So I just changed the oil in my new-to-me 89. Had to add 1/2 qt. to fill it and it showed no change for several tries, as much as 2+ hours. Waited overnight and it finally registered full. Is this typical, are the drain holes known to be slow or plug up easily? I find it hard to believe it's gunked up as the vehicle has only 46K and looking through the VC cap it looks very clean, no gunk, very little varnish. Came with records showing good maintenance.

 

You drain the oil while it's hot and on a level surface till it stops dripping, then remove the filter and wipe the surface of the adapter clean. Install a new filter hand tight with a light coat of new oil in the gasket.


Then add the proper number of qts. of oil and start it up let it run for a few min then check the oil.

 

Maybe I was unclear in my question; Why did it take so long to show on the dipstick when I added a 1/2 qt?

 

The oil drain ports in head are huge. No way they are gummed up. 30 seconds tops to show on my 4.0

 

Slow speeds and short trips is hell on the drive train, it never gets up to operating temperature. If you find it is plugged up I would advise against trying to flush the crap out because you'll be pulling the oil pan/engine at that point trying to revive it.

 

My father's 91 YJ is gummed up pretty bad. When he shuts it down you can hear the oil dripping down for quite a while. I don't think it would take overnight to register a quart though. Did they change the oil at all in those 46k miles?!

 

I have lots of receipts for OC and other fluid changes, as I said from what little one can see through the VC cap it looks very clean inside.

 

Think about it....

Half quart is nothing. It's gonna hang a bit on the porous head surface, slowly dribble down as it's cold.