Does my oil need changing? Topping off? (Pictures included)
08-14-2018, 04:16 AM
#1
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Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 4
Does my oil need changing? Topping off? (Pictures included)
It's like light brown and like 1/3 to 1/2 of the checkered indicator section on my dipstick. I got an oil change 6 months ago and used kendall synthetic blend and only put around 300 miles on it since (once a week drives to school). Does it need changing? If not, can I just top it off? https://imgur.com/a/UcFoNqP
08-14-2018, 11:44 AM
#2
The oil does not need changing. Especially since it only has 300 miles on it. Oil will pick up and hold dirt and stupp that gets into the engine, so it is normal to turn dark. It may look black by the time you get 1000 miles on it, but it will still be ok.Oil change interval for synthetic oil is something like 7500 miles. You have a long way to go.
As long as the oil level is in the checkered portion of the dipstick, it is ok. You don't have to add oil if you don't want to. The level is probably only a pint down at most. That is probably the way it was after the oil was changed. The engine holds 6 quarts of oil and the filter holds a little less than a pint. If the oil filter was changed and the place used quart containers, they probably did not use a 7th partial quart.
You can top off the oil any time you want and don't have to drain out the old oil.
As long as the oil level is in the checkered portion of the dipstick, it is ok. You don't have to add oil if you don't want to. The level is probably only a pint down at most. That is probably the way it was after the oil was changed. The engine holds 6 quarts of oil and the filter holds a little less than a pint. If the oil filter was changed and the place used quart containers, they probably did not use a 7th partial quart.
You can top off the oil any time you want and don't have to drain out the old oil.
08-14-2018, 12:14 PM
#3
The oil does not need changing. Especially since it only has 300 miles on it. Oil will pick up and hold dirt and stupp that gets into the engine, so it is normal to turn dark. It may look black by the time you get 1000 miles on it, but it will still be ok.Oil change interval for synthetic oil is something like 7500 miles. You have a long way to go.
As long as the oil level is in the checkered portion of the dipstick, it is ok. You don't have to add oil if you don't want to. The level is probably only a pint down at most. That is probably the way it was after the oil was changed. The engine holds 6 quarts of oil and the filter holds a little less than a pint. If the oil filter was changed and the place used quart containers, they probably did not use a 7th partial quart.
You can top off the oil any time you want and don't have to drain out the old oil.
As long as the oil level is in the checkered portion of the dipstick, it is ok. You don't have to add oil if you don't want to. The level is probably only a pint down at most. That is probably the way it was after the oil was changed. The engine holds 6 quarts of oil and the filter holds a little less than a pint. If the oil filter was changed and the place used quart containers, they probably did not use a 7th partial quart.
You can top off the oil any time you want and don't have to drain out the old oil.
08-14-2018, 11:37 PM
#4
time-wise only if its sat for over 1.5-2yrs would i be changing the oil, 6 months is nothing. as said if its in the checkered portion its fine, it probably has a couple small leaks or burns a bit of oil like every older car. no need to top it up now, just check it every week or when you fill up with gas
10-21-2018, 11:12 AM
#7
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Johnson City, TN
Posts: 240
To me, if you are only driving 300 miles in six months, if you are making a lot of short trips, that can be hard on an engine. The engine needs to be brought up to operating temperature and driven enough to get the moisture and such out of the engine.
Many years ago I was given a very nice one owner Grand Am with the Quad 4 engine from friends that had the oil light coming on and it was full of oil. I pulled the pan and there was a biscuit of gunk under the oil pickup, even though they had the oil changed routinely. The problem was that it was the wife's car and she was a school teacher and the school was less than two miles from her house. Never got it even remotely warmed up. I cleaned the pan out and ran the crap out of it, then gave it to my grand daughter and later my grand son. It turned out to be a great little car.
Randy
Many years ago I was given a very nice one owner Grand Am with the Quad 4 engine from friends that had the oil light coming on and it was full of oil. I pulled the pan and there was a biscuit of gunk under the oil pickup, even though they had the oil changed routinely. The problem was that it was the wife's car and she was a school teacher and the school was less than two miles from her house. Never got it even remotely warmed up. I cleaned the pan out and ran the crap out of it, then gave it to my grand daughter and later my grand son. It turned out to be a great little car.
Randy
10-23-2018, 05:01 AM
#8
Well you know the normal practice on mineral based oils are 3000miles/3mo, but since you have synthetic (man Made) oil the oil really doesn't break down like mineral based oils...So I would personally continue to run it but you might wanna see what the calendar time is on your oil.
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