i think i would rather fill up to the full line rather than be sorry later on. but it's a PITA to just check and fill check and fill. i'm assuming 3.5 quarts would be enough to get it to the full line? also, how should i check the fluid after adding in 3.5 quarts to get the best reading to see if it's full? let the engine run for a minute?

 

no, it's not accurate after you run the engine. just fill, check, fill, check. Every time you check, you have to pull out the dipstick, wipe it off, then put it back in, pull out, and then read.

I bet though that if you put 3.5 qts in, it'll be right on the full line or pretty close.

 

i shouldn't run the engine? but if i got the oil to the full line then once i run the engine won't the oil level drop? if the civic can take 3.5 quarts to get it to full, i just wasted .5 quarts of synthetic oil. lol

 

Here's what I do. Poor about 3 quarts in and wait a minute or so. Then check the dipstick reading. Add a bit more oil. Repeat this process a couple of times until the level is right at full. If you replaced the filter (which you should), then drive the car for a few minutes and later recheck the oil level because filling the filter with oil may slightly drop the oil level. Top off again if necessary.

 

and the .5 qts left over, just close the bottle and put it away somewhere. then, next oil change, you only need to buy 3 qts instead of 4

 

that sounds reasonable think i will just do it this way and just have the oil at full instead of just dumping 4 quarts and overfilling

will the oil still be as good till the next oil change, which for me is approximately 4-5 months?

 

not sure
it's synthetic, i'd be surprised if it goes bad
idk though

 

i guess i'll be using the .5 quarts on my girlfriend's cellica since i'll be doing oil changes on both my civic and her celica together. not much of a problem with excess oil. i'll be using it to top off to full on my car and her car and hopefully not have a lot of leftover and just recycling the rest. i'm assuming her celica should take about 3.5-3.6 to top off her car

 

Royal purple and K&N filter every 6,000 miles...i used to use mobil1 synthetic,but after 2000 miles or so after changing the oil, the engine would shudder while idling....i switched to RP and everything went away....

 

Hindsight 20/20 for lowering the level of oil in the pan, you could have installed one of these valves:
http://www.qwikvalve.com/item/f106.html
or http://www.quickoildrainvalve.com/

Any thoughts on if these are any good?