Oil Capacity Question/Verification

[jfoj]

I know this issue may have been tossed around a bit, but I beleive there is something with the stated oil capacity for these engine.

Vehicle - 2024 Yukon Denali XL 6.2l gas engine. Everything I read indicated that the engine oil capacity is 8 qts with filter. Change initial oil at 500 miles, before changing checked dipstick and oil was full. Drained oil, change filter, being a bit conservitive I put 7 quarts in, started engine, let run about 5 minutes, shut engine off and check oil level. Nothing showing on dipstick. Added 8th qt, waited a bit, checked oil, nothing on dipstick. Started engine ran for about 15 minutes, shut off, again, checked dip stick, nothing showing. Waited until following morning, checked oil again, nothing showing on dipstick. Added a 9th quart of oil, now dipstick show full oil level. Have driven a bit and have checked oil several times and oil shows a full, not overfull.

So the question is has anyone else run into this situation? I do not want to hear all the published data indicated 8 quarts with filter, I know this and this is what I have seen EVERYWHERE, but clearly in my case, my vehicle took 9 quarts with filter and based on the level check before the oil drain, this is what I am going to contiue with.

Unclear if there is/was a typo in the spec documentation. I doubt the factory would even bother checking the oil level in the engine, they fill the engine as required, possibly over fill because of the engine oil cooler capacity required then once the engine is installed and started, the oil level is correct??

Would like to hear others perspective other than 8 quarts with filter is what the specs say. I have seen many wrong specs and typos over the years!

 

[Antonm]

It takes 8 quarts. I've done every oil change on our 6.2, its taken 8 quarts every time. I'm guessing you lost count of how many quarts you put in or mis-figured somewhere along the way.
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[jfoj]

Antonm, your 6.2 may take 8 quarts, but mine took 9 quarts. I appreciate you thinking I lost count of how many quarts I put in or misfigured something along the way, but I did neither. I had 2 5 quart containers and I used 1 quart to flush the cranckcase while the drain plug was still out and ended up using all 10 quarts for the total oil change. Please note that I did not flush with more than 1 qt, I was very specific in what I dispensed.

I will contine to confirm moving forward how much oil my engine requires in future oil changes.

I also understand the short reading area on the dipstick is difficult to read with fresh or clean oil. But I checked the dipstick multiple times, at multiple angles and even used the edge of a paper towel from the top down to confirm where the oil was on the dipstick.

The one possible difference on my vehicle is it has the Max Trailering Package with the Extra Capacity Cooling Sytem. It might be possible the engine has a slightly different/larger oil pan? It could be possible the engine oil cooler integrated into the larger radiator might hold more oil, but I would not have expected much, if any oil to drain from the oil cooler lines during the oil drain, but who knows?

Wise for everyone to verify the engine oil level after the oil change.

I have not had a chance to research any of this in detail as of yet but will check on part numbers to see if the Max Trailering Package impacts oil quantity.

 

[Antonm]

Antonm, your 6.2 may take 8 quarts, but mine took 9 quarts. I appreciate you thinking I lost count of how many quarts I put in or misfigured something along the way, but I did neither. I had 2 5 quart containers and I used 1 quart to flush the cranckcase while the drain plug was still out and ended up using all 10 quarts for the total oil change. Please note that I did not flush with more than 1 qt, I was very specific in what I dispensed.

I will contine to confirm moving forward how much oil my engine requires in future oil changes.

I also understand the short reading area on the dipstick is difficult to read with fresh or clean oil. But I checked the dipstick multiple times, at multiple angles and even used the edge of a paper towel from the top down to confirm where the oil was on the dipstick.

The one possible difference on my vehicle is it has the Max Trailering Package with the Extra Capacity Cooling Sytem. It might be possible the engine has a slightly different/larger oil pan? It could be possible the engine oil cooler integrated into the larger radiator might hold more oil, but I would not have expected much, if any oil to drain from the oil cooler lines during the oil drain, but who knows?

Wise for everyone to verify the engine oil level after the oil change.

I have not had a chance to research any of this in detail as of yet but will check on part numbers to see if the Max Trailering Package impacts oil quantity.

My 6.2 High Country also has the max trailer package (and the deluxe package, and air ride, and the stupid electric folding running boards,,,, so much dumb crap on this thing), still takes 8 quarts every time.

I'm betting one (or maybe both) of those 5 quart jugs was actually a gallon jug (which would be four quarts). What oil brand did you use? Be pretty easy to see if they sell the oil you used in 5 quart containers or in gallon containers.
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[PG01]

Ya know the xhatch on the dipstick doesn’t have to be fully covered right? It could be at the bottom or the top or in the middle somewhere of the xhatch ….. just sayin

 

[jfoj]

Ya know the xhatch on the dipstick doesn’t have to be fully covered right? It could be at the bottom or the top or in the middle somewhere of the xhatch ….. just sayin

Checked the oil before the first drain and the oil level was to the top of the x/hash marks on the dipstick. From my first use of this dipstick, it appears it really only will detect 1 quart of oil. If oil is not shown on the dipstick it appears that the engine is at least 1 qt low, but it does not appear that you can see more than 1 qt low from my take. Not sure I like the small area/volume this dipstick can detect.

 

[PG01]

Oh yeah, and i might add, it needs to be on level ground, no jacks, jack stands or ramps…

 

[fondupot]

The capacity of these motors is not subject to opinion. The spec is 8 quarts that’s what goes in. I would not continue to overfill the engine because excess oil in the crankcase causes foaming and will lead to engine damage.

Oil level when checked must be in level ground. Cold. Anywhere in the hash marks is acceptable “full.”

