I only use crastrol gtx high mileage. Ha my valve cover off not to long ago and although I wasn't looking for buildup I do remember it being oddly clean. Come to think of it... When I did the valve cover that little mat over was a pita and kept getting fiber crap all on stuff... Recall doing my best not to get any inside the cover but I wonder if that **** got in there and that's plugging something???

I'm gonna research dropping the pan and do it when I can.

My '96 reads a tad above full (about 1/4" above the safe band on the dipstick) with 6 quarts. It's been that way forever. No pan damage, no sludge, that's just the way it is.

Did you prime your new filter before you put it on? With that primed you should toss the rest of the 6 qts in and run it. If you check the stick before it runs and sucks it through the system it will appear high. But reading your posts it seems like you have ran it for a day or so. Interesting.

Is it somehow not draining all the way possibly?

Naw, it's like a half inch over the safe line at 6, maybe more. A guy on naxja is basically saying screw the dip stick, it takes 6 quarts, put that in and make a new mark on the stick. He says thats spec and its not like the engine got smaller. But won't overfilling damage the engine?? I'm really hesitant to do this but the "guy" is the SoCal chapter VP, I'd imagine he know what's he is talking about

Ya know I never prime them. Just throw a lil on the gasket. I know ppl do it just never have. IT IS INTERESTING! Is it possible it's not draining, I guess?? But I don't see how unless there's something "holding" the oil in there. I'm on level ground and when I do my oil my daddy always said "if ya got the time, let it drain every last drop" so I open the plug and go find something else to do for awhile haha

I will also note that the last time I did it (before yesterday) wasn't that long ago and then too I pulled a bunch out. When I emptied it today the whole lot that came out fit in the 5qt jug

just my 2c try changing the oil filter and see what that does ... could be a bad filter???
other than that i would run with 6qts of oil

Always prime the oil filter. Atleast ½ half way or enough so that it won't spill when you tip it over to screw it on the adapter. That's how you get a dry start and wear things prematurely. It's good that you lube the gasket bc they can and will get stuck. Ask xj88 about that haha he will tell you.

Some idiots at other shops do oil changes on the series 60s in the buses at work and forget to oil the gasket. BIG problems for the next guy down the line to get those suckers off.

Probably doesn't have anything to do with your issue but it's a very good habit to get into.

What was left in the filter?

I'm inclined to agree with the guy from NAXJA and the others who say drain it completely, add 6 qt and go. Unless your oil is churning at the crank ( 1 qt isn't enough to do that), slightly overfull isn't an issue.

Could it possibly be the old gasket pieces from the valve cover that are clogging the drain on the pan? Might not be big enough under enough oil pressure to hold back 4-5 quarts, but as it loses momentum from the last quart, it doesn't drain completely?

Doubtful but who knows. It would be a long trip for the gasket pieces to travel down to clog the pan. Not to mention they would most likely be clogged up on the top end rather than the bottom.

i meant which part number oil filter. a smaller filter will obviously give less capacity to the system.

I changed the VC gasket not to long ago, the old one looked perfectly fine... Probably didn't even need to change it

Did you ever have your oil pan replaced?

just cause the part number is right on the dipstick doesn't mean that the lines weren't marked wrong from the factory. go to the junk yard and get a new dipstick.

i'm a tech at a chrysler dealer and i have a guy that comes in with his aspen and he keeps *****ing that we underfill his truck every time by a quart. i keep telling him we aren't it's his dipstick. he refuses to buy a new $13 dipstick but he stops on the way way home everytime after a oil change to buy a quart of oil.

Next time get out the tape measure, or better yet a correct dipstick and show it to the other dipstick.