Oil capacity - is it to full line?

[Ferrousfe]

Hi All,

This might be a silly question, but since the dip stick is so nuanced to read I thought I'd ask!

If I do an oil change and fill to the capacity specified in the handbook will it (or should it) be effectively at the "full" line?

Also, is the 3.7L/3.5L inclusive of oil in the actual filter? In the sense that if I fill up the filter before fitting, would I then presumably only need to put 3.5L in via the oil cap after?

I've changed oil before but normally I'm much more comfortable relying on the dip stick to tell me how close I am to fully filled.

Thanks all!

[Ardent]

3.7 includes the filter.
3.7 will land you nicely at the F on the stick.

I usually go a little under, to account for anything left in and check and top up a day after.

You could pre fill and 3.5 would then be about right.
Too much trouble for me.
But then I do actually measure out the oil and add 1 litre at a time from a measuring jug.

Edit.
There has been a recent post on here the toyota filters have changed in size.  Smaller. So maybe less than 3.7 now?

[Joesson]

I like to pre fill the filter, particularly having noticed how long it takes to soak up the oil. With the 2's dip stick being as it is I use a measuring jug and a modified funnel to re fill.

Edit.
Pre filling the filter makes even more sense if the filter capacity is in question. Fill the filter and then 3.5 L is what should go into the sump, but gradually.

[Beachbum957]

It is not always possible to completely drain the oil, so fill to the full line.  Start the engine to make sure everything is full and then let the car sit for quite a while. Then recheck the oil level with the car sitting on a level surface and top off. I like to let it sit for at least 15 minutes before a recheck and then recheck again after an overnight.

Prefilling a filter is a controversial topic.

The first thing to consider is a filter will fill very quickly on start up, so not prefilling does not starve the engine of oil. Many engines will fill the filter even before the engine fires.  The second thing to consider is prefilling normally is done in the center section which is the output side of the filter, so that first amount of oil that will be pulled from the filter is unfiltered oil.  There are standards of cleanliness for new oils, but how clean is your method to fill the filter?

So the choice is adding unfiltered oil to the system on startup, or allowing a very short period for oil to fill a filter. Some companies even mount the filter upside down so they can't be prefilled so they obviously are more concerned about unfiltered oil being added than a very short period to fill the filter on startup.

Basically, a personal choice based on what worries you the most.  On our engines with a small filter, it probably doesn't matter much which method is used.

[Dev]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. There is a dry fill value and a wet fill value that varies greatly and it often confuses owners sometimes that their car has taken less or more oil than what the book says.
 The most important thing is what the dipstick says and it is far more harmful to over fill the oil than to slightly under fill it.

[Ardent]

Bearing in mind. The difference between the F and the L mark on the stick equates to 1.3 litres.
So you have a bit of wiggle room.

As above. Better to Underfill and top up. Than overfill.

[Ferrousfe]

Thank you for all your replies everyone, I hadn't even considered the prospect of unfiltered oil getting passed through the engine!

I think I'm overthinking it, I'll just underfill by a little and then work up from there, as 1.3L is a huge range and would probably struggle to underfill it unless being completely careless.

Appreciate the replies, something to do when(if) the weather picks up!

[Alex Knight]

Bearing in mind. The difference between the F and the L mark on the stick equates to 1.3 litres.
So you have a bit of wiggle room.

As above. Better to Underfill and top up. Than overfill.

I actually thought it was 1.0L?

[Ardent]

is it different on a 2zz?

[JohnGee]

Bearing in mind. The difference between the F and the L mark on the stick equates to 1.3 litres.

@Ardent Sorry, got to ask, have you arrived at this figure through some sort of elaborate dimension measurement and calculation or through repeated top ups using your 1l jug?

[1979scotte]

Bearing in mind. The difference between the F and the L mark on the stick equates to 1.3 litres.

@Ardent Sorry, got to ask, have you arrived at this figure through some sort of elaborate dimension measurement and calculation or through repeated top ups using your 1l jug?

Is it in the owners manual?

[JohnGee]

Is it in the owners manual?

Mmmm, why didn't I think of that ......

[Ardent]

I have read it somewhere. Either the manual as @1979scotte suggests or the resources on here. But definitely a real figure, not something made up by me.

What I have calculated, each 1mm below the F mark = 50ml of oil required.

