oil level question

[slim_240]

so i just swapped my blacktop sr20 and i put 3.5 recommended quarts but my dipstick reads half full. after reading, the sr20s are very oil temperamental and too much can fuck some shit up.

my guess is that the missing oil went into the turbo since the engine was completely dry. there are no leaks anywhere btw

any ideas or past experiences? thanks!

[SleepR 240sx]

Have you started the motor since you first added the oil? If not then it hasn't circulated everywhere yet and you are probably getting a bad reading off the dipstick.

[Ceepo]

unplug the coil packs, or ignitor chip and turn the motor over a few times with oil in(to build oil pressure) then check and add accordingly

[slim_240]

yeah i started driving it last week and its been stuck at half.

just remembered seeing it halfway also before i started the motor.

i don't know whether to add more

[slim_240]

unplug the coil packs, or ignitor chip and turn the motor over a few times with oil in(to build oil pressure) then check and add accordingly


so disregard the 3.5 quarts and fill according to the dipstick?

[jspaeth]

Whenver I drain my oil (every 2-3000 miles) I usually get only around 2.5 quarts.

Then I usually add around 3 or so, drive the car around a bit, and check later.


There is no reason that if you add 2.5-3 that the car shouldn't be just fine.

Just go by the dipstick.......like you said, too much is worse than too little, provided that the "too little" is enough and you aren't doing hard driving that could shift the oil around in the pan and prevent good pickup

[slim_240]

alright i'm gonna change my oil tomorrow and give an update.

thanks for the input guys!

[codyace]

Just go by the dipstick.......like you said, too much is worse than too little, provided that the "too little" is enough and you aren't doing hard driving that could shift the oil around in the pan and prevent good pickup

I'm gonna disagree.

I'd rather be 1/2 quart 'too full 'with a stock pan SR, than underfull...any day of the week.

Realistically speaking though, I'd say the first mod any seriously driven SR20 (and by serious I don't mean street racing or lwes parking lots) is a larger capacity oil pan. Even then I fill er up a smidge over.

[sonomadrifter]

Because it seems this is turning into a "what would you do" situation,

I would go to the sr20det FAQ thread and go to the second page, post #42 and read from the factory service manual that black tops take:

Enginehttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/2_bing.gif (http://zilvia.net/f/#) Oil: (with filter change): 3 1/4 qt (3.7 L)
(w/o filter change): 3 1/8 qt (3.5 L)

Measure it accurately and fuck the dipstick (within reason).

Mine always read a HAIR high but I'm going to go with the FSM.

[slim_240]

I'm gonna disagree.

I'd rather be 1/2 quart 'too full 'with a stock pan SR, than underfull...any day of the week.

Realistically speaking though, I'd say the first mod any seriously driven SR20 (and by serious I don't mean street racing or lwes parking lots) is a larger capacity oil pan. Even then I fill er up a smidge over.


this car will not be seeing any track time nor drift sessions. just a daily that gets me to school/work and back.


Because it seems this is turning into a "what would you do" situation,

I would go to the sr20det FAQ thread and go to the second page, post #42 and read from the factory service manual that black tops take:

Enginehttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/2_bing.gif (http://zilvia.net/f/#) Oil: (with filter change): 3 1/4 qt (3.7 L)
(w/o filter change): 3 1/8 qt (3.5 L)

Measure it accurately and fuck the dipstick (within reason).


i put 3.5 quarts the first time and that was a week ago. i checked my dipstick and it indicates a little over the L. i'm not sure why unless my dipstick is being a dick and won't give me a correct reading OR the turbo took all the oil (but don't you think it took a little too much?). i'll go with the FSM and fill too 3 1/8 qt and see what the dipstick reads.

but if the dipstick DOES read anything less than F, should i pour accordingly?

oh btw if you're wondering, my dipstick is the same length as my buddies blacktop sr20 so i do have the correct dipstick.

[jspaeth]

this car will not be seeing any track time nor drift sessions. just a daily that gets me to school/work and back.




i put 3.5 quarts the first time and that was a week ago. i checked my dipstick and it indicates a little over the L. i'm not sure why unless my dipstick is being a dick and won't give me a correct reading OR the turbo took all the oil (but don't you think it took a little too much?). i'll go with the FSM and fill too 3 1/8 qt and see what the dipstick reads.

but if the dipstick DOES read anything less than F, should i pour accordingly?

oh btw if you're wondering, my dipstick is the same length as my buddies blacktop sr20 so i do have the correct dipstick.

I would say if you have the right dipstick, then the dipstick doesn't lie.

