Help me with oil capacity please !

[JReask]

I have a 2002 QX4 with the VQ35DE of course. The owner's manual states that the oil capacity is 5.26 US Quarts. I have checked with the Infiniti dealers and they say 5.26 quarts capacity also. I removed the oil filter and drained the oil for at least twenty minutes. I poured in a jug of Castrol Syntec that said it contained 5.26 quarts. The engine was way over the high mark on the dipstick. I drained a little over a quart out and the stick read just at the H mark. I have service records all the way back to when the truck was new. The oil changes all state that 4 quarts were installed by the shops that were doing the work. I am at a loss here. Can anyone (smarter than me) come up with any explanation as to why this is? This is driving me crazy. Could there be a mound of sludge in the pan ? Something could possibly be taking up the capacity? HELP !!!!!!

P.S. If I check the oil ten minutes after shutting the truck off, it can read halfway between the L and H mark. If I wait overnight to check it, it will read right at the H mark. CHUCK ??

[Chuck Tribolet]

Did you change the filter? 5 1/4 qts is with a filter change.

Did you run the engine before checking the dipstick? You need to fill the new filter by running the engine, then check the
dipstick.

I've been changing the oil on my '01 for 193,000 miles, and it always take 5 1/4 qts with a filter change.


Chuck

[Chuck Tribolet]

And it never goes up after the first few minutes after shutdown. If it EVER quits raining here (1.5" during daylight today, I'm thinking
of building an ark. Chuck, how long can you tread water?) I'll run a test.

[JReask]

Did you change the filter? 5 1/4 qts is with a filter change.

Did you run the engine before checking the dipstick? You need to fill the new filter by running the engine, then check the
dipstick.

I've been changing the oil on my '01 for 193,000 miles, and it always take 5 1/4 qts with a filter change.


Chuck

As I stated in the first post , I removed the oil filter. I did replace it also. I did also run the engine for a few minutes. I have been changing oil for about 35 years and never seen anything like this. I am wondering if it is the correct dipstick? It looks original.
Guess that doesn't mean anything though.

Joe

[JReask]

Would anyone here be willing to measure the oil level dipstick so I can compare mine to these measurements? It would be greatly appreciated. The length is the question.

Thanks
Joe

[JReask]

Anyone ????????

[Chuck Tribolet]

My 2001 dipstick is 21 1/8" from the rubber shoulder that seats against the metal tube to the HIGH mark.

And I got a chance to run the test. Engine was fully warmed up from driving home from work (17 minutes normally, but with
a detour to the grocery store tonight).

40 seconds after shutdown, the oil was at the LOW mark.
2:30 after shutdown, it was in the middle
5:00 after shutdown, it was still in the middle.
10:00 after shutdown, it had MAYBE moved up a hair.
29:00 after shutdown, no change.

I'll do another check at 1:00:00, and another in the morning.


Chuck

[JReask]

Thanks for your info and time spent.

JOE

[Chuck Tribolet]

It was no big deal, just a total of about 10 minutes. I just had to wait for it to quit raining.

[Chuck Tribolet]

The 1:00:00 check showed no change.

HOWEVER, I first looked at the back of the dipstick (DUH) and it looked like it had gone up to 3/4 (the only reference on the
back are the two bends, and the bottom bend is farther from the LOW line than the top bend is from the FULL line)_


Chuck

[Chuck Tribolet]

The cold check after work today showed FULL. I'll be darned.