What is the difference between add and full on the dipstick?

[johneich]

83 was down to add, I put in a quart and it barley rose, drove it for a while, it was the same, so I put in a quart and a half, it now shows just a little bit more, its about one quarter of the way from add to full, i.e. its still mostly low, just a bit above the add line.

Does it take nearly a gallon to go from add to full?

 

[Optikalillushun]

u should check these warm after letting it sit for 15-20 minutes so it all drains back into the pan, so the oil expandes. if u add to much cold and it expandes it can blow out seals n stuff. So i was told in diesel tech school. only pertains to higher capacity engines ike diesels.

 

[johneich]

u should check these warm,

I checked it warm, put in the quart yesterday, drove it up to operating temp, warmed it up this morning, just barley above add, added 1.5 quart, drove for two hours, shut off for 1/2 hour, checked level and its just a bit more than add???

I am trying to be careful not to over fill, but I have put in 2.5 quarts now and the level has barley moved, am I missing something (simple)?

Filling with oil is not supposed to be hard?

 

[Optikalillushun]

Hmm, well as long as u were checking it right i dont know what else to say. We have this problem with out 66 Fairlane as well. Seems the dipstick isnt correct for ours.

FWIW, i needed to add oil to my diesel and it was just at the add mark. I put in 2 quarts roughly, was what was left from an oil change, and its almost to the full mark.

 

[rjjp]

Mine is 2 quarts from add to full.

 

[wmoguy]

Make sure the dipstick tube hasnt pulled loose from the bung on the oil pan. mine did this a few months back and had me scratching my head for a few minutes.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

1985 6.9 engine is 1/2-gallon = two-quarts from ADD to FULL

Usually, it is best to run the level as close to center between those two marks.

Constantly trying to maintain FULL will usually result in the engine itself trying to compensate the level back to the mid-point, thus the loss of oil.

Don't ask me for the specifics and scientifics behind this; I am only repeating what I have been told numerous times concerning various types of engines, be they gas or diesel.

This reasoning is also why later dip-sticks say only "SAFE" between the marks and not "ADD" and "FULL".

The factory manual on my 6BT states a 3-gallon oil and filter change.

After an oil and filter change, adding 3-gallons will put the level dead-center between the marks on the dip-stick.

By the way, that dip-stick says "SAFE".

 

[gdhillon]

I would say mine is 3/4 from the full mark so should I just monitor it and let it drop to halfway point a.d then maintain it there?

 

[h2odrx]

ADD = add
FULL = don't add

 

[jmac212]

My dipstick says something like " Add line denotes 2 quarts", which is 2 quarts from full.

 

[rhkcommander]

my dipstick is always coated in oil... i think blowby is leaking up it

 

[mattplumber]

1985 6.9 engine is 1/2-gallon = two-quarts from ADD to FULL

Usually, it is best to run the level as close to center between those two marks.

Constantly trying to maintain FULL will usually result in the engine itself trying to compensate the level back to the mid-point, thus the loss of oil.

Don't ask me for the specifics and scientifics behind this; I am only repeating what I have been told numerous times concerning various types of engines, be they gas or diesel.

This reasoning is also why later dip-sticks say only "SAFE" between the marks and not "ADD" and "FULL".

The factory manual on my 6BT states a 3-gallon oil and filter change.

After an oil and filter change, adding 3-gallons will put the level dead-center between the marks on the dip-stick.

By the way, that dip-stick says "SAFE".

Maybe this is why ive been burning 2 quarts a month? Ive been maintaining the add mark and its drinking oil till it gets a hair above the ADD line in the cross-hatching then it stops burning it that badly
Maybe ive been overfilling the hell out of it.................

 

[OLDBULL8]

my dipstick is always coated in oil... i think blowby is leaking up it

With a clean rag or paper towel, wipe the residual oil off the dip stick, re-insert dip stick, pull back out, the oil coating on the dip stick should then show the oil level, if below the add mark add two quarts and re-check.