Ok let me know what you think.i changed my oil last nite.drained it all out and put a new filter on.i put 4 qts in and then i checked the oil level.it was way above high.normal?

 

did you turn the car on for a few seconds to let the oil circulate then check the oil?

 

 

If you drained the oil and changed the filter as you say you did (and I'm sure you did) it can't be overfilled with 4-qts, unless the car was seriously unlevel and you didn't drain all the old oil out. The dipsticks sometimes give goofy readings. Make sure you have the stick inserted the right way and check it again. Wipe the dipstick clean with a towel the first time you pull it, then check it again. And of course the car has to be level to get an accurate reading.

 

spec says 4 1/2 so put the other half in

 

I disagree with this.

After running your engine for a few miles, you should check the dipstick following Talkinghorse's advice. I also like to let the oil settle in the engine, so I check my oil in the morning before I start the engine. Add more oil based on that dipstick reading.

In my case I have to put more motor oil in my Max than the "spec says" because the oil filter I use is larger than the Nissan filter.

 

if you change the oil and filter with the specified oil and filter recommendations then 4 1/2 quarts should be fine, if your gonna switch to a bigger filter and put less oil in thats just no common sense.

To check the oil Nissan says to check it on a cold engine, the FSM even says that.

I use 5 quarts with an M1-110, the M1-110 was by accident cause they had no 108 and I just looked at the diameter not the length

 

My point is "why blindly put in a certain abount of motor oil." Put in enough to get the oil to the end of the dipstick and then add enough oil to get to the full line on the stick. Then you absolutely know that you have the correct amount of motor oil in your engine. The difference between the two marks on the dipstick is essentially 1 liter or almost 1 quart of oil.

What you don't want is too much oil in the engine. Doing it my way, you substantially reduce the chance of overfilling your engine.

 

i just changed my oil today and i put all 5 qrts in. and it still runs fine. what are your thoughts

 

It is much worse to overfill you oil pan by 1/2 a quart than to underfill it by the same amount. You can do real damage to your engine by overfilling, and essentially no damage by underfilling. So check the dipstick to be certain that you did not overfill her.

 

I never thought of this. I don't use the OEM Nissan filter - so this could skew the capacities, but by how much?

 

Do you think it's possible the dipstick could go wrong in the older maximas?

We measured out the exact amount of oil as per the manual, and put that in, and my dip stick still shows that it's overfilled?

 

I use the larger Mobil 1 oil filter and put in about 1/2 a quart more than spec.

I have never heard of a "dipstick going wrong" -- but I suppose it could happen. However, given the difference between slightly overfilling and slightly underfilling your engine, I would tend to believe the dipstick reading and not put in so much motor oil. Thus, by following the dipstick you, in fact, end up slightly underfilled, you will certainly be better off than putting in the spec amount and, in fact, ending up slightly overfilled.

 

This engine takes a larger filter than the VQ engines do. If the aftermarket filter you use is the correct model for your engine, the filter shoudn't be a factor...but if you're using a smaller filter then it could cause the oil level to register high. What filter are you using, and I'll tell you if it's the correct one?

I believe your engine is essentially the same one that was used in the Quest during this time period. The dipstick on the Quest was a semi-flexible braided cable with a little bobber on the end. If yours is like that, I don't believe you can install it incorrectly. The VQ engines, however, have a more traditional blade-type dipstick...my experience is that you will get significantly different readings depending on which side you insert upwards.

How much oil did you put in, and what filter are you using?