This^^^^^^^^^^. Really, how much difference could it make? Minuscule is right.
Check Oil Warm or Cold
- Thread starter Gebo
- Start date
Especially the 5000/6 month OCI
Sadly new Beemers no longer have dip sticks. Have to use the monitoring system on the dash that will only read to oil level when the engine is at operating temp. Really bad idea in my opinion, particularly for us DIYers. Have to measure the oil when pouring and hope you got it right until you can run the engine to operating temp! Overfilling may cause more problems than under filling.
Yes, I know....BMW no longer cares much about DIYers. Eats into their dealerships service dept profit margins. As I am usually not aligned with their selection of oil/weight, will always do my own.
Yes, I know....BMW no longer cares much about DIYers. Eats into their dealerships service dept profit margins. As I am usually not aligned with their selection of oil/weight, will always do my own.
My 87 f250 says to check hot and 15 min after shut down. If I check it cold and fill it to the top it will be about 1 qt above the max line
On my Mazda CX 5 I always check it cold. That gives me a baseline to judge whether or not it is consuming oil and at what rate and if I need to add any.
The owners manual for my Jaguar says to check it warm, at least 15 minutes after shutting down the engine. It does not have a dipstick. Grrrrrrr...........
The electronic oil level readout will work with the engine cold and turned off. But it does not give the same reading as when warm. And if you try and check the oil when warm but you don't wait 15-20 minutes, you get a message on the dash that the reading is not available.
The lack of a dipstick is moronic in my opinion, Surely the cost of adding it to the design would have been negligible compared to the electronics to check it.
The owners manual for my Jaguar says to check it warm, at least 15 minutes after shutting down the engine. It does not have a dipstick. Grrrrrrr...........
The electronic oil level readout will work with the engine cold and turned off. But it does not give the same reading as when warm. And if you try and check the oil when warm but you don't wait 15-20 minutes, you get a message on the dash that the reading is not available.
The lack of a dipstick is moronic in my opinion, Surely the cost of adding it to the design would have been negligible compared to the electronics to check it.
I always cold check except on my dry sump motors which have different procedures depending on the mfgrs. of the engine.
It's a Jaguar. One does not want to soil their hands lifting the bonnet and man handling some dirty under bonnet apparatus that has been contaminated with petroleum before proceeding to the country club. Electronic surveillance of one's fluid levels is decidedly more civilized.
Never heard this, also what car and who wrote this as I've also never read "control the oil level" Looks like a prank to me.
I prefer cold, but because the oil's thicker and will stay on the stick longer. It also has more color due to being a thicker glop of oil.
Back when I had saturns the dipstick was a straight shot down, so checking after a cold overnight I didn't even need a rag. The "splash-up" oil slid down the stick.
If I had to check warm, it would be more work, but I'd still get a good result.
Back when I had saturns the dipstick was a straight shot down, so checking after a cold overnight I didn't even need a rag. The "splash-up" oil slid down the stick.
If I had to check warm, it would be more work, but I'd still get a good result.
I think most manuals assume that the person checking the oil is not necessarily the one who changed it.
At OC time, I put in the specified amount of oil, run it to check for leaks, and then check the level after cleaning up and putting the tools away. I also always change the oil in the same place, where the vehicles are normally parked.
That gives me a baseline, and then I always check cold in the same spot. Repeatability is the key. Like eljefino said, it's easier to see the oil when it's cold. Also, on the two Toyota 1.8 engines I've had in the past decade, the level is almost impossible to read if the engine has been running. Letting it sit overnight is the best way to get a clear reading.
Of course, one should always follow the manual for unusual procedures like drtyler posted. I've also heard anecdotes about people checking oil in really cold temps, adding a quart or more because it reads low, and then being overfilled at operating temp.
At OC time, I put in the specified amount of oil, run it to check for leaks, and then check the level after cleaning up and putting the tools away. I also always change the oil in the same place, where the vehicles are normally parked.
That gives me a baseline, and then I always check cold in the same spot. Repeatability is the key. Like eljefino said, it's easier to see the oil when it's cold. Also, on the two Toyota 1.8 engines I've had in the past decade, the level is almost impossible to read if the engine has been running. Letting it sit overnight is the best way to get a clear reading.
Of course, one should always follow the manual for unusual procedures like drtyler posted. I've also heard anecdotes about people checking oil in really cold temps, adding a quart or more because it reads low, and then being overfilled at operating temp.
I think, as someone already said, that THE difference between cold and warm is so negligible as to be only of academic importance.
I think this is the most optimal way to read oil.
Oil expands when it's hot. The volume increases. However, after running the engine you also have to wait for the oil to drain back into the pan.
Most importantly, Toyota recommend checking this way so the reading on the dipstick is for hot oil.
You can check both ways and see if there is a difference. This way you approximately know the cold level relative to the hot level, and you can continue checking cold.
On my car if I want it at full while hot I know I need to be a few mm under the full mark while cold.
I do mine cold. If it's sat for say 4 to 8 hours, it's all drained down. Including on the dipstick. I can pull it out and no wiping necessary. Just look and I'm done. In the summer months, while at work, I'll check on my lunch break, as it takes longer to pop the hood than to look.
IMO the concern about level is overblown. Between the marks is "good enough" and being slightly over isn't the end of the world. Worrying about hot/cold expansion, when it'll run at the min mark quite happily, up to a full quart over, means it's a great big "don't care" to me.
*YMMV if you track the car, tow heavy, or don't check that often. Or if you have some model that has been shown where it matters, I've not owned one of those.
IMO the concern about level is overblown. Between the marks is "good enough" and being slightly over isn't the end of the world. Worrying about hot/cold expansion, when it'll run at the min mark quite happily, up to a full quart over, means it's a great big "don't care" to me.
*YMMV if you track the car, tow heavy, or don't check that often. Or if you have some model that has been shown where it matters, I've not owned one of those.
I have 14 QTs so I doubt it matters too much. But I try and check it when cold. And I need a step stool to get up enough to check the oil. And I am 5'10'.
Because BITOG: obviously we need an OA first. The amount of oxidation or foaming in the oil combined with other factors may affect the reading.
Only then can we begin to formulate a chart of oil temp vs ambient temp vs correction for dipstick reading. Really no different than a chart for a/c pressures. Duh.
Only then can we begin to formulate a chart of oil temp vs ambient temp vs correction for dipstick reading. Really no different than a chart for a/c pressures. Duh.
Morning, cold.
It shall be done on the morning of the spring equinox before the sun reaches the meridian height...
What's the point of reviving a 2-year-old dormant thread?! This has been discussed hundreds of times.
I was researching reading oil levels and felt like nobody properly answered OPs question.
I recently overfilled by a few mm and the crank was most likely hitting the oil. There was performance loss and bubbles on the dipstick.
A lot of people here are laughing but checking the level is a critical step and it matters how and when you do it.
He is 100percent correct.
