The 4.0 Dipstick is a piece of shit

Has anyone else noticed this? Impossible to get a clean reading on these sonsabitches!

Checked the stick today as part of routine maitenance and it appeared on one side to be about .5" past the full mark...the other side was streaked all to hell. 4 attempted rechecks yielded the same result.

Let about half a quart out to be safe....last oil change, put in 5.5 quarts....truck never had any problems, but I like to be on the safe side.

These dipsticks suck.

 

(thick irish accent) "Start thinkin with your dip stick jimmy!!!"

 

I may have to try that...

I agree, with the bend required to get the dipstick back into the oil it's damn near impossible to get a good read. If I don't get a clean pull on the first try I just check it again later because I know I've already smeared oil all along the inside of the guide.

 

Yup, it does suck! I only check mine in the morning and go by the first pull. It's very readable at that point, but even if you stick it back in for another reading it's streaked so much it's pretty tough.

 

I did the same thing as chris4x4 with my dremel and it helped a lot.

 

Just let your oil get real dirty and it's easier to read! I wonder if bead blasting the end would help? Most new cars are a PITA.

 

That's what she said.

 

oh yeah giggity giggity

 

Thank god, i thought i was the only one that hated that dipstick.

 

5.5 quarts with filter should do it. I also etched mine with sandpaper and made like an "x" pattern at 45 degree angles to each other...seemed to help. I use the reading on the side of the stick that isn't smeared. 5.5 quarts usually shows up right at the top fill line.

 

Just to be sure, changed her out with a fresh load of EXACTLY 5.5Qts of Purple Jesus.

Drove her for about 30 minutes, drained the oil and filter hot, and then did the change. Did NOT preload the filter. Seems to have come up almost exactly on the full line.

Anyone else notice royal purple becomes clear after you've run it in your engine for only a few minutes? Must be heat-degrading purple dye they use or something.

 

The 2.7 dipstick isn't any better.

 

At least we have a dipstick (but it does suck). Some newer cars such as BMW's I hear don't even have one. CRAZY!!!

 

Will this count as a mod, dip-stick mod?

 

Good idea but I would think that you would have drilled small holes in 1/4 qt increments and attached a viscosity funnel on the end!

 

I know the manual says 5.5 qts. and I tried that with my first change, but it was 1/2 qt high. I have been putting 5 qts in ever since, always on the money. Dipstick is a PITA btw

 

Yes

 

I'm pretty consistent at exactly 5 quarts a change.

Anyone tried knurling the end of the dipshit. (I typed dipshit on accident but I decided to leave it for a laugh).