Reading Oil Dip Stick [I'm not stupid]

Hi Guys,

I'm sorry if this seems stupid, but I'm stumped.

My oil dip stick has oil on it about 4" above the full point - BUT - there are dry places on the dip stick all the way down the dip stick. It is like this wether I measure warm or cold.

I'm not sure if this is residual oil that it's picking up OR if the clean synthetic oil isn't sticking to the dip stick?

I changed my oil / oil filter a couple days ago. I added 5.5 quarts of synthetic oil and I'm worried this was too much. I've put about 100 miles on the truck since then.
But I'm confused about my oil reading.

Every other vehicle I've checked oil on - it was quite obvious where the oil was on the dip stick. All those vehicles had conventional oil though.

I couldn't get pictures that showed this clearly.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

Jack

 

It's just because the way the tube goes into the pan, pull the stick out, wipe it, reinsert it and then where ever the heaviest part of the collected oil is is your level. 5.5qt in your system you should have no issues.
A bit too little oil is actually better than a bit too much. That said I run a HUGE filter on my truck and 6.25qt oil. I check my stick freuqently but no foam so I keep doing it.

 

Thanks @Key-Rei

I always wipe the dip stick, put it back in, then take it out for the reading - it's just weird compared to any other dip stick I've used.

I figure with 5.5qt's, I'm definitely not too low.

Just hoping that I'm not too high; and I wanted to check about the residual oil way up on the dip stick.

 

You could try lightly sanding it. Clean oil sticks a little better.

 

If your to high you'll most likely have foaming.

 

I remember when dipsticks used to come factory with crosshatching for this reason.

 

Those were the days...

 

Yep, had use a choke to get it to start. If it was really cold it wouldn't start anyway. And if it did it ran like shit for 20 min.


BUT you could read your DIPSTICK!

 

Foaming on the dip stick? Or where?

I'll take the advice on sanding the dip stick a little.
All my other vehicles have cross hatched dip sticks.

I guess what gets me though, is why do I see so much residual oil 4 inches above the full line?
Again; I wipe the dip stick, reinsert, then remove to take the reading.

 

I like your user pic, we can get 89 oct "boat fuel" down here. (Ethanol free) I run it in everything I own, it's worth the premium price to me, plus it's the only thing my 84 Goldwing likes to drink, when on trips and I have to fill up with E10 I can feel it the moment the ethanol hits the carbs, she just doesn't run as smooth or get up and go as quick. All my yard equipment starts on the first half pull with it too.

Plus I get about 2mpg more in the Tacoma running it.

I understand why ethanol fuel exists, but from a strictly mechanical chemistry stand point...

 

Some vehicles use the dipstick tube for oil return to the pan, so you'll have some oil running down the tube for a little while after shutdown. Not sure if Toyots does. You may see some foam on the dipstick if its severe.

 

From pulling the dipstick out it leaves oil in the tube where the tube bends, when you reinsert it the stick takes the path of least resistance and collects the oil higher up on the stick. Nothing to worry about.

 

Hate Ethanol for all the reasons you just stated

 

Our boat won't turn off when it has ethanol gas in it... You turn the ignition off, and it just keeps kicking over for at least a minute.
Luckily the marina's sell ethanol-free gas.

Now I'm interested in how my dirt bike would run on ethanol free gas!

Thanks for explaining about the oil return! That explains it!

Btw, I don't have any foaming, so I should be all good!

 

That's called dieseling and is usually caused by carbon deposits in the combustion cylinder. Another old school problem. SEAFOAM!

 

Yeah! Anything with a carb will run many times better with ethanol free. Carbs just weren't designed for ethanol, it's more gel like microscopically and doesn't atomize in the air right.

As a side note ethanol increases octane so when you buy say 87oct ethanol fuel you are really buying 82 with the ethanol to bring it up. Meaning you're buying less potential energy. Lower octane and ethanol has lower stored potential.

However because ethanol is more stable than gasoline it allows timing to be advanced further which is why many performance cars are converted to e85, lower MPG's but more HP. When racing who cares?

Also due to it's stability it is more likely to compression detonate like a diesel in high heat or high compression environments, like you experience with your boat.

Down here is FLA we have airboats, high performance old school V8's turning a huge fan, they hate the ethanol which is why stores started selling "boat fuel"

I did have one lady try to stop me from putting in "the diesel" into my truck once because she did it to her husbands car and it killed it, after taking a half attempt to explain the above I just told her, it's okay my truck is a diesel...

 

Seafoam and Marvel Mystery Oil, the only "snake oils" I swear by.

I have a sealed 5 gallon bucket I dump the last sprits of brake clean, bad gas, paint thinner, whatever into but it's main base is seafoam, once in a while I dump a whole can if seafoam into it, it's a great parts cleaner and soaker. Strips gun parts to new in short order. Left a slide I got some Por-15 over spray on in the bucket for a week, the por-15 wiped off with a rough cloth. Didn't damage the cerakote and so far I haven't seen any damage to blued parts either. Eats carbon like none other!

 

@robssol you must be either west coast or night shift like me!

Also thread jack!

 

Night shift. Kinda, been off for the last month due to surgery and old habits die hard


My Solstice's dipstick is harder to read than the TACO!

unjacked

 

Ever owned a 350z? Dipsticks suck on those cars...