Oil Capacity Question/Verification

Jay P Wy said:

My 19 Denali 6.2l had a weird issue like you describe. The dealer actually found it when they did the 1st oil change. The tech put in 8 quarts like it supposed to take and almost nothing on the dipstick (just barely touching the bottom of the dip stick). Tech calls me back to show me and the service writer what he sees. They went and got a dipstick out of a new 6.2l on the lot and bingo oil is full. They compared the two and the one from my truck was shorter than the other. I got the dipstick out of the new truck and they ordered on for the new truck. Service guy said that was the first time he had ever had a dipstick issue in his 20 years.

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@jfoj this is exactly what I said

fondupot said:

So let me ask you this, playing devils advocate. If you continue to run 9 quarts and eventually have engine troubles. You're warranty claims will be denied because you are not using the specified amount of oil. You are willingly neglecting it.

You can run around the logic in your head as much as you want. But the spec is 8 quarts! Why mess with it. Overfilling oil leads to aerating the oil, which leads to foaming, which leads to oil starvation, oil starvation = bad.

Sorry if that's not what you want to hear. You came here asking for advice, the correct advice was supplied.

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If engine goes south and oil level on dip stick is in the hatch marks there is no way they can refuse warranty for amount of oil in engine and OP states that what he does with his vehicle.

Blackcar said:

If engine goes south and oil level on dip stick is in the hatch marks there is no way they can refuse warranty for amount of oil in engine and OP states that what he does with his vehicle.

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Blackcar, I think you understand my sitution and what I am relying on. I matched the oil change level to the factory fill which was to the top of the hash mark on my dipstick. So I see it as an even exchange regardless of how much oil I used.

The only reason my engine will fail is due to something with substandard parts or excessive clearances which would likely put the engine of service between the 550 miles on it now and sometime before 30k miles. I plan on checking the oil level and smell for excessive fuel either every or every other fill up. I am NOT going to rely on the oil level monitor in the engine!

I will also be performing an oil analysis wih every oil change that will not go beyond 5000 miles and likely will be around 4000 miles. Along with the magnetic oil drain plug and magnets on the oil filter, there is really nothing more I can do to reduce/elminate the engine from grenading prematurely.

I hope I do not become one of the statics of premature engine failure. Fingers crossed and doing what I can do to help the situation the best I can.

So what would be the harm in asking your dealer to verify your dipstick part number, and/or do a comparison with a like engine?

fondupot said:

@jfoj this is exactly what I said

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No need to buy or try another dipstick. I matched the oil level to what was in the engine based on the disptick. This is EXACTLY why I checked the oil level when I purchased the vehicle and again right before the 550 mile oil change.

Understand the manufactures do not check the oil with the dipstick at the plant. They have a factory fill level and they may add some oil based on things like if there is an engine oil cooler in case they have a default fill for the engine at the engine assembly plant, but they do not screw around with looking at the dipstick during or after assembly. The dipstick is my only option to match the level the truck was delivered with. Matched fill to how I found engine as delivered from the factory.

8 quarts per the "spec" showed no oil within the hash marks when I performed the oil change. And the more I search, this is not really uncommon. I think the real problem is rarely is the oil checked when changed, put in 8 qts, close hood and return vehicle to customer.

Starting to wonder about all the oil consumption complaints, they my be due to the engine being underfilled with oil when changed?? But we are lucky enough to have a spray nozzle washing oil off the cylinder walls on the current generation engines, higher oil usage is given on the DI engines.

Maybe there was a batch of short dipsticks, or the wrong one was installed in yours. Stranger things have happened. Sounds like a comparison would be relatively easy to resolve your issue.

Fless said:

So what would be the harm in asking your dealer to verify your dipstick part number, and/or do a comparison with a like engine?

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No need to, as nobody seems to listen or understand what I did, I MATCHED the oil level from the factory fill in my engine, FULL dipstick level from factory, FULL dipstick level after oil change. Same as shipped from factory. 8 quarts did not register in the hash marks on the dipstick. I had to add 9 quarts to match the factory level.

When I perform my next oil change, I will do the same thing, the dipstick will need to have oil to the top of the hash marks. I do not plan on running my engine 1 quart low due to some number published, I plan on the oil level being at the top of the hash marks at each oil change as I originally found the level when the vehicle was delivered to me with 6 miles.

So, just to be clear, you’re gonna match the dipstick with 9 quarts right?

The factory couldn't have been wrong, so it sounds like you have your solution. This discussion is an exercise in futility. I'm out. Carry on.

PG01 said:

So, just to be clear, you’re gonna match the dipstick with 9 quarts right?

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i am matching the oil level to what was shipped in the vehicle from the factory. Nothing more, nothing less. If this means 1/2 quart for oil change or 100 quarts for oil change.