Trying Not To Overthink A Dipstick

[zoomie]

One thing about my first car with 20 weight oil is trying to read the level, especially when its fresh it's only one shade darker than instrument oil 10/10 IMHO, coupled with an uneven streak as the stick goes through the tube. I get the oil changed at the dealership because it doesn't cost me anything except predictable wear & tear on the vehicle (let's not go there). I notice the oil line they use has a dial near the spout which sets the desired amount, negating the need to measure afterward? I see in my manual a notice not to fill past the upper mark to prevent possibly damaging the engine. If I had to bet I'd say the level is consistently around 1/8th above the upper mark and the car burns no oil nor dilutes it between changes. I'm thinking of asking for them to turn the dial back a tenth or two of a liter (4.4L cap.) next time. I brought 0W to the dealer this OCI but I've always used their Shell 5W-20, the darker synthetic is much easier to read!

 

[Donald]

I look at both side holding it horizontal (less movement up/down the stick). Also once you have pushed/pulled the dipstick a few times there is oil on the dipstick tube in places and harder to read the dipstick, need to wait 30 minutes for it to settle.

 

[jorton]

Let oil drain out of the tube. Leave the dipstick out of the tube for 5 minutes, then check level. Calibrate the dipstick. Do an oc yourself with quart bottles. Check oil level. The new reading is true "full".

 

[GMorg]

If you attempt to "calibrate" the dipstick yourself, you will have to account for the oil that remains in the engine after draining. The quantity if different for every engine type and different depending on the temperature. The purpose of the dipstick is NOT to determine the amount of oil in the sytem, but instead is designed to measure the level in oil pan. The level is important for crank clearance.

 

[MrRPM]

first wipe your dipstick dry, then dip it back for oil. even if the oil is 100% clear the oil level can be seen if you hold it at an angle with proper lighting by looking for the wet shiny metal to stop and become dry flat metal.

 

[zoomie]

Is 1/8th in. over upper mark an overfill? Would just under upper mark with an engine that burns no oil be adequate?

 

[Jason64]

Assuming PCV Valve is working, what would happen if you overfill by say, a quart?

 

[tpattgeek]

Originally Posted By: zoomie

Is 1/8th in. over upper mark an overfill? Would just under upper mark with an engine that burns no oil be adequate?

No issues either way...

 

[Ken2]

Draw the dipstick from the tube and immediately lay it on a clean paper towel or rag. You'll see the wet spot on the towel. The spot will seep into the fibers and travel, so be quick. A bit high is no problem, and who knows what's exactly right, anyway. Don't worry. My Tundra calls for 6-1/2 quarts and I usually dump in 7...no problem yet for 115,000 miles.

 

[GMorg]

"full" is the entire range from the lower mark to the upper mark. The lower mark indicates that more should be added. The upper mark indicates that you should not add any more. There is no mark for "too much". As noted before, the oil level max is related to splash and crank clearances. 1/8 inch is not going to hurt anything.

 

[91344George]

Originally Posted By: GMorg

" There is no mark for "too much".

That's because the sensor for "too much" is actually the catalytic conceverter that will eventually be contaminated by so much oil reaching it that it will cease to function properly and then throw a check engine light telling you that you need to replace the converter because it is not working anymore.

 

[SteveSRT8]

This overfilling advice varies wildly by platform. But most mfgr's test with a minimum of one extra quart and sometimes even more. Normal drivers will never notice a slight overfill, and if the engine is set up properly your cat won't know either.

 

[CharBaby]

Zoomie, When the MFG mentions, not to overfill the crankcase with oil, they're speaking of QTS overfull, not using the proper amount of oil and the oil level being a tad(1/8") over the full mark.

Originally Posted By: GMorg

"full" is the entire range from the lower mark to the upper mark. The lower mark indicates that more should be added. The upper mark indicates that you should not add any more. There is no mark for "too much". As noted before, the oil level max is related to splash and crank clearances. 1/8 inch is not going to hurt anything.

IMHO, Oil being between the two marks/dots on the dipstick "USUALLY" represent the "SAFE" area NOT THE FULL AREA of the dipstick. Below the lower mark/dot is "UNSAFE" or "hey, you'd better add some oil". Above the upper marks/dots is "OVERFULL" but, by how much will certainly matter! But, in either case, if the oil level is 1/8th" above/below the marks/dots, doesn't mean the engine will blow due to starvation for oil nor will it foam due to being overfilled. This is your window to the inside of your engine. I strongly beleive you'll be just fine.

 

[LeakySeals]

This is a decent read.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby

When the MFG mentions, not to overfill the crankcase with oil, they're speaking of QTS overfull, not using the proper amount of oil and the oil level being a tad(1/8") over the full mark.

That, plus protection for the dummies out there. I'm sure there have been people that have reasoned that they can have anywhere from a couple quarts of gas in their tank to totally full, so why not treat the oil the same way? After all, if a bit is good, a lot must be better, right? I certainly would agree that a tiny bit overfilled is not a huge issue.

 

[edwardh1]

My toyota dealer always fills the oil almost 1 inch above the top line!!! I think they just put 5 quarts in every car

 

[edwardh1]

what is the relationship of high oil level to rear main seal leaks.