How much oil do you really put into your 4.0?

So does anyone find it annoying that you can buy 5 qt jugs of oil, but the 4.0 takes 5.5 qts?

Who just puts in 5 qts and calls it good? I tried it yesterday after starting it up and the oil sat about a 1/4' below the full mark. If I'm not burning oil, why should I bother cracking open another single oil bottle for 1/2 qt so it can sit there. What do you do?

Yes, I realize it's not a big deal for some, but sometimes the question just has to be asked...
I've also read and experienced that having less oil is better than having it overfilled. Less chance of blowing seals, etc.

 

5.5qts is what i put in and thats with a new filter

 

I buy two 5qt jugs so i dont get screwed on the price of a single

 

I just buy another jug and use a half quart each time.

 

My books say 5.5, I put 5.5 and usually end up right between the marks on the stick. I use the same oil if not the same brand each time and the .5 gets used a few months later. I tend to change at 4000mi.

 

I think I use close to 6, but I don't remember, only done it once so far. I also use a longer filter, Wix 51516.

What it uses doesn't much bother me, I use the same oil in my Forester, and the same filter on my lawn mower, so I try to keep at least 1 filter and 1+change 5qt. of oil on hand... I buy Edge HM from Walmart cuz it's relatively cheap, but finding it in stock on the shelf is a little bit of a crapshoot, so I try not to need to run out for it.

 

I pour in a 5 qt jug, run it for a minute or two, then check the oil level and top off if necessary.

 

5.5. I buy the 6qt pack from Costco.

 

It takes 5.2 litres, so l put in 5.2 litres
l buy one 4 litre jug and two x1 litre bottles. I just keep the partial bottle for topping up the partial litre next time.

 

Is it really too much trouble (and work) to add another 0.5 qrts of oil? What other items do you "shortcut" when you service your vehicle??

 

Even though it’s more economical to have an extra 5 quart jug on hand for the half quart top offs, I just buy a quart every other time. I’m weird, I don’t really like the idea of having multiple quarts of oil in an opened container anywhere. Makes me paranoid about spills. It’s also easier to tell that I’m pouring a half quart when it’s from a quart bottle.

 

I buy two 5 qt jugs, and then every oil change i pull .5 from my spare 5 qt jug, and just buy a new 5 qt jug every change until the extra is out then I buy two jugs at the next change. Your truck may not be burning oil now, but it happens with age.

For example, I drive an 05 tundra with the same motor as the tacoma. It only holds 5 quarts for some reason, I believe it has the shorter oil pan like the xrunners had. And it has 358k miles, so it burns oil. I change the oil every 3k, and when I am at 3k it’s close to the low mark on the stick.

Point is, if your truck starts burning oil, and you are already low from starting point, you may go below the low mark with out knowing. The solution here is to check your dipstick often, maybe every other fill up like a subaru. As long as you keep and eye on it and have extra oil if you need it, you will be fine.

 

5.5 quarts, with new OEM filter. Switching to Amazon’s oil very soon.

 

5qts everytime. Always at the full level on dipstick as well. Weird.

 

I'm more inclined to follow the advise of the mfg. than make up my own rules. I suppose there can be exceptions, but oil qty. is not one of them.

There are some 2WD models that call for 4.8 qts. That may be why some see the oil at the full mark using 5.0 qts.

Mine is right at the full mark with 5.5 qts. - PreRunner. If I used 5.0 qts., I would not be at the full mark.

 

I find it funny that the wife’s subaru, 2.0l na 4 cylinder, takes .4 quarts less oil than my 4.0l does.

 

Same

 

A 1/2 full quart bottle isn't open, the seal is broken but it's got a cap that threads right back on and won't spill even if it gets knocked off your garage shelf. It doesn't have to be 5.5 quarts to the 5th decimal place. If you use about 5.4 quarts it'll just be about 5.6 next time. It's close enough.

 

I add 5.5 qts. No idea what the dipstick tries to tell me since I've never had a clear reading on it in >140,000 miles. Tells me the color of the oil and that's it.

 

The quart is what I use to top off. Some people buy an extra 5 quart jug and play it out over 10 oil changes. Once the seal is broken I consider it open and any number of crazy things could happen at this point with the remaining 4.5 max quarts. This I know from experience. And I’m not worried about an exact .5 quarts but I can easily tell on the quart jug when I’ve used about half. Not so much with telling where 1/10 is on the 5 qt.