hey guys,

so i serviced my car yesterday (97 EL fairmont ghia 6cyl) and im not sure if i did it properly. In the handbook for the car it says that the crankcase needs 5.5 L of oil. I added this amount once i drained teh sump and changed the oil filter, but the dipstick is now about a cm above the full line. Is this right? or have i put too much oil in? and if so what should i do?

Another worrying point was when i drained the sump i only got about 2.5L of oil out of it. Now i have been mean to the car and it was overdue by 6000kms for the oil change, but i was a bit shocked that there was that little oil in it. Is it normal for the car to use that much oil?

Thanks,

Louie

I like my car a tad over the full mark when servicing it but a cm over onthe dipstick is a tad too much. Should drain a little bit.
And 2.5 litres of oil is a bit low. Be kinder to the old girl and keep your services up to date.

Run the engine, turn it off, then check and see where it is on the stick.
If your car had only 2.5lt in it when you changed it, and was 6,000km over due....then 1cm over ain't gunna worry it.

gotta remember the oil filter will take about 500ml of oil too, not until the car is running and oil pressure is there will it fill the filter.

Run it, turn it off then check the level.

WAIT at least 5mins after u have turned the car off before u check the level

as a fair bit of oil will be in the top end of the engine and needs time to drain back

I'd suggest filling the oil filter with oil before installing so the oil can get to the top end more quickly.

One night, my (now) missus turned up at my place with her car sounding like it had marbles in the engine. I asked her if it had any oil in it and she said 'my car doesn't use any oil'. Next time she came over I checked it and filled it with over 3 litres of oil. It was a festiva and I think they only take about 4 litres. The festiva ended up going another 120,000km before we sold it and the engine was still going fine.