What IS the oil capacity of a 2.4 liter in a 2004 Caravan? I changed the oil in it, and the owners manual says 5 quarts. However, on the stick it reads right on the money, and maybe just a hair past full on 4.5 quarts. What do I do? If I am running 4.5 quarts, am I running risk of engine damage or am I okay if I'm under a little? Owners manual or stick for measurement? I am such an obsessive-compulsive on these kinds of things.

Thanks....
Jon, Abilene, Texas

 

your fine follow the stick and there will be no problem

 

Yes, 5 quarts is what it says and that includes the amount in the filter you replaced (if you replaced it).
Did you check it after you ran the engine for a bit? That makes a difference as the filter has to fill up.
If you are above the "add" mark and stay there, all should be well.
Interesting Note: The 3.3 V6 only requires 4.5 quarts to be full.

 

I bought the Valvoline in the 5 1/2 quart jug. You get a "bonus" 1/2 quart. Only $10.00 bucks. Anyway, it was a little difficult to measure out of that jug. I got somewhere around 4.5 to 4.7 in there though, with filter change. Just a tiny bit above the full line, very tiny. I posted previously about upper engine noise. I understand thats it's a DOHC, and very busy underneath the valve cover, but to me, the noise is excessive. Am I wrong? It sounds like, at higher RPM's, that someone's shaking a metal cashbox full of nails. Now I've had a Chevy 3.4 in a Monte Carlo that sounded like it was about to regurgitate its crankshaft, and I've had few noisy little 4 cylinders like a Chevy 2.2 liter. Both carried on well past 100,000 miles without incident.

 

Could the noise come from other sources like something loose in that area? Loose heat shield somewheremaybe? Have you listened with the oil filler cap off to make sure that is the source. Rattling versus clicking would concern me.
A mechanic's stethoscope comes in handy when trying to pin point the source of a noise.