Amount of oil between safe and add on dip stick

afitzray97

TJ Enthusiast
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Is there a specific amount of oil that will get you from “add” to “safe” on the dip stick? Seems to be somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 quart but I’m curious if there’s something more accurate than me just guessing each time.

Also, is the dip stick pretty close to the center of the pan or is it further to the front or rear or side? I don’t usually have an exactly level garage floor to use for oil changes so I’m also curious how my slanted driveway would tend to skew things?

Thanks
 
As long as you have oil pressure your safe. Oil pump does not know what the level is. My jeep takes 4.5 Qts it will run fine down a Qt or two.
 
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As long as you have oil pressure your safe. Oil pump does not know what the level is. My jeep takes 4.5 Qts it will run fine down a Qt or two.
If I’m doing maintenance I’m gonna try my best to do it right but to each their own. Interesting that you normally add 4.5 quart. I’m usually right around 5.5 quart so I always buy a 5 quart jug and I have another 5 qt I bought a couple years back that I use to top it off after adding the first jug.

My XJ with same 4.0 has a slow leak at the rear main seal and I agree these are pretty resilient engines so I don’t sweat it when I'm just below the add mark when I do an oil change on that one. And the oil sending unit is finicky on my TJ so I know not to immediately freak out when it occasionally shows 10 psi. Gonna fix that soon though.

Thanks for the replies
 
If I’m doing maintenance I’m gonna try my best to do it right but to each their own. Interesting that you normally add 4.5 quart. I’m usually right around 5.5 quart so I always buy a 5 quart jug and I have another 5 qt I bought a couple years back that I use to top it off after adding the first jug.

My XJ with same 4.0 has a slow leak at the rear main seal and I agree these are pretty resilient engines so I don’t sweat it when I'm just below the add mark when I do an oil change on that one. And the oil sending unit is finicky on my TJ so I know not to immediately freak out when it occasionally shows 10 psi. Gonna fix that soon though.

Thanks for the replies
My TJs has the AMC 2.5L When I replaced my clutch I had them replace Rear Main seal.
 
Next time you change your oil add six quarts, don't play the game where you check and fill a bit more. Let the engine run for a bit and then check the dipstick in the place you normally check your dipstick like on your driveway. That's full, remember what it looks like and use that as your starting point. The dipstick isn't calibrated until you do it yourself is really what I'm getting at.
 
I was always under the impression that all cars were 1 quart from bottom to top of safe zone.

I'm almost 55 and have lived by that going on almost 40 yrs. I will say that it has been at least a few vehicles since I've had to add any though.


Next time you change your oil add six quarts, don't play the game where you check and fill a bit more. Let the engine run for a bit and then check the dipstick in the place you normally check your dipstick like on your driveway. That's full, remember what it looks like and use that as your starting point. The dipstick isn't calibrated until you do it yourself is really what I'm getting at.
That sounds about right as long as you know it's empty before adding.


Now, since the topic looks like it's missing the question mark, here's the answer to that.
Amount of oil between safe and add on dip stick ??
2 drops (0.0033814023 US fl oz) or one drop on each side.

 
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I'm almost 55 and have lived by that going on almost 40 yrs. I will say that it has been at least a few vehicles since I've had to add any though.

I remember clearly back in the mid 60s to mid 70s when working part time in gas stations while in school when we'd check oil at the pumps, walk back to the driver still sitting in his car, show him his dipstick and say ... "you're down a quart sir". That was often followed by ... "it's also pretty dark ... we can get you in now if you have time for a change."

It's too bad those jobs don't exist for kids any more. We also now buy it by the litre here 🇨🇦 so that would make it less fun anyway.
 
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