How long till oil level stabilises after oil change

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payydg

payydg

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Never really paid this any attention after the numberous oil changes I've done in the past but now I've got my nice new rebuilt engine in I'm acutely aware of everything!

How long till oil level stabilises after an oil change?

Did the post run in oil change. Level just below max. Took it for a spin for a couple of hours. No change - oil still amber. Did a decent 6-7hr round trip to inverness and now level mid way on dip stick - oil black. Obviously i'll keep an eye and see what it does over time but got me thinking.
 
payydg said:
Never really paid this any attention after the numberous oil changes I've done in the past but now I've got my nice new rebuilt engine in I'm acutely aware of everything!

How long till oil level stabilises after an oil change?

Did the post run in oil change. Level just below max. Took it for a spin for a couple of hours. No change - oil still amber. Did a decent 6-7hr round trip to inverness and now level mid way on dip stick - oil black. Obviously i'll keep an eye and see what it does over time but got me thinking.
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I don't quite understand the question?

I would expect oil to take a few minutes to run down from the oil filler into the sump, after that, it should be the same within a few minutes of the engine being switched off.

The other thing that could alter the level is whether or not you filled the filter with oil before start up? A filter holds quite a bit of oil, between half a litre to a litre depending on what engine.
 
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Turboman said:
I don't quite understand the question?

I would expect oil to take a few minutes to run down from the oil filler into the sump, after that, it should be the same within a few minutes of the engine being switched off.

The other thing that could alter the level is whether or not you filled the filter with oil before start up? A filter holds quite a bit of oil, between half a litre to a litre depending on what engine.
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Yeh maybe I wasn't that clear, it is Friday night. Oil change, shortish run level ok, then took for a decent 6/7hr run level now half was down the dip stick. Engine using oil for some reason or just the new oil finding its way into all the gaps/filter etc...
 
payydg said:
Yeh maybe I wasn't that clear, it is Friday night. Oil change, shortish run level ok, then took for a decent 6/7hr run level now half was down the dip stick. Engine using oil for some reason or just the new oil finding its way into all the gaps/filter etc...
Click to expand...

Half way between max and min on the dipstick is about what a filter would hold.

Ideally, you should fill the new filter with clean oil before fitting, then fill to the max mark, start up and run for a minute or two, checking for leaks, and then switch off. After leaving for a few minutes, the oil level should be at or just under max on the stick.

Manufacturers don't make this easy by fitting filters horizontally on occasion. I usually fill to max, hold the stop lever on the IP to stop the engine starting, spin over until the oil light goes out. Then I top up to max again, and as before^^^^^^.

TBH, with engines that hold a decent amount of oil and are fairly low tuned, I doubt if it is that critical so long as you are between the max and min marks.
 
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Delpends on engine type.
200 takes a bloody age for the oil to settle, in fact the longest of any engine I have ever come across.
I always leave overnight before checking.
 
Turboman said:
Half way between max and min on the dipstick is about what a filter would hold.

Ideally, you should fill the new filter with clean oil before fitting, then fill to the max mark, start up and run for a minute or two, checking for leaks, and then switch off. After leaving for a few minutes, the oil level should be at or just under max on the stick.

Manufacturers don't make this easy by fitting filters horizontally on occasion. I usually fill to max, hold the stop lever on the IP to stop the engine starting, spin over until the oil light goes out. Then I top up to max again, and as before^^^^^^.

TBH, with engines that hold a decent amount of oil and are fairly low tuned, I doubt if it is that critical so long as you are between the max and min marks.
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I have to say i never really bother filling the filter as i don't like oil down my sleeve.

I don't think I've worded my question that well or if its even really much of a question. Level had been stable following oil change (empty filter) after 2hr run then following a 6/7hr run had dropped halfway down dip stick. I'll just keep an eye on level. If it continues to drop there's an issue if not then there isn't.
 
payydg said:
I have to say i never really bother filling the filter as i don't like oil down my sleeve.

