# Oil Change Question



## CHUV (Jun 25, 2011)

I usually put about 4qt judging by the lines on the side of the jug. Then use the dipstick to fill the rest. Let it sit for the night if I can and measure again the morning and add if needed. Better to need to add than to remove. Also you don't want to have too much or too little oil. 5qt might be a little too much.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

Well, according to the OM, the 1.4L motor takes 4.25 quarts and the 1.8L motor takes 4.76 quarts (not 4.75 quarts). I have no idea how you measure oil from a plastic bottle in hundredths of a quart. My Mazda takes 3.6 quarts, so I just shoot for a little over 3.5 out of the bottle. I've never overfilled an engine by more than half a quart. I'd be afraid of too much splash and frothing in these small pans.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

MetallicaMatt said:


> I picked up 2 filters from my local GM Stealership (only had the car a week)....I asked and he said the car takes 4.25 Quarts...how handy is that. Stupid engineers...(I'm an engineer, I can say that).
> 
> 
> So, do you guys actually put in 4.25, or just round up to 5q? All of my other vehicles (performance) I have always put in an extra quart, but those were big V8's.
> ...


4.25 quarts (US) is 4.02 liters. 4.76 quarts (US) is 4.5 liters. The joys of converting metric to US units. I actually find the 1.8L engine stranger since you can almost always purchase 1 liter cans of oil in most countries.


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## cruze01 (Mar 25, 2011)

Don't round up to 5, you will way over fill! Even at 4.25 the oil level goes over the full line.


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## CHUV (Jun 25, 2011)

cruze01 said:


> Don't round up to 5, you will way over fill! Even at 4.25 the oil level goes over the full line.


Yeah I noticed that too. I think I have just a little under 4L and it's at the perfect half way mark up the dipstick, as suggested in the manual.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

MetallicaMatt said:


> I picked up 2 filters from my local GM Stealership (only had the car a week)....I asked and he said the car takes 4.25 Quarts...how handy is that. Stupid engineers...(I'm an engineer, I can say that).
> 
> 
> So, do you guys actually put in 4.25, or just round up to 5q? All of my other vehicles (performance) I have always put in an extra quart, but those were big V8's.
> ...



As an engineer I would hope you would know better than to overfill an engine with oil. Have you never heard its almost as bad to overfill as to underfill? If you have always done that I bet you have had a few seals start leaking.


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## MetallicaMatt (Mar 26, 2012)

Nope, never an issue. All of the engines I've had before have been drag racing or autocross were you want some extra fluid, plus you almost always have a deeper pan, hence the V8.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Haven't done an oil change yet my Cruze, not time yet, learned on my Cavalier with the same kind of filter, to drain the pan first until it drips, than carefully remove the filter cover. This way the oil drains into the pan. If you remove the filter first, oil will spill out all over the place.

Back in the old days, use to have a drain on the filter housing and were mounted vertically. A paper element filter is not new, but these kids designing these things don't know anything about at least mounting the filter vertically. Just release the cover enough to release the air suction, with a rag at the low side.

If the car is up on ramps, certainly not level, just plan on putting in roughly three and a half quarts, seal it up, get if off the ramps, then check the dipstick, then fill it according to the fill mark.

Ha, got an email from my dealer, only $24.95 for an oil filter change, before, had to fight with them to spray silicone on all those rubber bushings, Cruze is the same way. But the small print said 60 bucks with synthetic, and that is what you have to use in the Cruze with that dexos label if you want to maintain your warranty. 

I still don't know how these idiots at a quick oil change place can strip a drain plug, but I think I know how. Use a 550 ft lb impact wrench, put the drain plug in the socket and drive it in an angle. Also run the engine and check for leaks, typically, takes me less than twenty minutes, don't get dirty, know what kind of oil I used and what kind of filter. Already have a half a dozen Delco filters and decided to stick with Mobil One with a dexos label on it.

Plan on cutting that label and with the Delco box top and taping that next to the DIC showing the mileage, taking a photo of that, printing it out and putting that in my maintenance photo. As you can see, I am paranoid, but already told my dealer I am changing my own oil. Said it was okay.

I think I use to be an engineer, but don't brag about it.


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## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

I just did an oil change on my LS 1.8 the other day. Walmart has Quaker State Ultimate Durability full synthetic at less than $21 for a 5 qt jug. It doesn't have the Dexos symbol on the container but I found it listed on the Dexos site as being approved. I figure worrying about the last .1 quart sort of meaningless. The volume changes more than that hot vs cold. Right now the dealer has the best price on the filter. I couldn't find a good brand filter at Wallyworld for the Cruze.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

It's 4 liters. When changing the oil with my MityVac, it sucks out almost exactly 4 liters, according to the gradation marks on the side. I try to put in as close to 4 liters as possible, but end up over-shooting by a little bit.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Dale_K said:


> I just did an oil change on my LS 1.8 the other day. Walmart has Quaker State Ultimate Durability full synthetic at less than $21 for a 5 qt jug. It doesn't have the Dexos symbol on the container but I found it listed on the Dexos site as being approved. I figure worrying about the last .1 quart sort of meaningless. The volume changes more than that hot vs cold. Right now the dealer has the best price on the filter. I couldn't find a good brand filter at Wallyworld for the Cruze.



Ordered a half a dozen Delco filters from rockauto.com for around five bucks each, still way over priced for a piece of paper.

Also have that vacuum suction I use on my boat to get out most of the old oil, but still pull the drain plug with a small pan underneath to get that last bit of sludge out, and even waste a half a quart to help flush it out. With an IO, positively no concern about changing oil. I did enlarge that transom drain plug hole and purchased a drain hose that I figure I can poke it through that drain hole by tying a plastic pipe to it. But haven't gotten around to doing that yet. 

With eight kids, always something and I should be out fishing or something. Today, helping one of my kids build a deck for his new home, if my back holds up. My boat is gathering dust. 

Failed on repairing those Shake N' Go extreme Fisher Price racing cars I got for my granddaughter, redid all the electronics and put better bearings in the wheels. Works great off a power supply, but her batteries are shot. Can't even find those batteries on the web or even a suitable replacement.

Just not very good with this Made In China crap, but once in great while, get lucky, Was lucky with my daughter's 800 buck Sony laptop that crapped out on her after 13 month, and no we didn't pay that much for a maintenance agreement plan. Died on her, found bad connections, corroded connections, redid some of those tiny plugs and fired up again. So far working fine for four months now. Its always something, get up in the morning and ask, what is going to break today.


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

I agree why did GM have to use an odd amount of oil. My first Alero with a 2.2 took 5.5 qts but my last Alero with the same engine took 5 qt as well as my wife's Malibu with the 2.2. When I change my oil in my 1.8 I use a measuring cup and pour out 1 cup(8 oz) of oil to make it @4.75 from 5 qt. After 3 oil changes I only need 4 quarts since I already have the other .75 quart from what I took out the previous oil changes. You could do the same. Use a measuring cup and pour 1 cup and save the remaining for the next changes. I forget to put the cup of oil in my measuring cup in the container I poured the remaining oil into the engine so now I have a measuring cup with oil in my garage which somehow always gets knocked over. Just a suggestion.


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## SunnyinHollister (Mar 17, 2011)

I change my own oil the traditional drain it out the bottom way. M 1.4L seems to take just 4 quarts.


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