2.7 Oil Overfull

A few weeks ago I did the first oil change on my truck since I've had it. This is also about the time my gas mileage took a bit of dump. I was very impressed that I was getting 22.5, 23 MPG. Since around the time of the oil change my MPGs also seemed to take a little hit. The first tank ran at 21.5 MPG, the tank I'm on now isin't doing much better.

This evening we took a mid-term then the instructor told us we could go or bring our cars into the shop, so I decided to bring my truck in and look over a few things.

I installed a 2nd bolt/screw into my cruise control harness. I could only find 1 when I orginally did it. I screwed around with some dash rattle stuff. Then I checked my oil, overfull.

I honestly never bothered to check the level when I was done with the oil change. Everything that I had read/seen calls for 6.1 Qts in the 2nd gen 2.7 engine, so I poured in 6 qts and called it a day. I even rechecked this on Alldata this evening. Never thought to question how much it actually took. Alldata says "With oil filter: 6.1/Without: 5.4. How in the world does that tiny little filter hold a half qt of oil? It don't.

I drained some oil back out, and actually got a pretty good amount out before the level got back between the dots. Didn't measure how much I drained out, was at least a half quart, maybe closer to a full quart.

Instructor seemed to be in agreement that the drop in mileage probably resulted from the overfull oil. Have to fill up in the next day or 2 and we'll see what it does now.

Any other experiences like this?

 

Ya winter sucks. It also goes down in winter because you need to warm up the engine which "wastes" gas.

 

Not trying to step on toes but I do respectfully disagree.

Running AC is known to suck down the gas and I was getting better MPGs with the AC cranking than I am now. I just can't buy the "denser air" part. Sure, it's colder and the air is dense, but in the summer is the weather not humid and heavy (dense)? Around here the humidity really just chokes ya' it's so thick.

As far as oil goes. I'm going to put in how much it takes to get a reading between the markings on the dipstick. I put 6 qts in, I clearly had overfull oil. Would you drive around like that?

We'll see how the next tank of gas goes.

 

To answer the oil "overfull" question, I think I read on the 2nd gen forum that our trucks read overfull when they actually are at the right level? That's what I understood. Other cars have had this in the past, I believe the Mustangs went through a period where the 5.0 did the same thing...?

 

I put in 5.5 Qts with new filter and I read dead middle on the dip stick (as long as a get a good read from it). I have never had any issues or a engine oil light come on.

 

The air density phenomenon is a reality. Just ask a drag racer why his ET's change as the temps cool. How much it affects mpg, I don't know for sure.
I am sure that they use up to 10% ethanol in your gas during the winter, in cold areas. Ethanol doesn't provide as much power as gasoline. Less power=more fuel to do the same work...

 

Not only the air density change with temp and humidity, but winter gas, because of the additives, will lower MPGs.

 

It takes only 5 qts to bring the level on the dipstick to just below the full mark on my truck. I put six in the first time I changed oil, and it was WAY overfull. Next time I tried 5.5 qt and it was still above the full mark. Now I just use 5 qt and call it a day.

 

i use 4 quarts and call it a day, have been doing that on this truck and my 94 toyota p/u. so far no issues. Is this something wrong with using 4, it reads fine to me

 

I got to thinking....

The 2nd Gen V6 4.0 Takes 5.5 qts of oil, Even the 1st Gen V6 took 5.5

And yet a smaller engine takes more oil?

I"ll just buy a 5 gallon jug next time and roll with that. MIght need a little more but when it's between the marks, I'm cool. I'm good on overfull oil. Air is not a good lubricant.

 

I use 5.5 quarts to get to full on the dipstick using a K&N filter. I buy 6 quarts. I use about half a quart to fill the filter, screw it on and pour the other 5 full quarts in the motor. I followed the manual and used 6 quarts including filter and it was way up on the dipstick. Either the dipstick needs to be different if it indeed needs full 6 quarts or the manual needs to say 5.5 quarts including filter. Also, the dipstick sucks ass trying to get good reading any other time than after truck sitting overnight and reading it before running it. Any 2nd attempts are smeared and ends up being guesswork. As far as the ethanol comments above, there's 10% year round if not more some places. Winter gas has other shit besides ethanol that lowers mpg. Who is lucky enough to not have ethanol in their gas nowadays? I've gone to rural places and pumps even say 10%, sucks.

