A couple days ago I changed the oil in our 1999 Legacy with the 2.2 motor.  I put in slightly less than 5 quarts of oil and a new filter, and when I checked the dipstick the level was just slightly above the Full hole. 

 

OK, so the car sat overnight, and I thought I would check it again before driving it today, and the dipstick reading is way over the FULL level. 

 

Added note:  when I say "way over" I mean like it was like 2 or 3 quarts over.....way above the area where you read the oil level.  WAY OVER.... not a couple ounces over........

 

 

I wiped it off and checked it again, and got the same thing.  After repeating that wiping and checking about 6 times, I finally got a reading on the stick that was normal....pretty much the same as the day before when I changed the oil.

 

So, is this just something we have to do, dip it and wipe it 6 times to get a real reading?  I don't have this problem with my other Subaru, a 95 with a 2.2 motor.  I know that the motors are not identical...Subaru changed a lot of things in the 99. 

 

Thoughts?

Edited December 28, 20178 yr by LeolaPA

99 2.2 is going to be closer to 4.5 quarts - I think officially they were 4.2. If you put in 4.5 it will be fine.

 

Don't worry about it so much. As long as it's between the low and full marks you're fine. 

 

That engine is completely different. They are VERY prone to burning oil. Watch it closely. 

 

GD

A little extra oil won't hurt anything, if just slightly above the "full" mark.

99 2.2 is going to be closer to 4.5 quarts - I think officially they were 4.2. If you put in 4.5 it will be fine.

 

Don't worry about it so much. As long as it's between the low and full marks you're fine. 

 

That engine is completely different. They are VERY prone to burning oil. Watch it closely. 

 

GD

 Thanks. If it was a car I drive I wouldn't worry about it, but my daughter drives it, and I have been telling her to check the oil, but now I see it possible that she could get a bad reading which I have never seen before in a car.  I just changed her oil and it had to have been down at least 2 quarts, but it's possible that she didn't realize it because of the bogus readings

 Thanks. If it was a car I drive I wouldn't worry about it, but my daughter drives it, and I have been telling her to check the oil, but now I see it possible that she could get a bad reading which I have never seen before in a car.  I just changed her oil and it had to have been down at least 2 quarts, but it's possible that she didn't realize it because of the bogus readings

 

If it's down more than 1.25 quarts or so, it won't read on the dip-stick no matter how many times you stab it. She didn't check it if it was that low. No way. 

 

GD

If it's down more than 1.25 quarts or so, it won't read on the dip-stick no matter how many times you stab it. She didn't check it if it was that low. No way.

 

GD

+1. She didn’t check it if it was 2 quarts low. At two quarts low they don’t register 4 quarts.

 

What happens at the upper range after an oil change of cold oil slowly coating the inside of a cold engine isn’t what happens when they’re low and only hot oil is draining back to the pan.

 

That said clearly your burning oil and two quarts low is getting close to blowing the engine block.

Like I said these engines burn oil like they are coal fired. Needs new rings. Betcha.

 

GD

I can't add much except, our outback seems VERY susceptible to bad reading if it is LEANING slightly. Uneven surface left-to-right will throw the dipstick reading off a lot.

 

but that doesn't explain a difference after 6 tries. You might pull and wipe the stick, then set a 2 minute timer and re-try. It can seem like an eternity if waiting is all you do - pull the stick, then check air pressure in the tires, washer fluid level, look in the radiator, etc. - THEN check the oil.

Have/had 5 90 to 94 legacy, everyone checking oil on a cold engine first try is way too full, leaving dipstick out for a minute or two makes it all good. I think after shutting down some oil is up the dipstick pipe gives over full reading, pulling it out let's it go down, I don't know??

Have/had 5 90 to 94 legacy, everyone checking oil on a cold engine first try is way too full, leaving dipstick out for a minute or two makes it all good. I think after shutting down some oil is up the dipstick pipe gives over full reading, pulling it out let's it go down, I don't know??

 

It may have been something like this that happened.  I changed the oil, the next day I check a cold engine and can't get a good reading. 

If it's down more than 1.25 quarts or so, it won't read on the dip-stick no matter how many times you stab it. She didn't check it if it was that low. No way. 

 

GD

Young people are pretty interested in their phones and friends, and not so much checking car oil. 

Thanks for everyone who commented.  I did change the oil, and then let the car sit over night, and it was cold the next day when I checked again.  Maybe some oil was up the tube somehow. 

Probably. It’s cold, that oil didn’t run down there like it does in 80 or more degree summer days.