Honda Car Forum

My accord with 130k is using between 1/4-1/2 quart of oil a month.
I was told by many that engines with this age typically do require a
top-off each month of motor oil. Is there some type of gadget that you
can attach to the top of the oil bottle to make measuring a bit
easier? Often I have to add a little oil, then run the engine a bit
and then check the dipstick again and repeat to get the oil level to a
desired level again. Just want to save some time

In article <97d41df6.0407041133.54296cc4@posting.google.com >,
piclistguy@yahoo.com (Sanjay Punjab) wrote:

>My accord with 130k is using between 1/4-1/2 quart of oil a month.
>I was told by many that engines with this age typically do require a
>top-off each month of motor oil. Is there some type of gadget that you
>can attach to the top of the oil bottle to make measuring a bit
>easier? Often I have to add a little oil, then run the engine a bit
>and then check the dipstick again and repeat to get the oil level to a
>desired level again. Just want to save some time

Why would you have to run the engine a bit to check the oil? That's about
the worst thing to do when trying to get an accurate reading on the
dipstick!

"Sanjay Punjab" <piclistguy@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:97d41df6.0407041133.54296cc4@posting.google.c om...
> My accord with 130k is using between 1/4-1/2 quart of oil a month.
> I was told by many that engines with this age typically do require a
> top-off each month of motor oil. Is there some type of gadget that you
> can attach to the top of the oil bottle to make measuring a bit
> easier? Often I have to add a little oil, then run the engine a bit
> and then check the dipstick again and repeat to get the oil level to a
> desired level again. Just want to save some time

usually the space on the dipstick between "add" and "full" represents one
quart. So what I do is estimate. If the dipstick says it is 4/10th quarts
low, and 1/10th of a quart equals 3.2 oz (a full quart is 32 oz.), I take
0.4 times 3.2 oz, and get 12.8 oz. which I round off to 13 oz. On the side
of the quart there is a scale in ounces. So I take 32 minus 13 and get 19.
So when the I think I have hit about 19 oz, I stop and check the oil quart.
If you are off a little bit, it doesn't matter. Just don't go below the
"add" line.

There's nothing wrong with the reply below, but IMHO, you don't need to
add oil until you are one full Qt low. So I just wait until I get to
the "add" line, then add 1qt. Now, if I was planning a long trip and I
wanted to start off "full", then I would do the estimate thing described
below, I just wouldn't do this say every saturday rain or shine. -PapaRick

---------------------------------------------------------------

Julie P. wrote:
> "Sanjay Punjab" <piclistguy@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:97d41df6.0407041133.54296cc4@posting.google.c om...
>
>>My accord with 130k is using between 1/4-1/2 quart of oil a month.
>>I was told by many that engines with this age typically do require a
>>top-off each month of motor oil. Is there some type of gadget that you
>>can attach to the top of the oil bottle to make measuring a bit
>>easier? Often I have to add a little oil, then run the engine a bit
>>and then check the dipstick again and repeat to get the oil level to a
>>desired level again. Just want to save some time
>
>
> usually the space on the dipstick between "add" and "full" represents one
> quart. So what I do is estimate. If the dipstick says it is 4/10th quarts
> low, and 1/10th of a quart equals 3.2 oz (a full quart is 32 oz.), I take
> 0.4 times 3.2 oz, and get 12.8 oz. which I round off to 13 oz. On the side
> of the quart there is a scale in ounces. So I take 32 minus 13 and get 19.
> So when the I think I have hit about 19 oz, I stop and check the oil quart.
> If you are off a little bit, it doesn't matter. Just don't go below the
> "add" line.
>
>

--
PapaRick Colombo@Ameritech.net /(Home) <or> Colombo@fnal.gov /(Work)
1972 MGB (Blue/Black top), 1.8L inline 4-cyl engine
1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme International (w/3.1L engine)
1993 Bronco 351EFI E4OD/BW1356 D44-Ford8.8/open 2"-lift 35"-tires
1996 Jaguar XJ6, w/4.0L 6cyl inline, ABS/Trac_Control, 3.54 gears

