This car has to have the most frustrating dipstick I've ever read. Both sides are completely different and every time I clean, insert, look, it's different. Anyone else have one of these stupid cars?!? It's not mine, the SO's. I'm going to go with if it's damp with oil it's good enough. Any tricks for reading the dipstick?
Dipstick Reading 2006 Forester
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Whipcitywrencher
Site Donor 2023
LOL my daughters saturn is like that...
It wouldn't be so bad except the thing eats oil like I eat pizza.
Whipcitywrencher
Site Donor 2023
these are hard to read..
I flip them over and see what the other side is like...
Any Nissan VQ motor. Dipstick is 2.5 feet long, goes in the side of the motor and the handle is a foot long and has a 45 degree jog in it. Miserable.
My supercharged g35 drank oil and I usually went by if the stick had oil on it it wasn't time to add any yet.
It is wet between the two lines/dots it is fine.
It must run in the family, my daughters 2007 Legacy has exactly the same dipstick symptoms that you describe. With most cars you can get a decent dipstick reading by letting them sit all night and taking the reading cold, but not this Subaru, oil must hang up in the tube, because I always have to wipe and reinsert the dipstick about three times to get a consistent reading and the dipstick always shows half a range difference between the two sides (like full one side and 1/2 on the other, or add on one side and 1/2 on the other). I have had to learn to live with it.
I like the one on the Dodge Journey I have. They stopped the dipstick tube well below the engine cover so unless you are in full day light you can't see to get it back in the tube. It's frustrating.
Not even under the canopy at the gas station with full lighting can you see it.
I have that kind of problem with my 03 V8 4Runner's automatic transmission dipstick. I do the drain and fill routine on a regular basis and every time it's a pain reading the level.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2023
I have this issue with the Camry. When I made a thread on it, everyone basically told me I was an idiot and wasting bandwidth on the forum.
Is the min and max in the same spot on each side? One side may be for reading when engine is hot and other side when engine is cold. Just a guess
I had the same issue on my f250 psd. I tried to open the fill cap to allow it to vent. I tried removing the o rings for an accurate reading to no avail.
I googled it and found i wasnt the only one. Ford actually revised the design of the dipstick to remedy the problem.
Originally Posted By: 555
Is the min and max in the same spot on each side? One side may be for reading when engine is hot and other side when engine is cold. Just a guess
Wow, they censor the word cra p. Really? That's like G or PG in a movie. LOL
When I have a car with a difficult to read dipstick, here is what I do. I remove the dipstick and set it aside for about 15 to 20 minutes to allow the oil to drain from the tube. I then insert the dipstick and remove and read. This usually works for me.
Add to the above: Insert the dipstick slowly so you don't tend to splash. Ed
Add to the above: Insert the dipstick slowly so you don't tend to splash. Ed
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