented that bottom of the hatched area equates to "1 quart low". 

 

This used to be hard and fast but....some motors, Asian Metrics for example maybe like a half liter. The Ecotec 2.4 varies along the length of the hatched area due to a main cap girdle they are fit with occupying/displacing irregular volumes vertically an yet is still a quart from top to bottom.

 

I'm sure there are exceptions to the most common value of a quart so peeing on each others leg would be pointless. 

 

Do your study and report back. 

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 06:28 PM by Grumpy Bear

[chris21]

The bottom of the crosshatch wouldn't be "1 quart low" in the published manual because the range of the crosshatch is the allowable range. The crosshatch is approx. 1 quart or liter so that when the oil level is at the bottom of or below the acceptable range you can safely add 1 quart or liter without overfilling.

[Grumpy Bear]

3 hours ago, chris21 said:

The bottom of the crosshatch wouldn't be "1 quart low" in the published manual because the range of the crosshatch is the allowable range. The crosshatch is approx. 1 quart or liter so that when the oil level is at the bottom of or below the acceptable range you can safely add 1 quart or liter without overfilling.

 

Now there's some fancy double talk. 

 

Let me see if I get this right. The level is at the bottom of the hatching and you add a quart (because the range of the hatching is a quart) it brings it to the top of the hatching but.... it's not down a quart?  

 

 

 

[chris21]

Note my quotes around "a quart low"

 

adding 1 oz when at the bottom of the crosshatch/acceptable range would bring it back to within the acceptable range therefore it would not be considered a quart low according to what the manual calls the acceptable range even though you can add a quart and not be over filling at that point.

 

I was explaining why the manual would not say the bottom of the crosshatch is a quart low.

Edited Wednesday at 04:10 AM by chris21

[riddler]

18 minutes ago, chris21 said:

Note my quotes around "a quart low"

 

adding 1 oz when at the bottom of the crosshatch/acceptable range would bring it back to within the acceptable range therefore it would not be considered a quart low according to what the manual calls the acceptable range even though you can add a quart and not be over filling at that point.

 

I was explaining why the manual would not say the bottom of the crosshatch is a quart low.

Common sense prevails.

[Chuck FB]

2 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

 

Now there's some fancy double talk. 

 

Let me see if I get this right. The level is at the bottom of the hatching and you add a quart (because the range of the hatching is a quart) it brings it to the top of the hatching but.... it's not down a quart?  

 

 

 

 

Indeed that photo makes me laugh as its almost comical in a sense when I think about Christmas at a certain brother inlaws as he turns on the tv and puts it to the burning fire place channel, an image of reality but yet far from reality in what it accomplishes in any physicals sense. 

 

When I search for answers to what is the optimum oil level in which to run an engine, of no surprise it states that its NOT ideal to run the engine constantly at the add mark but IS ideal for the longevity of the engine to run the oil level at or near the full mark on the dipstick. While its fairly typical although not written in stone as per the one quart difference between full and add on what I would refer to as a full size vehicle engine, as one goes up in engine size for trucks, field tractors, other industrial equipment etc and the oil capacity increases they stretch out the volume between full and add. Typically highway tractor engines tend to be a gallon of oil and that may be 1 tenth of the total engines oil volume. Looking back at the older GM full size pickup engines, some of them only held hardly over 4 quarts ... that 1 quart low was taking 25% of the total oils volume away and no wonder they started bumping up the total oil volume with a larger sump on pans for the same engine platform to help the engine and retain the oils integrity to increase the odds of the engines life span. 

[Grumpy Bear]

13 hours ago, chris21 said:

Note my quotes around "a quart low"

 

adding 1 oz when at the bottom of the crosshatch/acceptable range would bring it back to within the acceptable range therefore it would not be considered a quart low according to what the manual calls the acceptable range even though you can add a quart and not be over filling at that point.

 

I was explaining why the manual would not say the bottom of the crosshatch is a quart low.

 

If it's at the bottom line it IS a quart low from full that; that is the point of the sticks markings.

 

It says, "If the oil is below the crosshatch area at the tip of the dipstick and the engine has been off for at least 15 minutes, add 1 L (1 quart) of the recommended oil and then recheck the level". (shows a little arrow to indicate which line is at the tip of the stick for the confused word salad crew). Ya know, like the line that says 'don't drink the battery fluid". 

 

Lets use your logic. If it is 0.000001" below the mark then add a FULL quart and it will be 0.000001" below the full mark. Thus the distance of the cross-hatching is 1 quart and it is one quart low of FULL if AT the line; so yea, it's a quart low of full.  Being in the 'acceptable range" if you add less doesn't alter this fact. Critical thinking people.

 

Word salad..... I now know the reason for the ridiculous wording of present day manuals. But it still doesn't explain the pop-up on the infotainment screen that says, "Don't read this screen while driving" that pops up when your driving. 

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 05:31 PM by Grumpy Bear

[chris21]

8 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

 

If it's at the bottom line it IS a quart low from full that; that is the point of the sticks markings.

 

It says, "If the oil is below the crosshatch area at the tip of the dipstick and the engine has been off for at least 15 minutes, add 1 L (1 quart) of the recommended oil and then recheck the level". (shows a little arrow to indicate which line is at the tip of the stick for the confused word salad crew). Ya know, like the line that says 'don't drink the battery fluid". 

 

Lets use your logic. If it is 0.000001" below the mark then add a FULL quart and it will be 0.000001" below the full mark. Thus the distance of the cross-hatching is 1 quart and it is one quart low of FULL if AT the line; so yea, it's a quart low of full.  Being in the 'acceptable range" if you add less doesn't alter this fact. Critical thinking people.

 

Word salad..... I now know the reason for the ridiculous wording of present day manuals. But it still doesn't explain the pop-up on the infotainment screen that says, "Don't read this screen while driving" that pops up when your driving. 

 

 

You seem to be struggling with reading comprehension.

 

I HAVE SAID 3 TIMES THAT THE BOTTOM OF THE CROSSHATCH IS A QUART OR LITER BELOW FULL. 

 

I have also said that the manual will not call that "1 quart low" because it is not a quart below the acceptable range in answer to asilverblazer saying that he has never seen the bottom of the marking noted as "1 quart low" in a manual. The wording of the manual allowing for an acceptable range would indicate that .00001" above the add mark is ok. Also, because the manual allows a range, a quart below full and a quart below acceptable are two different volumes. Thus the manual will not use the phrasing "1 quart low"

Edited Wednesday at 06:36 PM by chris21