Very thin layer of oil on dipstick

I’m sure this has probably been covered somewhere but I just bought a Tacoma with 14,000 miles. I didn’t check the dipstick at the dealer before I drove it 100 miles back home. I just checked the dipstick after letting it sit for 10 minutes and I can barely see any oil. It goes up to the line but it’s super thin and clear.

 

Yeah, 0w-20 is very thin and hard to see on the dipstick. Some lightly sand the end of the dipstick, so cross hatch marks make the oil level more visible.

Oil is important, lol. If it's low top it off. You could always change it again for piece of mind. Sounds like it was just recently changed though.

 

It's probably fresh oil.

 

It's really hard to see when clean, there are a ton of threads on here about it.

 

If the 3rd gen dipstick is like the 2nd gen then start with sanding it with like 40 grit sandpaper, if you want even better I recommend cutting little tiny notches into the side of the dipstick, similar to how a hacksaw blade looks, works beautifully.

 

If it's a 3.5 V6 just make sure 6.2 qts (6 qts plus 6-8 oz) is put in along with a new filter cartridge and you should be good. I prefilled the filter canister with the extra on my last change to prevent a dry first start up. I sanded just the bottom of the dip stick as a test and it did not seem to help. After a few hundred miles you should be able to see the oil film better. The back of the dipstick often reads a little easier.

 

Ruff it up with a red scuff pad. Helps tremendously.

 

Whomever you bought it from gave you a fresh oil change!

 

It's a good sign when you see oil.

 

Brilliant! I’ll have to do that. Thanks

 

Also try wiping the dipstick and insert back into the hole. Wait about an hour, pull the dipstick out and WithOut wiping you should be able to easily see the level.

 

I've found that it helps to remove the dipstick, wipe it off, and set it aside for 10 minutes or so. Afterward, insert it and remove it right away. It should be pretty easy to see the level doing it this way.

 

Six quarts is fine. The delta between high and low marks is approx 1.5 quarts so a couple of ounces won’t be missed.

 

Oil thread!

 

I ended up having a free Toyota care oil change that would have expired soon, so I just had the oil changed. Thanks for the tips of scuffing the dipstick between the lines. I did that and it made it a little bit better.

 

Yep, 6 qrts is enough. I am not keeping partial bottles around.