Genuine Volvo Oil

[Seanl82]

Don't assume that's the correct level. The capacity is with the engine and filter housing 'dry'. Use 4 litres, let it settle, then add additional in accordance with the mark on the dipstick or electronic gauge. There is around 1L from min to max mark. Too much oil is as bad as too little.

[RDesign4Life]

Originally Posted by Seanl82

Don't assume that's the correct level. The capacity is with the engine and filter housing 'dry'. Use 4 litres, let it settle, then add additional in accordance with the mark on the dipstick or electronic gauge. There is around 1L from min to max mark. Too much oil is as bad as too little.

Oil filter was dry and housing was as empty as it can get without removal (hot engine, car driven onto ramps and left nose up draining for 45 mins with oil filter removed and cap off). 5.8l fresh oil showed as just around 50% of the XXXX marks on the 'real' dipstick when rolled down to level off the ramps.

The electronic gauge needs a drive and time to register new readings and has now settled at 3/4 betwen the 2 red zones iirc so is not far out from reality (remember the electronic gauge is only as good as it's last calibration against a known physical quantity/level of oil measured via a dipstick or by volume added at an oil change).

[Zebster]

Originally Posted by RDesign4Life

Oil filter was dry and housing was as empty as it can get without removal (hot engine, car driven onto ramps and left nose up draining for 45 mins with oil filter removed and cap off). 5.8l fresh oil showed as just around 50% of the XXXX marks on the 'real' dipstick when rolled down to level off the ramps.

The electronic gauge needs a drive and time to register new readings and has now settled at 3/4 betwen the 2 red zones iirc so is not far out from reality (remember the electronic gauge is only as good as it's last calibration against a known physical quantity/level of oil measured via a dipstick or by volume added at an oil change).

The electronic dipstick has a fixed calibration and is NOT calibrated by the dealer as part of an oil change. The dealer merely 'resets' the display following an oil change in order to force the system to display full... if this wasn't done then immediately after the oil change the system would continue to display whatever reading was being given (possibly 'low') prior to the oil change, as the electronic display is not a realtime reading but updates over 30km.

Even if it was possible it wouldn't be sensible to calibrate an oil level sensor by simply loading a set amount and setting the system to read 100% in such an uncontrolled manner... far to many variables would conspire against any reasonable degree of accuracy, such as failing to completely drain the old contents, failing to properly apportion and completely load the new oil, failing to get the engine exactly level (taking account suspension sag as well as surface level), sensor reading drift as the oil heats up during use, etc, etc.

[Stroudy]

Thought it worth mentioning that following my above reply to this thread I topped my D4 up with oil very soon after the add 0.5L warning came on. It ended up taking 1.0L exactly until maximum reading was showing on the electronic dipstick after adding smaller initial amounts and 2 short drives to calibrate.

[XC90Mk1]

If it’s the diesel certainly (and depending on which year) you should not fill to full due to oil dilution due to the DPF. Mine, and other years have a Volvo sticker affixed to the slam panel to advise of this, I would therefore be cautious filling to top.

Also, the graduated scales on the bottle are not relevant. You will have a fair amount lodged in bearings and journals etc so set by the dipstick and not the bottle measurements.

I have known capacities here off by a reasonably amount (certainly in excess of 0.1-0.2l.