Length of Oil into Pan, Checking Oil Options

[JoKeRkId613]

I usually check my oil once a week. I want to make sure I'm doing this right. I check my oil after a normal drive, turn off the car, and wait 15 minutes before I check the oil. I do this because I was told I should wait till all the oil goes back into the oil pan. Is this a good amount of time to wait? I ask because TRD recommends I check my oil at every gas fillup and the "checking process" happens right after I turn off the car, meaning the oil hasn't had any time to go into the pan - I hope TRD doesn't expect me to hang around a gas station for 15 minutes to check my oil. So this is what caused me to wonder the best amount of time to wait before checking my oil after turning the car off. Anyone know?

Thanks. Just want to make sure I'm getting the most accurate reading and don't overfill.

[alltracman78]

Measuring what you drained out is only accurate if it was full to being with. The oil that's left in the engine isn't part of the rated oil capacity, that oil [aside from the small bit in the pan] is "wasted" sitting in valleys, it's not used. This is the reason for dry fill and wet fill specs. You also need to add extra [should be included in spec] to fill the oil filter.
Most likely either the specs your shop uses are wrong or whatever you use to measure the oil is wrong.


By the time you get out of the car and prop the hood open the oil level is just about where it's going to be, it doesn't take long at all for the oil to drain back in the pan. If it did, the pump would starve for oil.

If that doesn't sound right, test it.
Stop, hop out and check the level.
Let it sit for 15 min and recheck.

[Bitter]

Measuring what you drained out is only accurate if it was full to being with. The oil that's left in the engine isn't part of the rated oil capacity, that oil [aside from the small bit in the pan] is "wasted" sitting in valleys, it's not used. This is the reason for dry fill and wet fill specs. You also need to add extra [should be included in spec] to fill the oil filter.
Most likely either the specs your shop uses are wrong or whatever you use to measure the oil is wrong.


By the time you get out of the car and prop the hood open the oil level is just about where it's going to be, it doesn't take long at all for the oil to drain back in the pan. If it did, the pump would starve for oil.

If that doesn't sound right, test it.
Stop, hop out and check the level.
Let it sit for 15 min and recheck.

mercedes only gives out the dry fill spec to aftermarket information. heck, the info mercedes does supply is pretty limited...because they dont want to loose out on making money from services at their shops.

yes, measuring out whats in is only accurate if its full to begin with...i was working under the assumption that he'd have a full change of oil in the car when he drained out. yes you need to add a little to fill the filter if you measure the drain. its oil changing, not a science exactly. drain it and then fill it to the full on dipstick, start it up for about 30 seconds, wait about 10 minutes, recheck and add till on the full mark.