He started the engine cold which pumped the thick cold oil up in the engine.
It could take hours or even days to drain back down when cold. That is the
reason it showed so low after only two minutes. You should have brought it
up close to the bottom hole and run the engine until hot. Let it drain for
10 or 15 minutes and then check the level. Oil expands some when hot. Being
a half quart high won't hurt. If it had been a problem he would have seen
foaming on the dipstick because when too high the crank and connecting rods
hit the oil and whip it like a beaten egg. Explain to your son that the oil
should be checked at the least whenever he fuels the car. He should also
check all other fluids at the same time. If he doesn't drive much he should
check them weekly.


"Frank Boettcher" <fboettcher@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:ckk2s1t05v7c7pdfcp15hsee6jmgctq952@4ax.com...
>
> Son has 94 accord four cylinder VTEC. Was visiting for the holidays.
> As he was warming up the car to start back I asked if he had checked
> oil. He said, no good idea so we turned off the engine waited about
> two minutes and then checked. Showed more than a quart low. He was
> alarmed but had just driven over a thousand miles on a high mileage
> engine and assumed he had burned some. Put a quart in and checked it
> again and it showed within the two dipstick holes about three quarters
> of a way to the top hole.
>
> He called me on the road when he had stopped for lunch and said the
> dipstick then showed about a quarter inch over the full hole
> indicating probably a half quart or so too much. The engine on this
> check had been off for about thirty minutes. We assumed full drain
> back from the head and any other crevices in the engine.
>
> question:
>
> How long should you wait to get a reasonably accurate reading on a
> fully warm engine after turning it off?
>
> Is a half quart too much a problem. Should he drain it back to
> protect the seals?
>
> thanks
>
> Frank
>
>