Go ahead and use a tape measure to give a reference for yours and someone else might measure theirs and say if it's the same. 2020 Outback XT for reference.

 

Go ahead and use a tape measure to give a reference for yours and someone else might measure theirs and say if it's the same. 2020 Outback XT for reference.

Already snapped --

 

I may be paranoid, but I always do my own oil changes. Give my vehicles plenty of time to drain, then exactly what owner's manual calls for. I have a Ram Ecodiesel as well, takes exactly 10.5 qts. BTW, the Ecodiesel requires you to remove dipstick then reinsert for correct measurement. It will read a qt low if you don't reinsert. Force of habit makes me reinsert the dipstick in my Subaru as well.

 

I recommend this;

https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-917-446-Engine-Oil-Dipstick/dp/B00Z7MN5DA

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The dipstick is chrome so you can see the oil level, like cars use to have 30 years ago.

 

His dipstick looks like the Dorman one, not OEM - very interesting.

 

That's what the dipstick heads look like on Gen 2 and 3. Flat head, not looped. The looped came in later when the stick tube changed.

 

I do not believe that the dipstick was replaced. There's no reason to replace it. As far as I know, the dipsticks are all the same for H6 and H4. The H6 oil pan is longer front to back due to the added 2 cylinders and therefore is capable of holding more oil than the H4 by approx 1 quart.

Checking the oil to get the proper level measure is specific to the engine design. Subaru has oil level checks spelled out in their materials but not everyone pays attention to it. Plenty of people assume how to check the level.

Here's how you do it:

With the car parked on a "level" surface, if the car has been sitting for hours, or days, start the car and let it idle for a minute, shut it off, wait 5 minutes, pull the dipstick, wipe it, reinsert the dipstick and pull it back out to get the engine oil level measurement. If the car had been run and sat more than say 15 minutes, you will get an inappropriate level measurement if you do not start the car and run it for a bit, then let is sit 5 minutes, prior to checking the level.

If the car has sat for hours you will get an "over full measurement". Oil has dripped down in to the oil pan and raised the level in the pan.

I tell people the best way to check the oil level is when you put gas in the car. You've shut it off, you're pumping the gas in and the engine is sitting not running. By the time you've put the gas in, it's about the timespan for getting a proper level check. And gas station pump platforms tend to be on level surfaces. Two for one stop. Gas and check.

You can't just pull a dipstick and get a good measure the first time either. The seal at the top of the stick traps air in the tube and this prevents the oil from coming up the tube to match the level in the pan. When the stick is pulled the first time, air escapes, the level in the tube comes up, or goes down, to match the pan level, and you get an accurate measurement after you've wiped it and reinserted the stick.

After checking the oil properly, let us know what's up.

 

Here's how you do it:

With the car parked on a "level" surface, if the car has been sitting for hours, or days, start the car and let it idle for a minute, shut it off, wait 5 minutes, pull the dipstick, wipe it, reinsert the dipstick and pull it back out to get the engine oil level measurement. If the car had been run and sat more than say 15 minutes, you will get an inappropriate level measurement if you do not start the car and run it for a bit, then let is sit 5 minutes, prior to checking the level.

... crazy. Totally understand the trapped air/seal issue and I always wipe and retake the measure. But in the early days of my H6 ownership, someone told me that the way this engine sits requires a good number of hours for it to drain down and get a true read. To do it cold, not after running. Your info gives me the hiccups, thinking of all those morning dipstick checks, where it was a touch below the full line and I thought that was fine. It might have been falsely reading higher, based on your reminder of the proper way to do this. Off to check the oil shortly...

 

When one of these engines is taken apart and rebuilt the initial fill is about 5.5 qts, but after running it for a bit, to get it back to the full mark so it's got the correct amount takes another .5 - .75 qts because the oil gets trapped in the small areas of the block and heads, along with what will sit in the oil pump for a time, like any engine that has some miles on it.
All of my boxers will show over full if I check it after sitting. After running the engine and checking, it's where it should be.

 

That's probably between 1/4 - 1/2 quart. Is the proper size oil filter on the car? The H6 is almost twice the size of the H4.

 

I haven't tried to look but the paperwork from the oil change indicates filter 15208aa031 –– which subaruparts.com says is appropriate to my vehicle. Have checked a number of times and still the level on the dipstick is that same, high reading. So very odd