Changed oil, less came out than I put in

I got up early and changed my oil. I was dumping the used oil back into the 5qt container, and it didn't even fill it up. My truck holds 5.3qts, and only 4 qts (approx) came out.

Last changed- early Jan this year.
Interval between change- about 4k miles (but shorter trips)
Total miles on truck- 116k
Baujahr- 1998
Oil type- mobil 1 synthetic high mileage

There are no oil leaks on the ground at all This is the first time I measured the oil coming out, usually I just take the drip pan in to the recycling center.

What do you think is going on, and is it a serious issue? I realize it is not going to be 1 for 1, but I expected to get something like 5qts of oil.

 

You change it yourself the last time?

 

well being that the milage is that high, you can expect to have some oil consumption but as for approx. 1.3 quarts that seems a little high. i would look in you motor bay throughly and see if you can see any oil anywhere. i had this with my acura and it oil leaked when driving. when motor was off it didnt leak at all. i had a small gasket problem, and only when under pressure did it did it leak (via driving). start with looking in and all around the motor bay.

 

p.s. check to make sure the oil filter and draing plugs are snug and in good condition

 

Yeah I changed it myself last time and put in the correct amount. I didn't check the dip stick before I changed it (I guess I'm stuck in my routine, I always check after. I guess I could have checked before, but not that it would have made any difference). There was oil in the filter, I drained it into my drip pan. Everything is snug now and was snug when I changed it. I'll check with the engine running and look for a tiny leak.

 

Yeah should have checked the dipstick before hand. I wouldn't worry about it too much, just remember to check the dipstick frequently up to and during your next oil change and watch for leaks.

 

Why are you running high mileage oil?

 

Oil consumption typically increases with engine life. Increased parts wear (especially cylinder rings) has made tolerances less precise, and more oil gets into the cylinder during combustion.

My Corolla has 200,000mi on it and consumes approximately 1qt every 5k miles now. I just top off the dipstick every 2000 to 2500 miles, oil change every 5k, and all is well. Other than that, it's still running like a champ.

 

My truck is 14 years old and 116k miles, I wouldn't exactly call that a low mileage vehicle. At the end of the day I don't think the difference between regular synthetic and high mileage synthetic is materially significant. Would you put in standard oil and be done?

I checked while it was running, no leaks at all, so it's all internal consumption. Sounds like it is normal for the age, was surprising to me that it would use so much. I'll keep an eye on it and keep some extra oil around.

 

don't take this wrong, BUT YOU ARE JUST BREAK-IN THAT GIRL IN!

strange things and slip ups happen,two i know first hand, left a oil filter ring on the motor and but a new filter on over it. got a little dribble going.
and I broke off the oil plug gasket and did not know it, duh!
but keep the motor compartment clean and clean down and u can spot leaks easy and where u park her put some newspaper down and some blocks to hold em and see what you have in the morning

 

Where you live (if the temp is always pretty much above 60 degrees) I'd run straight 30 weight.

 

Vehicle manufacturers take into account that some vehicles will be run in hot, humid locations. I would not recommend running straight 30 weight oil in a truck that is not designed for it. According to Toyota, they recommend that you run 5w30 if you live in a climate that is normally under 100 Deg outside temp, or 10w30 if you live in a climate that sees over 100 Deg outside temps.

 

Fair argument as far a the Yo goes.

 

You mentioned that you changed the oil, did you add the oil from the used oil filter into your container ?I know the filter may hold half a quart at the most, but it may help account for some oil. If you were losing oil, there would be signs of loss, either on the ground or on the engine. Maybe the truck was not filled to the correct during the oil change before this one.