 

[PG01]

The capacity of these motors is not subject to opinion. The spec is 8 quarts that’s what goes in. I would not continue to overfill the engine because excess oil in the crankcase causes foaming and will lead to engine damage.

Oil level when checked must be in level ground. Cold. Anywhere in the hash marks is acceptable “full.”

Yeah, not on his motor tho. Everyone else’s motor yes, just not his….. just sayin

 

[jfoj]

Oil was checked on level ground.

8 quarts added after oil change had NO oil on the dipstick hash marks. Yes, I also realize with this dipstick it is tricky to determine the oil level with fresh, clean oil. As mentioned, I checked it before the oil change to see where the oil level was on the dipstick from the factory fill.

Not sure this is an "over fill" condition because with 8 quarts, there was nothing showing in the hash marks on the dipstick. So unclear how this is an "opinion", I have/had no "opinion" I want be able to confirm the amount of oil in the engine, which is what I did.

This post was to question what everyone else is seeing. Putting 8 quarts in the engine and calling it a day could be a problem if the oil level is not verified. At least we still have a dipstick to check the level, many newer cars have no dipstick at all.

Word to the wise, check the oil immediately after an oil change. Verify for yourself the oil level on the dipstick. With all the engine failures and complaints about oil consumption, it would be wise to know EXACTLY where the oil fill is on a fresh oil change.

Will be interested to see over time if others see similar results.

 

[fondupot]

@jfoj buy a new dipstick. And compare the length to the one in your truck. Maybe they put the wrong one in at the factory. Stranger things have happened.

 

[Antonm]

Word to the wise, check the oil immediately after an oil change. Verify for yourself the oil level on the dipstick. With all the engine failures and complaints about oil consumption, it would be wise to know EXACTLY where the oil fill is on a fresh oil change.

Will be interested to see over time if others see similar results.

I have, every time I've changed the oil in my home garage (which is flat concreate), and every time 8 quarts fills it up to the top of the safe zone on the dipstick.

I also check it about once a week (I say "about" because sometimes it get missed and goes two weeks) and at around 50% oil life remaining on the dash it'll be down to the the middle to lower 1/3 of the safe zone on the dipstick.

I usually change the oil when about 15-20% oil life is left on the dash indictor and by that time if I weren't changing the oil, I would be considering maybe adding a quart as the level is at the bottom of the dipstick. But I just change the oil around then, new filter (I do prefill the filter which for some reason is controversial now), add 8 total quarts of oil to the engine , which puts the dipstick back at the top of the safe zone ,,,then rinse and repeat.

The attached PDF of a recent used oil analysis,,,so far my 6.2 is doing pretty good.

 

[Antonm]

The capacity of these motors is not subject to opinion. The spec is 8 quarts that’s what goes in. I would not continue to overfill the engine because excess oil in the crankcase causes foaming and will lead to engine damage.

Oil level when checked must be in level ground. Cold. Anywhere in the hash marks is acceptable “full.”

You mean GM uses the same oil pan/ lines/ coolers on every engine and doesn't have a bunch of different parts hanging out around the assembly line,,,, man that must make mass production way easier if everything used the same parts,,, wonder if any other auto manufactures have figured this trick out.
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[GMCnewbee]

I agree with Fondupot above about the dipstick. What makes you think that a dipstick is the ultimate word on this? Things can and do happen on the assembly line. Also agree about being on level ground. It can make a difference if you are paying attention to the details. I think I am going to go out and check mine right now. My Dealer did an oil change about two weeks ago.

 

[GMCnewbee]

Something just crossed my mind on this. When you "dip the stick" are you going to the fully seated position or are you just "dipping" it? You need to put the dipstick all the way in when checking the oil level.

 

[jfoj]

@jfoj buy a new dipstick. And compare the length to the one in your truck. Maybe they put the wrong one in at the factory. Stranger things have happened.

I am aware of prior dipstick and dipstick tube issue with other manufactures, however, this does not appear to be a dipstick or dipstick tube issue. I verified the oil level from the factory fill before the oil change. The oil was at the top of the hash marks on the dipstick with the factory fill.

 

[jfoj]

Something just crossed my mind on this. When you "dip the stick" are you going to the fully seated position or are you just "dipping" it? You need to put the dipstick all the way in when checking the oil level.

Quite well aware to FULLY seat dipstick due to the O-rings. It was fully inserted. I actually tried multiple times as well as waited hours before checking again to make sure oil had fully drained back into the pan.

What I was looking for is NOT what the oil capacity Spec as this is listed everywhere and I had planned on 8 qts, but the question has anyone seen their engine requiring 9 quarts to show up properly on the dipstick.

For comparison my build date on the vehicle is 8/2024 so it is a fairly current build.

All I can say is for future changes I am going to monitor final oil level with the top hash marks on the dipstick like I found the engine oil level as delivered from the assembly plant.

 

[Antonm]

Let us know what you find/ figure out. I'm betting that your rig holds 8 quarts and something else is going on. Be pretty weird for just one truck to roll off the assembly line different from the literally thousands of others.
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[fondupot]

@jfoj what oil filter are you using?

 

[Vladimir2306]

When the oil is completely poured out, not 8 quarts, but 8 liters of oil fit into our engine, this is absolutely accurate))) and 8 liters is already 8.45 quarts. Next, we have a nuance in how to insert the dipstick))) you can do it like in the photo and there will be a maximum level, or you can turn it 90 degrees to the side and we will get only half the level. So most likely 8 quarts, shows half the level in one position, or the dipstick is empty when turned 90 degrees)