Dip Stick Question

[Passport1]

Two of my vehicles (Suzuki/Mitsubishi) have dip sticks which read at a different level on each side. The sticks are the typical thin steel type with the low and high levels denoted by a small hole. I take the readings when the engines are cold on a reasonably level driveway. The oil is dark enough to be seen easily. The level on one side will be consistently higher on one side from the other. The dip stick tubes are fairly vertical.

I searched and found this quote from an earlier posting,

'Always read both sides. If your dipstick reads two different levels, you always read the lowest level as that is the true level.
Oil and transmission fluid can't crawl up the stick. The lower level is the accurate level.'

How is this possible?

 

[Rand]

The world is round.

How is this possible.

Oil level can show higher from rubbing in the dipstick tube or other unknown mechanisms, but it cant be lower.
therefore the lower level is accurate.

 

[Vladimir Bonev]

That seems to hold true in my 08 LR3.
Lower indicated level is the correct one.

 

[wings&wheels]

I have seen this and my theory is that when you pull the dipstick, oil scraped from the tube collects on one side more than the other. I read the low side.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I never understood this Phenomenon... Live long and prosper, I guess.

 

[JavierH19]

Jokes on y'all, I have no oil on either side.

6 years ago at a gas station close to home I randomly decided to pull the stick on my sierra since I hadn't done that in a while and it was dry on both sides. I had no oil light and still had normal pressure that wouldn't randomly dip and the engine sounded normal. So I happily put the dry stick back in and drove home to add oil since I already used the quart I kept in the back and forgot to buy more quart singles. Wasn't about to pay 10 bucks for 1 quart if I was just a few miles from home. Ultimately I forgot I already used the quart of oil I had at home since I keep my jug stash at my shop so I dumped power steering fluid in it.

 

[Passport1]

Jokes on y'all, I have no oil on either side.

6 years ago gas station close to home I randomly decided to pull the stick on my sierra since I hadn't done that in a while and it was dry on both sides. I had no oil light and still had normal pressure that wouldn't randomly dip and the engine sounded normal. So I happily put the dry stick back in and drove home and added oil since I already used the quart I kept in the back and forgot to buy more quart singles. Wasn't about to pay 10 bucks for 1 quart if I was just a few miles from home. Ultimately I forgot I already used the quart of oil I had at home since I keep my jug stash at my shop so I dumped power steering fluid in it.

Well you got my interest. Will you channel a Paul Harvey ending, "And now you know the rest of the story"?

 

[opus1]

Jokes on y'all, I have no oil on either side.

6 years ago at a gas station close to home I randomly decided to pull the stick on my sierra since I hadn't done that in a while and it was dry on both sides. I had no oil light and still had normal pressure that wouldn't randomly dip and the engine sounded normal. So I happily put the dry stick back in and drove home to add oil since I already used the quart I kept in the back and forgot to buy more quart singles. Wasn't about to pay 10 bucks for 1 quart if I was just a few miles from home. Ultimately I forgot I already used the quart of oil I had at home since I keep my jug stash at my shop so I dumped power steering fluid in it.

Had that happen with a rental one time...checked the oil and there was a tiny little spot at the tip of the dipstick. Bought 3 quarts of overpriced oil at the gas station and brought the level roughly mid-range between add and full so that was good enough for me. Made sure to report that to the rental agency and, to their credit, and since I kept the receipt for the oil they did reimburse me for it.

 

[Urshurak776]

Jokes on y'all, I have no oil on either side.

6 years ago at a gas station close to home I randomly decided to pull the stick on my sierra since I hadn't done that in a while and it was dry on both sides. I had no oil light and still had normal pressure that wouldn't randomly dip and the engine sounded normal. So I happily put the dry stick back in and drove home to add oil since I already used the quart I kept in the back and forgot to buy more quart singles. Wasn't about to pay 10 bucks for 1 quart if I was just a few miles from home. Ultimately I forgot I already used the quart of oil I had at home since I keep my jug stash at my shop so I dumped power steering fluid in it.

You just reminded me of the young Nav IT tech we had back in my Navy days. He knew ZERO about mechanical equipment. Was driving home for Christmas. Needed an oil change but didn't want to spend the money. No oil on dipstick, so, he just added water.........

I shared the story a couple times here. Luckily, he had just driven it from the barracks to work (a couple miles.) He was leaving straight after work to drive 800 miles home.....

I took him at lunch time to the Exchange and got him oil/filter. It was super easy to do in the car. Ford Colt I think? It's been like 30 years.... Did the job right in the parking lot. I showed him how (I had tools in my truck.) I got one of those drain pans that capture oil and put a lid on it. I took that and the old filter home and sent him on his way.

Did that 2 miles of driving with oil/water in crank case hurt anything? No idea......but he did make it home and back.