On my 03 sierra 5.3L I am still unsure what is exactly the correct fill level to go by, for my engine oil.

Do I measure the oil when its cold?

When cold the oil level is just under the top dip stick circle mark. When the engine is hot it is a little, maybe half an inch, ABOVE the top dip stick circle.

I have gotten many different opinions on this subject but wanted to see what people think.

It would also be nice to hear from 2003 5.3L owners too!

 

I always check mine when it is cold, so all of the oil will be in the pan. When it is warm the oil is all over the engine and I don't think you can get an acurate reading.

 

Thats what I thought, just wanted to be sure.

 

yea i always try to measure when cold

 

i never thought of that, being 2 different levels at 2 different temps, but it definitely makes sense. i've always put in 6qts. the first few years i changed my oil i would check the level, but after having the truck for 4 years i pretty much know that the 6 sufficiently does it for me, but i guess it is better to be safe than sorry. plus even if it was too low, i'm sure there would be a warning on the message center. not sure if it would say anything if it was too high. anybody know if it does? too much oil can be a bad thing too, so i guess frequently checking it is a good thing.