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My car is loosing engine oil and so every once in a while I need to add anywhere between a liter and two liters to it.

So far, I've done it with the engine warm, and I'm only careful not to let the oil level reach the maximum mark, since after the oil settles the level would raise a little bit more.

So my question is, should I let the engine cool to ambient temperature before adding oil, and is there anything else I should be careful with in regards to my safety and also the cars safety and engine health?

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That's perfectly fine. As long as you know to take care not to overfill (the level must never go above the MAX level, though there is a little room for error) you will be fine. It's not rocket science. Just pour oil into the engine and put the cap back. It's about as dificult as making tea.

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  • I've heard you could ruin a gasket by adding engine coolant with the engine warm. I though it would be better to make sure nothing like that happens while adding oil...
    – Davide
    Sep 11 '15 at 16:21
  • As a general rule you should try to never let it get to where you must add two quarts/liters. Most engines have less than 5 quarts capacity. Some of that is in the filter, some is sitting in the engine on its' way to the oilpan. That does not leave a lot left to lubricate the bearings.
    – mikes
    Sep 11 '15 at 20:44

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