I have had all kinds of issues with this engine and changed the oil plenty of times. The level after filling it with 5 quarts on level ground has varied for whatever reason.
if you're always on level ground, the filter is the same and as you say it has the same 5 quarts of oil then it's not possible to get different readings. unless of course it wasn't fully drained each time as that's the only possible variable.
i mean, if you had 6 new buckets all the same and put a gallon of oil in each the level would be the same in each. any other outcome is not possible.
neil.
