Is it just me, or does a lot of engines from small B&S to auto engines take less oil than the manual calls for? I've noticed this on several engines I own.

Yes I run to this a lot not just with engines but with finial drives and dif”s also

My Ford takes 6.2 quarts or something like that. Nobody sells .2 quart cans.

Yeah I've noticed the same and wondered if the oil pan was changed at factory from the manual specs or had a different dip stick?idk I change oil in all ours through many vehicles and have noticed this also .as also mentioned I've changed gear oil level to fill bolt and had vent puking gear oil a while till it got low enough.

My JD gator takes a few ounces more actually

Because by the time they burn some oil they will be on the full mark by time for next oil change, or at least that's what I've came to believe on some Chevys.

I see it all the time with all types of equipment. My theory is that for said engine brand new only has assembly lube in it and might take 6.2 quarters of oil to get exactly on the full mark. Now you’ll never get that 6.2 out the drain hole in the pan unless you tear it down just all these little spots the pool oil. So what I’m saying is that said engine/gearbox is engineered to hold 6.2 and the manuals state that but during servicing you can only drain 6.0.

The .2 is so you'll take it to the dealer$hip.

Seriously I think 1shot has it right.

This is correct. Those amounts are to fill a perfectly dry engine. There is always a 0.something amount that will never drain out and of course there's always a little in the oil filter too.

If you leave the drain plug off and sitting overnight or a couple days you might be able to get every drop out. But engines are designed to hold some oil in its passages and journals so your not dry starting them every time you crank the engine. Its by design that you cant get the manual listed amount of oil back out of it during a oil change. The engine is meant to retain some.

Sounds very plausible, I think we'll go with that .

Yep. You physically cannot drain every drop of oil out of an engine wearing tearing down the crankcase.

You'd think the smart engineers would figure what it took after it's been run. Wouldn't take a genius to figure it out. Then their manuals would actually be accurate .

There is at least some amount of oil leftover in the heads for sure. Pull the Valve cover and you will see the puddles.

However, none of this would cause a high reading on the dipstick or change the oil pan's capacity. That's where the dipstick is reading. A motor could have sludge or a dent in the pan causing oil to pool and not drain. I've seen both,

What the manual says is irrelevant really. Who knows what number they are using. Maybe they are accounting for oil in the filter after the motor has been run plus the pan capacity, I don't know. It doesn't matter. This is why it is good practice to check the oil level after you have changed the oil and run the vehicle. And periodically check it thereafter.

What's the stick reads is the only concern. I have never used a manual to determine the appropriate oil capacity while performing an oil change.

Your logic requires people to have common sense Anthony. You know logic is an endangered species nowadays.

Can’t you crank it after you drain it and rev it up and blow the rest of the oil out? I’m kidding.

Any DA knows that. That's how I arrived at my question. The amount it takes to show full on the stick and what some manuals say is a lot different. Why don't they leave amount off or give an approximate and just say fill to mark or overflow? Once again that makes too much sense.

on my newest purchases owner's manuals, they say "approximately" on the fluid refill amounts after oil change.

Reason I asked is my latest oil change was a generator. Manual said 1.4 quarts, I didn't need the second quart , it was running out the filler hole at a couple oz less than a quart. You'd think they could get closer on something that takes no more than that.
My '14 Tacoma doesn't take as near much as that one says either.

Since we're on oil, saw some 0-16 this afternoon . That stuff would be thin as sewing machine oil.