Reading a Dipstick

[BurntMusic]

laughs in VW

No but seriously, the VWs I've seen all have the crappiest dipsticks. Not only are they really hard to read, but the oil will smear on the dipstick as you pull it out of the tube.

 

[HowAboutThis]

I'm done trying to read toyota dipsticks the way they recommend in the manual. I had the same problem you did. Someone here recommended this--just pull the dipstick out with the engine cold, and read it before sticking it back in, not after you run the engine and then shut it off. First pull on a cold engine. Never failed me yet.

This is my method for this car. But with fresh oil it's like it doesn't stick to the dipstick but then streaks doggone near all the way to the ring to pull it out. After the 5th pull today with a different level each time, I gave up.

 

[paulri]

I don't know why Toyota dipsticks act like this. Perhaps it was because they were designed by a.... oh never mind.

If you changed the oil today, I would let it sit until the next day. That's when I actually check mine with the dipstick.

This is my method for this car. But with fresh oil it's like it doesn't stick to the dipstick but then streaks doggone near all the way to the ring to pull it out. After the 5th pull today with a different level each time, I gave up.

 

[CR94]

If you've drained thoroughly and refilled with the proper volume, there's no urgent need to check immediately, but I still like to look for reference, so I'll be able to tell how far the level has dropped by the time it becomes more visible.

Does my Toyota dipstick really have to be smooth and shiny? That doesn't work well with new synthetic oil that's almost colorless.

I agree that the cold method works best. Not only is the oil fully drained down, it leaves a thicker, more visible film on the dipstick.

The dipstick for washer fluid is even more difficult to decipher.

 

[Nick1994]

4.4 quarts? I'd probably pour in 4.5 or even the whole 5 and call it good.

No point in trying to be exact.

Same here. My Camry calls for 3.8 quarts, I just pour in a gallon of diesel oil and close the hood. No need to check the dipstick.

 

[930.engineering]

17 Corolla has the hardest dipstick to read with new oil.

Why are some dipsticks so frustrating?

Try reading a 2007-2013 Mini dipstick and you'll love the Corolla dipstick.

I use to just remove the dipstick in the evening to let all oil residue in the dipstick tube drain into the pan over night and put it back in next morning to read it. This is the only way to get a proper read on a R56 Mini. Make sure you have proper lighting, as pour light can make reading the dipstick a pain. Some people add MoS2 to darken the oil, which probably doesn't hurt.

Why some dispsticks are such a pain to read? Because they're designed by .... you'll guess. In many cases it's the dipstick tube which is bent due to space restictions. Quite often there's no room left for a straight tubing.

 

[Jetronic]

The dipstick in my car's engine has very deep cross hatching, but it still has a hard to read level when new oil is put in. I ground the hatching off on one side between the min and max marking, and this side shows a clear line.

 

[Spyderman24_7]

17 Corolla has the hardest dipstick to read with new oil. 4.4 qts, had a 5qt jug, trying to tell where it's at, and it gets smeared above the holes, empty in the middle but oil above and below the dry spot. Ugh. Annoying. In about a month and thousand miles the oil should be dark enough to see if I need to add more...or maybe drain some off.

Why are some dipsticks so frustrating?

Yeah no doubt as the family has had 2 Corollas in the past and those things were the biggest PITA BY FAR to read of any engines I've ever worked on. Only decent level of precision I found over the years was to park on a level surface, let sit overnight and go by the first reading. Otherwise trying to reinsert and read again just led to a smeared end result and far from accurate or even readable unless it was allowed to sit maybe another 30+ mins to settle onto the dipstick. Seemed maybe the fit in the tube was just too tight to properly do repeated measurements. Thankfully those 2 cars are no longer in the family and don't miss them one **** bit.

 

[Hall]

If you've drained thoroughly and refilled with the proper volume, there's no urgent need to check immediately, but I still like to look for reference

I guess it's just an odd habit... I mean, you're right, if you put it (close to) the right amount and you didn't forget to put the drain plug back in or oil filter on, where could it go ? I still check though and if there's visible oil on the dipstick, I'm good with it. I'll recheck it later, like after it's sat overnight though.

The dipstick for washer fluid is even more difficult to decipher.

Pffft, haven't seen too many and even if I did, I wouldn't use it. My method for washer fluid is pour in new fluid and hopefully stop pouring before too much spills out !!