BRZ oil dipstick level?
 

Recently got a used BRZ in nice condition. A dealership had changed the oil - I have receipt. I checked this morning and the oil level is above the high mark on the dipstick. Is this normal? Maybe I am missing some key step in checking BRZ oil level?

Here is the thing - recently my wife brought her new Kia Soul to a dealer for an oil change, and that arrived back also over the fill limit by over half a quart. What gives? I don't know much about new cars, but with my old cars I checked the oil level when the engine was cold to be sure all the oil had drained into the pan.

Maybe I am behind the times with these new cars? Or else two different dealerships have overfilled my vehicles (which seems low odds).

Thanks for any advice on how to do what in the past was easy - check the oil level, lol.

Are you checking it hot or cold?

The engine had been turned on for a few minutes a couple hours earlier. So I would say basically cold engine.

Are you letting the car warm up before checking the oil?
Also make sure you're reading the oil dipstick out and not elevating it after unsheathing it; read it from the orientation you remove it from to be sure oil does not run UP the dipstick.

I have no doubt that they may have overfilled it, but be sure you've doing both of the above items I mentioned.

No I was not letting the engine warm up before checking. I've never done that on any of my older 90/80/70s cars.

I was just reading the BRZ (2014) user manual. It says:
1) Park engine on level ground
2) Warm up engine (not sure if that means full operating temp or not)
3) Turn off engine and wait at least 5 minutes for oil to drain back to pan
4) Check level

I'll replicate those steps and report back the result.

lazy auto techs, probably just set their oil gun to the recommended value and sent 'er home, I wouldn't worry about it, it's a subaru, 6k miles into the oil change and you'll be below the high mark anyway, feel free to drain and replace if it helps you sleep easier at night, you're probably checking it just fine.

I warmed up the BRZ engine to near operating temperature. Then let the vehicle sit turned off for 10 minutes on our flat driveway. Then I checked the oil level.

Man this dipstick has to be the most difficult to read of all my vehicles. Probably the hot oil didn't help.

Here are two photos showing each side of the dipstick, with green line showing where the oil appeared to reach. Sorry one ended up blurry. I dipped and cleaned the dipstick many times (at least 20) and these photos represent generally the reading.

To me oil level seems too high. Normally on all my other vehicles current and past, I had the oil level between the high/low marks (generally near but not past the high mark).

I'm assuming those two holes in the dipstick represent the high/low marks?

Oh no. Sorry dude car is totaled.
I wouldn't even bother with trying to fix it. One a car is over filled with oil, it's only a matter of time when the engine explode. And the way it explodes the shrapnel will all go to your nuts.

So for the love of saving your nuts, I'll do you a favor. I'll buy your pos for $300. I'll even pick it up.

Sorry about your totaled car.

Too late I sold it $100 to the kid next door for parts. ;)

@indio22
Awww that's a shame.

yup, overfilled, if you're feeling dextrous enough to try just pulling the plug for a moment and letting half a quart out go for it.

Looks about 1/2 quart high. I think it will be fine.

That is one of the reasons why I always do basic maintenance myself.

BRZ oil dipstick level?
 

You can do an oil change on these cars using an $80 fluid pump. The oil filter is at the top of the engine. I’ve done this for many years. There are lots of YouTube videos on this method. Don’t trust someone else to do this when it’s so easy to do yourself.

You can use this pump to remove the excess oil for this situation.

The Fumoto Valve is also very useful and makes the oil change on these cars hassle free.

Personally, I'd call the dealer and tell them that according to the dipstick, they overfilled your oil. Now, either they drain/fill to correct level or tell you it's ok, and ask them to email you that reply so they are responsible.

Using 0W20 oil, overfilling will allow the crank to dip into the oil pan as the car moves, possibly causing the oil to foam up. Not sure otherwise what is the detriment but that is added resistance inside the engine.

You would have to go quarts over for the level to hit the crank in this engine. Just FYI.

Another thing to keep in mind is 0w20 is so thin, it’s easy for it to move up and down on the dipstick. So I’ve found it’s difficult to get an accurate read. If it’s a little above the highest fill mark I wouldn’t worry. Mine pretty much always reads that way. I usually check after I’ve been driving for a while, turn off the car, and wait 5-10 minutes before checking the level.
I also don’t lose very much oil at all between changes, which is surprising with such thin oil.
I use either the Toyota/Subaru 0w20 or Mobil1


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I take that back OP, your first picture makes it look like it’s WAY overfilled. That wouldn’t be a good thing, and I would drain some oil to be safe. And check the oil level again before you drive. Typically my car reads just slightly above the highest fill mark, or right at the line.


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I'm going to change the oil myself, just to be sure and because I recently bought the car. Start with a clean slate.

