Dipstick!
Dipstick!
Author
Discussion

Jonny TVR

Original Poster:

4,548 posts

310 months

Friday 21st May 2010
quotequote all
Had my Tuscan 2 a few weeks now and I still can't figure out how you check the oil level. I stop the car with the engine running (fully warmed engine), I flip the bonnet, turn the ignition off, unscrew the dipstick and I can't get a reading as most of the dipstick has oil on it, I clean then try again and by the time I have done this on the next reading it has none! It was serviced a month ago and little use since so I know it does have oil! but don't know how much .. now I'm concerned about using it as I can't figure out how to check it .. help me

rens914

678 posts

260 months

Friday 21st May 2010
quotequote all
sure you will have to clean the dipstick before you have an accurate reading
if you have no oil on the dipstick you'll have to add 1 liter
then drive it again
having it serviced 1 month ago says nothing
how many miles do you drive in a month
perhaps they have used to thin oil
perhaps they didnt know what they where doing
perhaps you dont know wha you are doing
perhaps you have a problem
rens

shep1001

4,620 posts

218 months

Friday 21st May 2010
quotequote all
Jonny TVR said:
Had my Tuscan 2 a few weeks now and I still can't figure out how you check the oil level. I stop the car with the engine running (fully warmed engine), I flip the bonnet, turn the ignition off, unscrew the dipstick and I can't get a reading as most of the dipstick has oil on it, I clean then try again and by the time I have done this on the next reading it has none! It was serviced a month ago and little use since so I know it does have oil! but don't know how much .. now I'm concerned about using it as I can't figure out how to check it .. help me
You only have about 30 secs after stopping the engine to dip the oil to get an accurate reading. Get the mrs or a friend to turn off the ignition to save you the run round the car! Unscrew the cap first and clean the stick off whilst the engine is running then replace and withdraw when stopped. Clean thin oil is a sod to see.

m0ssy

920 posts

221 months

Friday 21st May 2010
quotequote all
does sound like you are low on oil...

do you know what oil was used where you had it serviced?

Arapo

253 posts

208 months

Friday 21st May 2010
quotequote all
Not sure about the 30 secs, but in my Tuscan I get a proper reading (right at the max level..) after I turned the engine off, opened the service bonnet and done the usual procedure. That is without rushing, if not taking my time.

Sounds like there is something not right. Maybe whoever serviced it got the amount of oil wrong and you are very low. If in doubt, take it to a specialist to check..

12Esc

193 posts

214 months

Friday 21st May 2010
quotequote all
Do you screw the cap on before taking it out and reading the oil level, or just hold the cap as low as possible? About 1cm difference in reading i guess.

Robertjp

2,281 posts

254 months

Friday 21st May 2010
quotequote all
As said you shouldnt need to rush, but it should be done immediately after shutting off the ignition, the time it takes to fetch a rag from the garage and open the service bonnet is minimal.

My suggestion would be to top it up whilst warm, then monitor it. This should be done before panicking! It could just be it wasnt fully topped up a the service?

It could be burning oil though so you do need to keep your eye on it.

My experience of this was bad, it went from not finding enough oil to a full engine rebuild within a few weeks. My car had leaking valve stem seals and the valve guides were shot (amongst a number of other things!). But, this may not be the case so do a bit of diagnosis first...

Jonny TVR

Original Poster:

4,548 posts

310 months

Friday 21st May 2010
quotequote all
After your help got my technique sorted thanks .. it was between min and max so topped it up a little. Do you know how many litres it is from Min to Max?

TheGroves

197 posts

218 months

Tuesday 25th May 2010
quotequote all
About 1 litre