I don't think I've worded my question that well or if its even really much of a question. Level had been stable following oil change (empty filter) after 2hr run then following a 6/7hr run had dropped halfway down dip stick. I'll just keep an eye on level. If it continues to drop there's an issue if not then there isn't.
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Assuming this is a Tdi, take note of @lynall 's comment.
I think he has a Tdi, I haven't, and haven't even worked on one for years. My comment was more to do with engines generally.
 
Put oil in, run for a minute, check and top up , Some filters will hold half a litre or so. Dont ever fill a diesel to the brim on the dip stick, dont ever over fill a petrol with a cat. It takes a minute for the oil to run back down to the sump, not long at all. It doesnt need to be brimmed.

Put it this way, when you leave your car in for a service imagine your reaction when the garage says you cant have it back for 24 hours, we are waiting for the oil to settle.....
 
Can take hours for even normal engines oil to settle.
I sadly do loads of oil changes at work and check after filling then get on with the rest of the service and then recheck before cab back down and the oil will always have risen up between 4 to 10mm.

Over the years theres been many a post on every land rover forum going saying they have overfilled their 200 sump as not left long enough for the oil to settle.
 
nobber said:
Put oil in, run for a minute, check and top up , Some filters will hold half a litre or so. Dont ever fill a diesel to the brim on the dip stick, dont ever over fill a petrol with a cat. It takes a minute for the oil to run back down to the sump, not long at all. It doesnt need to be brimmed.

Put it this way, when you leave your car in for a service imagine your reaction when the garage says you cant have it back for 24 hours, we are waiting for the oil to settle.....
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I know all of this. I've not explained by question very well. I'll keep an eye on it
 
payydg said:
I know all of this. I've not explained by question very well. I'll keep an eye on it
Click to expand...

Bought a used Micra from Nissan a few years ago (mum still has it) just been serviced, checked the oil inch over the max mark, took out a litre, the thing only held 3 litres!
You would think any sensible mech would have a note of how much oil each model and each engine type held?

They rung me a year later wanted to service it for me, I asked how much? 250 quid was the answer, what did they do for that I asked? oil and filters he said, thats 20 quid I said, what else do you do for the other 230 quid? and it sort of went downhill from there.

I have seen trucks oil changed guy ran it for a few minutes went to check oil to find he hand not actaully put the new oil in yet, another ran it for so long on idle with no oil it seized!
 
lynall said:
Bought a used Micra from Nissan a few years ago (mum still has it) just been serviced, checked the oil inch over the max mark, took out a litre, the thing only held 3 litres!
You would think any sensible mech would have a note of how much oil each model and each engine type held?

They rung me a year later wanted to service it for me, I asked how much? 250 quid was the answer, what did they do for that I asked? oil and filters he said, thats 20 quid I said, what else do you do for the other 230 quid? and it sort of went downhill from there.

I have seen trucks oil changed guy ran it for a few minutes went to check oil to find he hand not actaully put the new oil in yet, another ran it for so long on idle with no oil it seized!
Click to expand...

Autodata can be very good for oil quantities, thats what most garages use. Those little K11 micras will run all day long with little or no oil in them, dont ask me how I know!
 
I found with my TD5 that you can change the oil/filters and fill it to the high mark on the dip stick, start the engine and then it drops to half way up the dip stick.
I assume it’s gone into the oil filter. Then, if you fill it to max again it will show dead on the high mark, but the next day it’s high by about half a litre.
 
nobber said:
Autodata can be very good for oil quantities, thats what most garages use. Those little K11 micras will run all day long with little or no oil in them, dont ask me how I know!
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Dead posh me it was a K12, most boring car I have ever driven, but cost sod all for the year I ran it.
 
lynall said:
Delpends on engine type.
200 takes a bloody age for the oil to settle, in fact the longest of any engine I have ever come across.
I always leave overnight before checking.
Click to expand...

Definitely seems that way, agreed, I almost always have to dribble a bit out of the sump after an oil change.
 
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