I read through the oil threads in this forum and man, lots of differing opinions on oil brands, lol. I'll try "Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy Full Synthetic Motor Oil 0W-20" from Walmart 5.8qts.

Reading various discussion here, seems like most people recommend using a Subaru oil filter rather than aftermarket. But there might be two kinds, blue and black (latter supposedly from Japan).

Should I just go to a Subaru dealer and have them give me the correct filter, or is that too pricey? Where do people usually get their filter? I saw this on Amazon for the black version:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...KIKX0DER&psc=1

They are listed on eBay for less.

I got a three pack with washers for the drain plug.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-Subaru-...53.m2749.l2649

opinion and preference. it's all just opinion and preference.

i believe every single oil that is sold in america must have a label about how it conforms with the SAE and API standards. from the bargain-bin 'walmart' oil, to the premium products like royal purple.

scroll down to 'motor oil designations', and API/ILSAC "starburst":
https://www.pennzoil.com/en_us/educa...ended-use.html

by those standards, the bargain walmart oil offers no difference in performance than the most premium of oils. any choice in oil over the store-brand stuff is purely for your personal comfort.

and filters aren't all that different either. while more premium filters do in fact offer some other filtering options, as someone once told me, "even chicken wire can filter 0.1 micron particles if you test it right".

change it at the required intervals, live your life. anything beyond that is pedantic for the interest of being pedantic.

i personally use castrol synthetic, and purolator boss filters, but it's solely to make myself feel better, and only deny that to myself.

I ended up ordering one of the black genuine Subaru oil filters online - and it arrived today dented. Not badly dented, but two dents on the top nevertheless. I don't particularly feel like putting a dented oil filter on my BRZ.

So now I've got to return that dented filter, and I don't want to wait around for another one in the mail. I can go to Subaru dealer and buy a genuine oil filter (probably the blue version people don't seem to recommend). Or go 3rd party filter.

I've read that genuine Subaru filter matters - and that it does not. What a pain just to change some oil. I never cared much about oil or filter with my older 4x4s. Just used whatever.

My local dealer stocks the black filter for the BRZ.

Thanks for the tip. Called my local dealer and yep they had the black filters - so I picked up two. Also got the little drain plug crush ring. I had been planning to re-use the existing ring. This is first time I recall any of my vehicles having a drain plug crush ring.

Regarding the oil level, my car has been serviced at Toyota Brussels and at the most knowledgeable (and only!) 86 specialist in France, and both of them always fill the car to about the level shown by OP.

I've come to believe this is more or less standard procedure for oil changes on these cars.

If you really care, you can buy a cheep pump driven by a drill that has a 1/4 in line for the inlet. You put it down the dip stick hole. It is sold at most auto parts stores for draining inboard boat motors. I think under $20. They are kind of a one time pump. The rubber vanes seem to fail no matter what i flush with.

The dipstick is hard to read on this car. What I normally do is drive the car a few miles to normal temps then park on a flat area for 10 - 20 min. Then check the dipstick. There should be a diagonal “dry” line on the dipstick on both sides. That is where the oil level is. Tried to take a picture of mine but didn’t show well in the photo.

Discussions about engine oil make my head hurt, it’s ridiculous. [emoji28] I think any good 0w20 will work just fine. I have a little extra peace of mind with Toyota oil and the black Subaru filter. Mobil1 has never let me down either, I’ve used it in every car I own. Except for my GTI that “required” some Euro spec Castrol oil.


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I used a Toyota filter for my most recent oil change and that should be fine too. Couple dollars cheaper, still made by Denso, straight from their parts department.

Thanks I appreciate all the advice. I changed the BRZ oil over the weekend, using a black OEM Subaru filter and crush ring from my local dealer. I put in 5.8 US Qts of Mobile 1 Extended Performance 5w-20 oil. Showing just slightly above the top hole in the dipstick. I'm fine with that, nowhere near as high as before.

I can't explain why some oil change shops and even dealerships are filling the oil so high. My wife's Kia Soul came back from the dealership 3/4 of a quart overfilled. The Kia takes 4.23 US Qts and maybe the dealership mistakenly installed 5 Qts.

I'll go back to changing my own oil. Now I just need to find a gas station in the Chicago area with reasonable cost premium fuel, preferably in the western suburbs. Bites that Chicago area has some of the highest cost premium fuel in the country.

They are being lazy and using a digital dispenser. You either set it to fill to the programmed amount, or the gauge displays how much you are pumping in and you stop at the level in the manual.

To be fair, I know a lot of people who do this to their own personal cars.


5.5 quarts? Just dump the entire thing in there without checking levels.

I would drain it off or just swap in a new filter.


years ago, on a benz wagon at the first service, the dealer tech didn't know the prop shaft on the 4-matic wagons was a different oil pan. the extra quart and a half fouled the cats.