[Zxrob]

I fill mine to the F level, simples

Never have I managed to drain the spec capacity out of an engine with an oil and filter change, there will always be residue oil left in

Pre filling filters, new one on me, never read that in any owners or workshop manual

Rob

[Dev]

I cant confirm the accuracy of this sticker but it was made by an owner that worked it out and had them printed for the enthusiast community. He had me distribute them since I have a lot of traffic and in return I would make a $1 profit on each after shipping, taxes and stationary. I trust him because he is extremely meticulous but I never confirmed because I fill by feel. A few that use the sticker said it was on the money.
You cannot view this attachment.

 Also just to add more controversy to the equation  some of the Toyota products that used the 1ZZ with the same oil pan revised the dipsticks to add more oil capacity. If it was a case of the wrong dipsticks that makes sense but if they revised the capacity its very odd that our car was not included.
 I do know that with the 1ZZ dipstick for the 2ZZ is slightly longer in relation to the oil pan from someone that measured. It could be possible that the 1ZZ is also too long but that is just speculation.   

https://testing-public.carmd.com/Tsb/Download/27986/T-SB-0134-08

[Call the midlife!]

Bearing in mind. The difference between the F and the L mark on the stick equates to 1.3 litres.
So you have a bit of wiggle room.

As above. Better to Underfill and top up. Than overfill.

I actually thought it was 1.0L?

Same here, always had it as 1 litre but I generally just chuck in 500ml every 300 miles or so...

[Ardent]

My more basic oil chart.
https://1drv.ms/x/s!AjKQRUlKMbdSjEUJWqs9tuzICqWr

[Joesson]

My more basic oil chart.
https://1drv.ms/x/s!AjKQRUlKMbdSjEUJWqs9tuzICqWr

Please don't show us advanced, my brain might explode.

[Joesson]

@Dev
That sticker info agrees  with @Ardent 's 1.3 L on the stick.
As for difference between 1zz and 2zz dipstick/ oil capacity, at least one Member on here found out the difference the hard way.

[tricky1138]

Bearing in mind. The difference between the F and the L mark on the stick equates to 1.3 litres.
So you have a bit of wiggle room.

As above. Better to Underfill and top up. Than overfill.

I actually thought it was 1.0L?

Must admit I thought it was 1.0l too. Every day is a school day.

Having just done mine, using the new smaller filter, I put about 3.3l in and thought I had overfilled it. But after starting it and running it for a while it was def just on the F line. Guess it may have come down a little after putting some in the filter.

Next time I'm in the garage I will confirm exactly how much is left in my 5l bottle.

[Alex Knight]

Bearing in mind. The difference between the F and the L mark on the stick equates to 1.3 litres.
So you have a bit of wiggle room.

As above. Better to Underfill and top up. Than overfill.

I actually thought it was 1.0L?

Same here, always had it as 1 litre but I generally just chuck in 500ml every 300 miles or so...

Blimey. My 2ZZ never needs topping up, even after a trackday.

[Call the midlife!]

Bearing in mind. The difference between the F and the L mark on the stick equates to 1.3 litres.
So you have a bit of wiggle room.

As above. Better to Underfill and top up. Than overfill.

I actually thought it was 1.0L?

Same here, always had it as 1 litre but I generally just chuck in 500ml every 300 miles or so...

Blimey. My 2ZZ never needs topping up, even after a trackday.

You can't be trying hard enough 🤓

I might have a slight burning issue 😂

[JohnGee]

My more basic oil chart.
https://1drv.ms/x/s!AjKQRUlKMbdSjEUJWqs9tuzICqWr

Wow, great graph, so are you saying that the "gap" from E to F is 27mm on the stick, that there's a linear relationship between these 2 points and that each mm represents 48ml? How did you figure that last part out?

[Joesson]

My more basic oil chart.
https://1drv.ms/x/s!AjKQRUlKMbdSjEUJWqs9tuzICqWr

Wow, great graph, so are you saying that the "gap" from E to F is 27mm on the stick, that there's a linear relationship between these 2 points and that each mm represents 48ml? How did you figure that last part out?

If 1296 ml is represented by 27mm then 1296/27 = 48ml

[1979scotte]

Bearing in mind. The difference between the F and the L mark on the stick equates to 1.3 litres.
So you have a bit of wiggle room.

As above. Better to Underfill and top up. Than overfill.

I actually thought it was 1.0L?

Same here, always had it as 1 litre but I generally just chuck in 500ml every 300 miles or so...

Blimey. My 2ZZ never needs topping up, even after a trackday.

Yours is very reliable.