Oil level

[Palmheel]

2025 Outback Limited, drove home (800 miles) after purchased, check oil level cold next day. Seems high from my perspective, old school so I was taught never overfill. Photos from both sides.

 

[bmart]

Is your car on a completely level surface? How did you check it?

 

[Palmheel]

Level surface and engine cold, have not started for 24 hours.

 

[bmart]

Your pics are tiny, so I can't see them. A little over won't hurt anything. Better than under. Starving an engine of oil is very bad thing. Cars go in for service with a lot of extra oil in them! The YouTube channels are a riot.

 

[chevy]

I noticed an overfilled oil level when picking up my new '23 forester..every time I take it to the dealer for an oil change, the service tech overfills...seems to be fairly common complaint here so I wonder if it's done intentionally..some older models had a history of excessive oil use...

 

[Palmheel]

The oil dipstick was showing about half inch over the full mark, so being old school and concern of overfilled I drained to the full mark (cold). This is the amount drained, it doesn’t look like much, so maybe it wouldn’t have damage seals etc., is approximately 300 cc.

 

[chevy]

That's about the overfill amount I had..according to the service tech, it shouldn't cause a problem...even so, it shows a lack of basic care by their service department..

 

[Domingo]

I know your question concerned "overfill" and I cannot add anything to the conversation on newer Subaru's but in general, oil quantities and reading dipsticks in many modern vehicles seem to leave much confusion among those who change their own oil (and even among the "pro's" it seems.) I think the synthetic oils don't really want to cling to the dipstick anyway; so by the time you get the stick outta many engines and up to your eyes all traces of the higher levels it might have just reached are gone. Add to that knurling or crosshatching that might help retain the oil in the area of the stick we're most interested in is often not present. I have a 2016 Honda CRV that has the most befuddling dipstick. When I change the oil, despite the Owner's Manual prescribing 4.6 qts with filter change, it often takes closer to 5 qts. I think the mfg's guilty of contributing to these situations could do a better job without it costing them too much profit.

 

[bmart]

I think the synthetic oils don't really want to cling to the dipstick anyway;

This is not true. "Synthetic" oil is just oil with the same size particles.....not magic. It also get just as dirty as regular dino oil. Crosshatching is likely used for an easier visual, not for "holding" oil. Nearly all of my vehicles have just had two small holes in the center of the dipstick or two small cutouts on the edge. Flashlights can help. So can laying it on a paper towel and seeing where the oil gets on the towel.

Another likely culprit to oil levels changing is that oil filters for the same vehicle hold wildly different amounts based on filter manufacturer and p/n.

Most folks focus on oil level perfection too much. Close enough is close enough. Nearly nowhere that they check it is perfectly level. Their tires aren't perfectly worn or inflated. Fuel load changes how the car site. It just isn't as precise as people think...

 

[piste]

I know your question concerned "overfill" and I cannot add anything to the conversation on newer Subaru's but in general, oil quantities and reading dipsticks in many modern vehicles seem to leave much confusion among those who change their own oil (and even among the "pro's" it seems.) I think the synthetic oils don't really want to cling to the dipstick anyway; so by the time you get the stick outta many engines and up to your eyes all traces of the higher levels it might have just reached are gone. Add to that knurling or crosshatching that might help retain the oil in the area of the stick we're most interested in is often not present. I have a 2016 Honda CRV that has the most befuddling dipstick. When I change the oil, despite the Owner's Manual prescribing 4.6 qts with filter change, it often takes closer to 5 qts. I think the mfg's guilty of contributing to these situations could do a better job without it costing them too much profit.

Completely experience all that. Combo of synth oil and dipstick structure makes harder to read than the old days. A bit easier if oil is dirty. I often have to dip 3 or 4 times.

 

[Dick Foster]

What the world needs is a better dipstick or perhaps something easier to read altogether.

 

[bmart]

My motorcycles are a mix of a sight glass and a dipstick, some of which get checked with the dipstick screwed in (they're threaded) and others placed in, but no further...so they can wiggle...a lot. It really isn't too critical.