checking the oil level
Discussion
This is weird. i run the car up to temp yesterday checked the oil level on the dip stick (no reading) run the car for 1 min untill the fans kicked in, dipped again (reading between 1/2 and full) toped up with 1/2 litre of 15-50 run again untill fans kicked in, dipped again NO READING left it for 5 mins run it again till fans kicked in reading 1 inch above max mark. Checked it again 5 mins later NO READING,what am i doing wrong. Oh by the way when you check the level are you meant to screw the dipstick down or just dip it, i was told to screw it down by one main dealer and another told me to just push it in to check it which i have always done. :banghead;
I'd suggest checking three or four times, leaving a minute in between, afer switching the engine off.
That's my method.
You tend to find that it'll be dribbling down from half way up the dipstick on at least one reading, but you get an overall sense of how high / low it is that way.
Thinking it through logically, if your line is drawn with the dipstick just dipped (as opposed to screwed right in) you will be tending to slightly overfill rather than under, and as you can't do any harm by slightly overfilling, I'd measure it from just dipped in
That's my method.
You tend to find that it'll be dribbling down from half way up the dipstick on at least one reading, but you get an overall sense of how high / low it is that way.
Thinking it through logically, if your line is drawn with the dipstick just dipped (as opposed to screwed right in) you will be tending to slightly overfill rather than under, and as you can't do any harm by slightly overfilling, I'd measure it from just dipped in
[quote=justinp1]How long are you waiting ofter switching the engine off before taking the reading?
About 5 sec, switch off, run to dip stick, dip it two to three times to try and take a reading, the thing that gets me is sometimes you get a reading and then you dont, as beano says tadts
About 5 sec, switch off, run to dip stick, dip it two to three times to try and take a reading, the thing that gets me is sometimes you get a reading and then you dont, as beano says tadts
Hmm. They are a bit awkward to get a good reading. Considering the importantness of keeping a good oil and the need for the end user to check it regularly, you would have thought they wouldhave made it easier to do so!
My way was:
Hot engine anfer a half hour or more drive
With engine running take out stick and wipe it
Turn off engine
Quickly screw dipstick into place
After 5-10 seconds, carefully unscrew stick and extract it making sure it doesnt touch the sides (which can be oily).
That worked for me. What I found though is that if I then went back and did the process again, the reading was slightly different. I put this down to after running for half an hour under load the oil pressure was enough to completely cover components etc. When trying it again though a lot of the oil will have gurgled back and on tickover for a minute does not 'spread' the oil around in the same way it would if you were running the car. That was my guess anyway.
My way was:
Hot engine anfer a half hour or more drive
With engine running take out stick and wipe it
Turn off engine
Quickly screw dipstick into place
After 5-10 seconds, carefully unscrew stick and extract it making sure it doesnt touch the sides (which can be oily).
That worked for me. What I found though is that if I then went back and did the process again, the reading was slightly different. I put this down to after running for half an hour under load the oil pressure was enough to completely cover components etc. When trying it again though a lot of the oil will have gurgled back and on tickover for a minute does not 'spread' the oil around in the same way it would if you were running the car. That was my guess anyway.
beano500 said:
No - don't believe you do. Waste of time.
(And thinking it through logically, will it make THAT much difference if you did?)
Logically it must do...
The oil level is read by the height of oil on the dipstick. If you are not putting it fully in place, then you are getting a reading which is wrong by the difference in height between where it would be screwed in, and resting on top of the tube.
This might not make much of a difference to someone who has a 'full' reading, but it may make all the difference to someone who is getting no oil on the stick at all.
If you are running 0w40, at 80 degrees its pretty much like discoloured water, so increasing the amount of it sticking to the stick, by the action of the screwing it back in and waiting a few seconds, you are probably giving it a better chance of some sticking to the stick.
Edited to add:
Its worth pointing out that this was *my* procedure, which took months of trial and error, where I had similar results as the poster. Everyone has his own method, and if it works for them thats great. If I can save someone a few months of worry if my way works for them then all the better. If anyone wants to check their oil any other way, and it gets them consistant results than thats cool too.
>> Edited by justinp1 on Monday 24th October 17:55
The difference is 3-4mm so just take that into account when reading the level.
I always do mine after a run rather than just letting the oil heat up on tickover much the same way justinp1 describes but I wipe the stick after I switch off the engine and dip it back in rather than screw it into place. As long as I have more than half full I don't top it up but also never let it get lower than half either.
Bob
I always do mine after a run rather than just letting the oil heat up on tickover much the same way justinp1 describes but I wipe the stick after I switch off the engine and dip it back in rather than screw it into place. As long as I have more than half full I don't top it up but also never let it get lower than half either.
Bob
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