lexus114

he everyone. i may have posted this before i cant remember. the only time my rx`s oil was right at the full line (overnight cold) was when it was the factory fill. every time it goes to the dealer or i change it (i put in almost six qts. and still shows over filled) its over the full mark. wtf?!! there is no way this thing takes 6.4 qts? anyone else experience this? next oil change im putting in exactly 5.5 qts. and i bet it will be dead on the full mark. i thought maybe the dipstick was the wrong length or something. but that does not explain why it was perfect on the factory fill??

Clutchless

Maybe it is not all draining out. Try using a floor jack to tilt the vehicle so more oil may drain from the pan.
I also trust you are changing the filter when this happens, although you did not explicitly state that.

lexus114

yep, change the filter every time. and let it drain for 30 min this last time. i don't under stand it? but i have seen a few rare posts with other cases with the same motor in es cars.

carguy75

Question?

How do you check your oil level exactly?

The oil level changes with temperature due to expansion.

Per Lexus owner manual the oil should checked after the engine is warmed up to normal running temp and then shut off.

Next wait 5 minutes for the oil to settle in the pan and then check the level on the dip stick.

So the oil level was not correct when it was checked "overnight cold" like you stated.

However, you may be right that 6 quarts is a bit much since my oil level is a bit over the full mark when I add 6 quarts also.

But i do not know if it because I have too much oil or that the oil on the dipstick moving around when i check the dipstick due to me turning it up side down or rubbing it against the dipstick tube.

Also my garage is not perfectly level due to the concrete settling in some places so that may be a reason also.

I just keep adding 6 quarts to be safe, but it probably about 5.5 quarts or 5.75 quarts to make it a perfect oil level.

Clutchless

Final question, do you remove the oil filler cap while it is draining?

lexus114

yep, sure do

Clutchless

Maybe you have the wrong dipstick for that motor. Maybe it is the 4 cylinder one? Or it was manufactured incorrectly.
I would try to find someone with a Toyota/Lexus and the same 3.5 engine and try checking your oil with their dipstick.
Mine takes over 6 quarts.

lexus114

this is bizarre right? yet it was right on the full mark where it should be on the factory fill. but you do have a good idea there re; the dipstick.

carguy75

Hey OP, what about my questions?

I think that my post may solve why your measurement is off compared to the factory fill, since the reading on the factory fill is wrong since you measured it when cold per your own words in the original post.

You did not specify if you checked the oil level when the dealer or yourself change the oil when it sat over night or not.

Heck, you did even state if you check the oil level in the same places, which could affect the level measurement s well.

Just saying.

raylor4

I agree with carguy75, Every owners manual I've read since 1964 says "Check the oil after the engine is warmed up, on a level surface after the oil has had a few minutes to drain into the crankcase. At the gas station, after pumping gas is the ideal time and place, in my opinion. Cold oil level check? Bad mojo.
Ray A.

lexus114

always checked in my garage (level floor) in morning. when dealer changes oil its almost a qt over filled. when i changed it the last time, it is 1/2 qt over full line. checked factory fill the same way. but the factory fill was right on the full line. and checked the same way as i already mentioned. i have been checking my oil this way for 40 years? so this beats the hell outta me whats going on here?

raylor4

lexus114 - If I were you, I would use the dipstick as a gage to tell me when the crankcase is full, when you change your oil, as opposed to adding a specific amount of oil. That way the oil would be perfect when you check it, every time. I've read that over-filling is not good.
Ray A.
PS Are you interested in having things right, or comparing something that was with something that is? I've run into situations where printed quantities don't match with actual quantities under the hood. Happy motoring.

lexus114

correct, overfilling isn't good that's why this concerns me so much. the key here is; it was perfect on the factory fill. so that is the route i'm going to go. which comes out to 5.5 qts. like you, i was taught to go by what the dipstick reads.

carguy75

Just a thought.

The oil filter housing holds about a half of quart of oil when the engine is cold, so the cold 5.5 quart measurement maybe a correct level for the oil pan since the oil filter housing does hold some oil.

When the engine is running the oil from the oil filter housing flows in to the engine and pan.

When the engine is recently stopped then the oil level in the most accurate.

To make it simple I would just go by the dipstick as well.

My RX oil level is good with about 6 quarts per the dipstick.

I also agree that the 6.4 quarts listed is not correct.

I believe that 5.75 quarts is more accurate.

I just add 6quarts(actually a little less since I do have some oil left in the container so maybe 5.9quarts) to be safe since an extra .25 of quarts of oil will not cause any issues I believe.

But you are correct, we should only add about 5.5 to 6 quarts of oil in the RX not 6.4 quarts in my opinion based on the dipstick reading.

FYI, not to insult you but did you wipe the dipstick after you looked at it with cold factory fill and rechecked the oil level again?

I was taught to pull the dipstick and wipe it and re-insert the dipstick then check again and go by the second reading.

Reading dipsticks is not the most accurate way of checking oil sometimes due to some dipsticks being very hard to read correctly.

raylor4

Carguy: Well said.
Many years ago a friend asked me if I wipe the dipstick before putting it in the final time. I said, Yes. He said, Why? It's one of those vignettes of life I never forgot.
Ray A.