Checking Oil Level

[Michelob]

What is the recommended procedure. In the past I thought you drove the car a short way after first start up and then let it sit for a few and check it. I recently saw that done in a 2008 Civic LX at 1957 miles the first oil level check for the car and it was down between 1/8 and 1/4 from the top of the pattern on the oil stick. This car is babied. Seems odd it should be down that much already unless it was never higher than that to begin with. Is that amount down something that would hurt the car?
The car was driven less than a half mile first start up in the morning, gassed up then the oil was checked and it was cool outside. Could that have something to do with it?

 

[96hb]

I check mine cold, after the car has sat for awhile or overnight. Sometimes it takes awhile for all the oil to drain back into the pan after driving, and that's likely why it read lower on the dipstick after your short trip.

 

[94MaxGXE]

10 min after a long trip, 30 miles or more, or stone cold in the morning.
None of this short way stuff.....

 

[Jeffdc5]

yeah you have to let it sit for a while i usually check it on my lunch break or in the morning.

 

[rationull]

I usually check mine in the morning, cold. FWIW I have an 07 Civic (same engine) and in my testing, checking the oil 5 minutes or more after a drive gives practically the same result as checking it after sitting all night. Also FWIW my car has used a bit of oil ever since new. Being down 1/4 after 2000 miles is about in line with what I see.

 

[Michelob]

rationull

Just curious, what are you using for oil in your Civic?
What mileage did you change the oil that came with the car new?

 

[Eddie]

Mazda CX7. Owners maunal says: Engine off and wait a minimum of 5 minutes. SO; 5 minutes to overnight.

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: Michelob

Just curious, what are you using for oil in your Civic?
What mileage did you change the oil that came with the car new?


I used Exxon SuperFlo for a couple fills, then I did one fill of Motorcraft (UOA on the UOA forum) and now I'm running yellow bottle Pennzoil. All 5w-20.

I changed out my factory fill at 6,200 miles when the maintenance minder was at 15%. All my OCIs have been between 5,500 and 6,200 or so miles going by the MM.

 

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: 96hb
I check mine cold, after the car has sat for awhile or overnight. Sometimes it takes awhile for all the oil to drain back into the pan after driving, and that's likely why it read lower on the dipstick after your short trip.


+1 makes a difference in all my cars & boat. The Harley you check hot after waiting 4-5 minutes for an accurate read.

 

[PW01]

I check mine before its been driven

 

[Dale_Knight]

At oil change with a hot engine allowed to drain for about 15 -30 minutes I fill to about half on the dip stick. Checking it next morning cold it will be reading full or just under.

 

[ThirdeYe]

I check mine after it has sat for at least a couple of hours, always.

 

[bar1]

Owners manual says hot engine and wait 5-10 minutes. I check it cold but the difference isn't more than 1 mm.

 

[daman]

Check it cold in the morning after it's been sitting all night,gives the oil a chance to all drain back to the pan plus when it's cold and thick it's easier to see on the stick.

 

[Michelob]

If I check it in the morning cold or a short trip before the car warms up completely it is down 1/8 inch on the stick. If I warm it up completely and wait 15 or 20 minutes the engine is still warm and it is exactly at the top of the full level. So on mine there does seem to be a difference.

 

[Michelob]

When I changed oil today I filled 4 empty quart bottles above where the bottle rounds off on the top and starts heading up to the spout so even though the it read 1/8 low first thing in the morning it was still full and did not use any oil unless they had it quite a bit over.

 

[Ls_Dx]

I check mine: Hot, cold, whenever. any time and all the time

 

[Cyprs]

My Nissan manual says after ten minutes, I check cold over night preferably. More important to me with a Nissan engine is always checking oil on same spot to always have the same reference point for oil check, I use this same level reference spot for OCs too. If I check oil on foreign spot and oil is well over add mark I leave it alone till I get back to reference spot. I find Nissan engines (QR25DE) are touching on oil dipstick readings in regard to slightest smallest change in level on ground. Not all my vehicles are this touchy but I still like using the same spot to check oil to keep all in true perspective.

I find that oil expands when extreme Hot, this will change oil level reading but the expansion of Hot oil generally allows for the oil that has not yet drained back to sump when the engine is only shut off few min or so in my experience. This is why I find my Nissan oil level similiar reading when oil is hot after ten min or cold over night. Even my Cummins diesel is the same, after ten minutes shut down hot my oil level will be nearly the same as cold, I know there is a lot of oil yet to drain back to the sump over night, but the extreme hot oil in my experience expands and seems to give a true reading anyway, this is what I find on most my engines as I monitor their oil check readings on different conditions.

My staionary engines on yard machines for example using a 15-40 HDEO, on a +35C or 100F day on extreme hot running conditions my oil will be a full 1/4-3/8" higher than full mark due to expansion on quick HOT oil level check because the hot oil drains to sump quickly on stationaries compared to a vehicle engine. After sitting and cooling the expansion of hot oil is done and reading is true cold.

Also, in -40F or C the oil will contract and show significant change in reading, I have seen a cold oil level reading contract nearly 1/4 inch on dipstick in -40F or colder. I just leave oil level alone when extreme cold and check it after oil warms up bit in real cold weather.

Just got get to know the quirks of each engine one owns, they all react different in my experience.


Cyprs

 

[Chero87]

Two schools of thought, first being when it's cold all the oil has drained back into the pan so you will get an accuarte reading. Second being when it's hot the oil is expanded and will give you an accurate level reading at operating temp.. I don't think it matters all that much, and being down 1/8 of the dipstick level isn't gonna hurt anything.

The main idea behind checking it hot is so you see the level while the engine is op temp, that way you don't overfill it. If you check cold and it shows down a 1/4qt and you dump that in, you may be a 1/4qt overfilled at op temp.

But I really don't think it matters that much at all.

 

[Spector]

Some manuals say to check it hot but most say after x nyumber of minutes etc., but again that would be a warm engine

Personally I like it first thing in the morning and after full drip down but cold oil. On some of my cars a hot engine reads higher then a cold one and others the opposite. So, basically, stick to a pattern and whatever lets you sleep at night