 

If you go down a few threads you’ll see “what I discovered on the oil level capacity”

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/4-cylinder/50832-what-i-discovered-oil-level-capacity.html

This seems fairly definitive that the specs are correct and the stick is wrong. I use 6 qrts and the larger v6 filter. This I4 is supposed to be bombproof, so 6qrts makes sense in terms of keeping the motor running a little cooler. The motor is found in many Toyota vehicles all around the world but especially in hot climates.

To the previous poster (Cappy Cap) using 4 qrts, this is probably a big mistake

 

6 qts is what the 2011 manual calls for and my first change seemed to verify that.

 

Changed oil again Saturday and used a 5 qt jug of Quaker State Ultimate Durability Synthetic. With the D1 filter it filled to just below the full mark. Either there are bad dipsticks out there, or it just really does not matter if that 6th qt is needed. IMHO the 6 qt number is for a dry fill. Not a normal oil change.

 

I don't see it.

O2 sensors, knock sensors, MAF, fuel injection and computer all conspire to maintain perfect (or as close to perfect as feasible) stochiometric fuel mix, warm or cold.

Cold air, being denser, can take more fuel and generate more power from a given cylinder charge volume while still maintaining stochiometric. But to accomplish the same amount of work (cruising the same mass/air resistance at the same speed) you'd compensate with less pedal, i.e., more efficient operation.

But what I DO see is that when cold it has to be a lot richer until the engine warms so the computer juices it more (the same as the choke did on old carburetors). An unavoidable hit to emissions during warm up: that's why some motors have an AIR pump to inject oxygen-rich air into the hot exhaust gasses to light off the unburned fuel before hitting the CAT's. But once warm it's back leaning it out to stochiometric for emissions and the AIR pump is no longer needed.

Also: people idle longer trying to warm it up. that's probably the biggest hit to MPG in winter.

But on-topic: I can't imagine the 2.7 being so finicky on oil fill that 1/2 quart is affecting anything. Could be wrong though: but if the oil isn't frothy on the dip stick then nothing is likely happening from it.

Not that I suggest anyone do it all the time since, like all safety margins, it should never be exploited in normal operation. My approach to oil changes is always fill 1/2 qt. LESS than the book says then start up, check for leaks, clean up and top off.

 

after reading this thread i had to do an oil change anyways. bought 5 qts and some additive which is like a 1/2 qt. so now runnin 5.5 qts and it does actually drive much better now. so good thing i read this post, will be using 5.5 gts now as far as the dipstick goes, i agree they need to have a better one.
thanks OP for startin this thread.

 

While my oil is draining i crack open a bottle and begin to fill my filter up, i get quite a bit in there almost half. The fibers will absorb it if you let it sit for a few seconds. This is not needed but i find doing this then using the rest of the 5.5 qts tends to be a good level. As always running a little low is going to be better then overfilled.....whatever that is on this engine.

 

I still really just don't agree with the whole hot air/cold air aspect.

A CAI. A COLD AIR intake. Cold air...

We're talking about density of air, cold air is more dense, so it hurts the gas mileage? What happens inside the cylinder on the compression stroke? Does it not compress the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder? When you compress air, it becomes denser, does it not? Leads to a better combusition.

I'm watching this thing on the new Ford F150 EcoBoost engine and Mike Rowe is going on about the engine getting cooler, denser air into the combustion chamber.

I think the idea that my gas mileage went down b/c of the outside temp just really...

I'm still trying to find something. I put a different air filter in. The Napa one I had was really thick as compared to the one I replaced. I put something in that was a little closer to the original.

I got the Fuel Injector resistance value, going to check those. There was an incident where I was at a drive thru, put truck in park, forgot, raced the engine for a second thinking I was still in drive.

I painted my exhasut tip and part of the tail pipe and a little bit of the muffler, but that shouldn't have much of an effect I would think.