Sanjay Punjab wrote:

> My accord with 130k is using between 1/4-1/2 quart of oil a month.

wait 2 mos, add a whole quart

On 4 Jul 2004 12:33:42 -0700, piclistguy@yahoo.com (Sanjay Punjab) wrote:

>My accord with 130k is using between 1/4-1/2 quart of oil a month.
>I was told by many that engines with this age typically do require a
>top-off each month of motor oil. Is there some type of gadget that you
>can attach to the top of the oil bottle to make measuring a bit
>easier? Often I have to add a little oil, then run the engine a bit
>and then check the dipstick again and repeat to get the oil level to a
>desired level again. Just want to save some time

You don't need to run the engine - IMO the spec for checking hot after
allowing a few minutes for drainback is just a convenience for that...
checking while still hot. You'll get about the same reading on the
dipstick if you check cold, i.e. with full drainback, which is more
convenient for the DIYer.

You don't have to be that accurate - when I see the level has gone below
1/2 way between the max & min marks, I add 1/2 quart - easily seen from the
marks on the side of the bottle. If you go on a long trip shove a bottle
of oil in the trunk.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

Sanjay Punjab wrote:
>
> My accord with 130k is using between 1/4-1/2 quart of oil a month.
> I was told by many that engines with this age typically do require a
> top-off each month of motor oil. Is there some type of gadget that you
> can attach to the top of the oil bottle to make measuring a bit
> easier? Often I have to add a little oil, then run the engine a bit
> and then check the dipstick again and repeat to get the oil level to a
> desired level again. Just want to save some time

If you've done it more than about 3 times, you should have a pretty good
idea how much oil to add.
Why do you run the engine?

Some times, the gas station will have those disposable paper funnels. I
usually grab a few for future use.

Pars

Sanjay Punjab wrote:
>
> My accord with 130k is using between 1/4-1/2 quart of oil a month.
> I was told by many that engines with this age typically do require a
> top-off each month of motor oil. Is there some type of gadget that you
> can attach to the top of the oil bottle to make measuring a bit
> easier? Often I have to add a little oil, then run the engine a bit
> and then check the dipstick again and repeat to get the oil level to a
> desired level again. Just want to save some time

"=?x-user-defined?Q?=AB?= Paul =?x-user-defined?Q?=BB?=" <ysatp@houston.rr.com> wrote in message news:<40E889B7.59094534@houston.rr.com>...
> Sanjay Punjab wrote:
> >
> > My accord with 130k is using between 1/4-1/2 quart of oil a month.
> > I was told by many that engines with this age typically do require a
> > top-off each month of motor oil. Is there some type of gadget that you
> > can attach to the top of the oil bottle to make measuring a bit
> > easier? Often I have to add a little oil, then run the engine a bit
> > and then check the dipstick again and repeat to get the oil level to a
> > desired level again. Just want to save some time

The dip stick's markings, "Add" & "Full" give you enough margin to
allow the 1/4 qrt. to be enough. Even if the level is not to the
"Full" mark, you're better off if it's not more than full.
The Amsoil container I use has a strip that lets you see how much of
the bottle is left after a top-up.

You are very likely to ruin your engine doing that.

Overfilling an engine is the worst thing you should do and you 'are'
overfilling it.

The oil should be checked cold in the morning before you drive it. When
it gets down to the 'add' mark, you then put in a full quart. It does
not need oil in between. If it did, the oil companies would sell the
oil in a container with a window like 2 stroke oil is sold.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Sanjay Punjab wrote:
>
> My accord with 130k is using between 1/4-1/2 quart of oil a month.
> I was told by many that engines with this age typically do require a
> top-off each month of motor oil. Is there some type of gadget that you
> can attach to the top of the oil bottle to make measuring a bit
> easier? Often I have to add a little oil, then run the engine a bit
> and then check the dipstick again and repeat to get the oil level to a
> desired level again. Just want to save some time