dip sticks

I have been doing my own routine maintenance for many years. Have never had a dipstick, both motor and transmission fluid read accurately. The fluid level line has always been indistinct, sort of like the fluid had been "running" down the stick, never a distinct line for the level. Thought about wrapping a piece of masking tape around the stick, but????? Any thoughts or ideas about this little problem. Thank you.

 

Masking Tape? Don't! Get a hand held etcher and etch you a line across the dipstick in the desired location.

 

I found the trick to easily read the oil is to pull the stick and let it sit with the stick out for 5 minutes. That way the oil that got pulled up into the tube has a chance to run back down. That's the only way I can read clean oil and be sure I'm getting it right.

 

^ this is the correct way

 

Think with your dipstick!

 

I've scuffed up my dipstick a bit with sandpaper. Works good enough to find the line.... Easier to see when the oil is 'older' (darker) VS new oil.

 

I just check my oil after the truck has been sitting overnight. All the oil drains out of the dipstick tube and is settled nicely.

 

^^BAM! This^^ Pugga is absolutely right, it's how I do mine as well.

 

Ed Zachary. After sitting overnight, no oil is left in the tube to mess with the reading so the level will show clearly on the stick, first pull, whether the oil is clean or dirty. Quick, easy and flawless.

 

It is my understanding that the oil level should take place only on a hot engine as the dipstick is calibrated to this. A rested, cold engine allows engine (not just dipstick tube) oil to flow back to the pan giving an erroneously high oil level reading.

Sitting for a few minutes though doesn't result in a significant change.

 

Hi all.

The oil level of ANY engine is meant to be checked after ALL of the oil has drained back into the pan ... There are exceptions to this in the case of large stationery engines that run continuously - these are checked through a site glass while the engine is running.

Owners manuals say to run the engine up to operating temp then wait at least 5 minutes for the oil to drain back into the pan before checking the level. With hot oil it only takes a few minutes to all drain.

If one drives 1/4 mile to the gas station in the winter and checks the oil even after waiting 5 minutes, much of the oil will still be up in the engine. Adding to the full mark will result in the engine being overfull which is only marginally better than being low.

The difficulty of reading our taco dipsticks notwithstanding, I have always preferred to check the oil in the morning after the vehicle has sat overnight - before starting the engine. I've tried it both ways (hot and wait 5 verses wait o/n) and saw no difference on any vehicle I've owned.

Cheers
Ray.

 

Drill a small hole at the full mark it will fill with oil is it's full.