Engine Oil Level

All else being equal, if you ran your TDI with the oil level just above the minimum mark vs. with the oil level at the full mark, would the engine wear be the same?

In other words, is it beneficial to keep your oil full at all times?

Above the MIN mark is ok for a short time.... I kept and keep the Levels always at the FULL mark....

in short the answer is yes, keep it at the full mark. It all is during the cold start- they design the engine so the sump wont run dry when started in artic conditions before oil begins to run back down into the pan- the colder it is the more oil (yes even 5w30 ) sticks in the head and sides of the block before running into the pan thus the pump may suck air a few times before everything warms up- when kept at the full mark this extra quart really helps stop this. Another situation would be in fast cornering or steep ground where the oil may be forced to one side of the pan, seen the oil light on my civic light up many times when raging long hair pin interstate ramps

I've owned and maintained probably 15 vehicles or so in 50 years. I always routinely check the oil and keep it topped up to the "full" mark. I'm curious as to what the OP's motivation is to keep it at "min."

Another reason to keep it at the full mark is, between oil changes, a certain amount of contamination occurs to the oil. I would rather have that spread over 5 quarts instead of 4 quarts. Not sure this would make any practical difference, but I have to believe it is at least marginally better to have a lower concentration of contaminants.

Rico567 said:

I've owned and maintained probably 15 vehicles or so in 50 years. I always routinely check the oil and keep it topped up to the "full" mark. I'm curious as to what the OP's motivation is to keep it at "min."

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I'm not planning to keep it at the minimum but this topic came up during a conversation and my initial thought was that it didn't matter, meaning, there is sufficient oil in either case.

Obviously keeping it full makes sense but I wasn't sure if it made a real difference or not.

I like to keep mine at the full mark so that if it decides to consume a half quart, there will still be plenty of oil in the sump.

I keep mine just above the center of the normal band. force of habit. My suburban would use that first half qt in just a few hundred miles. but it would take another thousand miles to use the next half qt. Has done that since I bought it new 2001. But it does take my VW several thousand miles to use the first 1/4 qt. and seldom add any between oil changes. a few times added 1/2 qt.

But I never let the VW get all the way down to the add mark. with only a 4 qt sump that's 25%. especially during the summer I tend to keep oil sumps fuller.