^ Cody, i guess I was wrong then.....also, I was not referring to any time of driving that could slosh the oil around and prevent good pickup.

I never see any blue smoke and have no oil in my catchcan but am always about 1/2-3/4 quart low every time I change the oil after ~3000 miles.

So sometimes (when I'm not paying attention to checking), I am driving around on like 2.5 quarts (well more than that, but that's how much i get out when I drain it) and have no problems whatsoever.....although maybe I should stop doing this.....maybe it's causing some wear that I don't know about.....

Anyways, I think dipstick, if you have the right one, is the way to go.

[codyace]

this car will not be seeing any track time nor drift sessions. just a daily that gets me to school/work and back.

Then I'd just overfil it a tad. SR's use oil through daily driving, track driving, or anything...a little over ain't gonna hurt



[QUOTE=jspaeth;3180201]I would say if you have the right dipstick, then the dipstick doesn't lie.

^ Cody, i guess I was wrong then.....also, I was not referring to any time of driving that could slosh the oil around and prevent good pickup.

I never see any blue smoke and have no oil in my catchcan but am always about 1/2-3/4 quart low every time I change the oil after ~3000 miles.

Agian, SR20's burn oil...it's common for the type of motor they are. Tihs is why I always make it a point to overfill them a tad, 'just in case'.

Then agian, i'm the same anal guy that simply chekcs my oil at every chance I get. Owning a track car does that. Torque every session, fluids every session etc etc.

[jspaeth]

Fuck I am so jealous.....I wish I had a place to keep my 240 and could actually get on a track....

Need a back up car then tho, and right now no way I can have 2 cars :-/

Yeah I usually add a little oil in between oil changes....

[codyace]

Fuck I am so jealous.....I wish I had a place to keep my 240 and could actually get on a track....

Need a back up car then tho, and right now no way I can have 2 cars :-/

Yeah I usually add a little oil in between oil changes....


www.pdadrivingschool.ocm
Connecticut Autocross & Rally Team (http://www.cartct.com)

You're in south Jersey, those two groups are down at NJMP often :D You know you wanna come out for a spin!

And yes, a beater car is *almost* a requirement for a track car. I bought a 1000 dollar maxima and love it dearly.

[0wn3r]

i've done 3.8qts since i've had the motor..it always read above the dipstick too...it's better than a lack of oil tho

[nOaAAa]

isnt "half" right where you want it to be?! in between low(add) or full is perfect, is it not?!

[slim_240]

update:

changed my oil today and put a k&n filter and a gallon jug of 10-30 rotellaT. had to pour the entire jug to even get close to the F on the dipstick.

hope everything goes welllllll

[g6civcx]

You need enough to circulate through the engine but not so much that the oil level hits the crank. The crank spins on top of the oil pan and if you have too much oil in the pan, the crank will froth the oil and make the oil pump suck air. No oil through the oil pump = engine failure.

I recommend that you fill the oil level up to no more than the height of the crank when the engine is cold. When the engine is cold, most of the oil is in the oil pan. When you start the engine, you are most at risk to have the crank hit the oil. Once the oil pump starts circulating oil through the engine, the oil level in the oil pan will go down so you'll be safe then.

If you parked on extreme inclines/declines, the oil level may touch the crank a little bit, but it shouldn't be a big deal if you're not severely overfilled.

Having not enough oil is bad as well. Then you don't have enough oil to circulate through the engine.

[sonomadrifter]

Is it just me or the fact that stock for stock, there is a 3/4 quart capacity difference?

That scares me and thats just one person who says that its not enough oil. Whos out there saying that theirs is full at 2 and 3/4? Its hard for me that there is that much variance in these motors.

My motor with a large oil cooler, relocator, lines etc. carries exactly 4qts.

ALSO, motors do burn oil, but I have NEVER had to add oil inbetween changes.

Not to go against what everybody is saying in this thread, but I'm amazed.

ALSO, g6civcx thumbsup.

[slim_240]

great info g6civcx! here in texas we have nothing BUT flat land so no worries about inclines and hills.

agreed with you also sonomadrifter about oil level variations. my buddy with the same exact motor with a stock oil pan tops off at 3 quarts. so freakin weird.

[jspaeth]

You need enough to circulate through the engine but not so much that the oil level hits the crank. The crank spins on top of the oil pan and if you have too much oil in the pan, the crank will froth the oil and make the oil pump suck air. No oil through the oil pump = engine failure.



This is what I meant when I said don't overfill. One can only assume that the markings on the dipstick are there for just this reason,....so use them!