Post a photo of your oil on dipstick (with miles)
- Thread starter ProbeGT
- Start date
Sorry for the crappy quality, my phone doesn't take a good picture, and I've been trying for weeks to get a good shot to upload to this thread.
Oil is Valvoline Restore and Protect 5W30 in my 111k mile 2019 Kia Sportage 2.4L. currently at 2500 miles on this fill, it's been 560 miles since I last added a quart.
Quick rant: I absolutely hate these dip sticks. I had similar issues with the Sonata too. The wet "line" on the dipstick, which should be clearly visible (like the hundreds of others in this thread) and show where the oil level is at is impossible to tell. The oil is also very hard to see on these particular dip sticks for some reason. Even abrading/scuffing the dip stick to give it more grip did Jack. Also, I will never understand what I'm doing wrong when refilling. I get it to/make sure it is at operating temperature, shut off and check after five minutes. That's textbook, straight from the ownera manual. Black and white, night and day clear as crystal.
And when I'm at L, I add a quart. I don't break out the beaker set to measure every milliliter but the hash marks on the jugs are good enough. Only issue is when rechecking the oil always smears above F on the dipstick. You can even see that happening in this photo I just took and uploaded in a Walmart Parking lot. The oil comes up to the L, there's almost nothing between the L and the F, and then from the bubble of F to above that, there's more oil. I don't get it. It's a 5 quart system right? (It is) And from F to L is supposed to be a quart right (It is)? So what the heck? It doesn't do this every time, but it feels like it. Especially when I'm trying to take a picture.
^^^ It's typically easier to get a good level reading on the dipstick when the oil is checked cold. Yeah, it will be a bit higher when hot, but I always go by the cold oil reading, and I know what it will be when hot ... typically 1-2 mm higher.
Is that some life hack or is the owners manual wrong? I'm not trying to be smart, I'm literally asking. Because it's frustrating doing things 100% according to instructions (because what else should I listen to really?) and getting inconsistent results at best.
Life hack that I learned to do many year ago. Much easier to see the level cold on the first pull of the dipstick.
2010 Kia Forte 2.0L
187,044 on the motor, 4866 on the frankenbrew oil. 3/4qt added over the time, half of that probably wiped on my checking rag. It's due for another 1/4 qt to keep it topped off but will probably just change it instead, maybe this weekend, maybe next weekend.
187,044 on the motor, 4866 on the frankenbrew oil. 3/4qt added over the time, half of that probably wiped on my checking rag. It's due for another 1/4 qt to keep it topped off but will probably just change it instead, maybe this weekend, maybe next weekend.
I check my car at work often before leaving for the day. Work parking lot is pretty level unlike my driveway. I don't even need to wipe off the dipstick as there is nothing above the mark to wipe off.
I have checked many of my vehicles cold and hot on same day, 30 minutes apart. Difference of about 1/8" higher on the dipstick when hot depending how long it sits to clear the tube when I get gas. My routine for hot check is pull into gas station at level pad area, shut off engine, pull dipstick and wipe off, leave it out while I fill up with fuel, insert dipstick and then pull to check. If the 2 sides are not even, the lower one is normally closest to my cold check so that is my level. I'll add some if needed from there to keep it topped off.
FIL's Jeep Renegade has a new motor and says check it hot. I didn't know how much different on his so took it to work one night. Same thing about 1/8". Since he had oil pressure issues from scored cylinders and who knows if stuck rings in his "old" 82k motor, my plan is severe service schedule changes (4k on his) and using VRP from the start in 5W-30 instead of 0W-20 with factory filter. He has 18 months left on motor warranty after dealer replaced it.
Mmmmm darker, dirtier, sooty diesel stuff.
Sump capacity has been cut-back to 4.5 quarts on the newest models.
Wish they would have went the other direction and made it a nice, easy 5 quarts.
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You always want to run your fuel system cleaner during the tank of gas prior to your oil change. This is because when you're freeing up carbon deposits, it can contaminate your oil via blow-by. When you run the cleaner right before an oil change, out go the contaminants and you start with fresh oil all over again.
Nearing the end of my 2nd oil change with the Valvoline Restore and Protect (5W30), I have over 3600 miles on this current fill, and over 6900 miles total with the VRP.
Consumption at the first change was 1qt/500 miles. As you can hopefully see from the pictures below, consumption does appear to be reducing. I'm right between half full and a quart low after more than 900 miles since I last added a quart.
What's crazy is there's almost no progress for thousands of miles. Over the past two weeks though it's been a different story.
Car is a 2019 Kia Sportage (2.4L) with 112k, bought used three months ago with 98k. I commute 80 miles a day five days a week and we do Uber eats on the side, so it's driven a lot.
Consumption at the first change was 1qt/500 miles. As you can hopefully see from the pictures below, consumption does appear to be reducing. I'm right between half full and a quart low after more than 900 miles since I last added a quart.
What's crazy is there's almost no progress for thousands of miles. Over the past two weeks though it's been a different story.
Car is a 2019 Kia Sportage (2.4L) with 112k, bought used three months ago with 98k. I commute 80 miles a day five days a week and we do Uber eats on the side, so it's driven a lot.
Maybe it's my screen but where is the other mark? I see maybe down in dipstick tube? If so a bit overfilled but I'd rather be a bit higher than low.
My Accord is at 4600 miles, 1/2 way between marks. Like my sons Forte I'll probably just change it instead of adding 1/2 for 500 miles. So far I added 1.25qts over the 4600 miles. Might have to change PCV again as it was done about 50k ago, or it's just me driving a stick shift and revving higher.
Hermann
Site Donor 2023
Pic of the dipstick at 26890 miles on engine. 6980 miles on this OCI, Changing tomorrow. Pics are unshopped, only cropped. Taken in natural light that's coming into the garage. No oil added during OCI
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I've had a few VW diesels aver the years. Rabbits, Jetta's, Passat's. Oil got black real soon. However I have a Kubota 3 cylinder diesel mower w/o any emissions control systems and after a season of mowing the oil will still be golden brown.
No dealer is going to wait to get the oil hot either. We fill by volume (either the official volume, or what we know will put the level on max) and give the dipstick a quick check.
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Its unfortunate but seems like my oil anaylsis projects might be coming to an end. Got rear ended by a large Semi this morning in the fast lane.
**** man are you ok?
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