How many times do you dip your stick?

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Used to be a couple times a week. Anymore can't seem to remember where it goes even.


Sorry, someone had to go there!
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Once generally but the Samurai will give false low readings so several with it.
 
Originally Posted By: ZZman
Do you usually pull it out and wipe it off and then dip and check it, or do you do it again just to make sure of the level?

Or maybe you let it sit all day or night and just pull it out and read it.

I usually pull, wipe, dip and read.


2-3 times when the engine is cold.

If I'm monitoring an issue, 2-3 times when the engine is cold and then wait 15 minutes after the trip and dip 2-3 times.
 
Im married so not that often...

I check every few weeks and before long trips. Today I checked the oil in the Ram, which led to me to trying to grease the cardan (a whole other story), pulling the CV filter for inspection, finding the front main is leaking and doing several drain/fills on the power steering.
 
Historically I always checked the dipstick in the morning with the engine cold. In most of my past vehicles, I determined that was the best way to get an accurate reading. With some vehicles, however, you had to wipe the stick and check it again because the first reading was always high (capillary effect).

Interesting to note that the owner/service manuals for my two Hemi's both say the only accurate reading is with the engine warm but you must wait about 10 minutes after shut down to check. Regardless, for both these engines, the reading is the same with the warm check and cold check.

I never check the dipstick on my wife's BMW, largely because it does not have one. I do an electronic measurement on it about once a week. Always at 100%. Eliminating the dipstick was the stupidest thing BMW ever did to their cars. My wife likes their cars so she gets one. I would buy an M4 for myself but refuse to do so just because it does not have an engine oil dipstick.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake


I never check the dipstick on my wife's BMW, largely because it does not have one. I do an electronic measurement on it about once a week. Always at 100%. Eliminating the dipstick was the stupidest thing BMW ever did to their cars. My wife likes their cars so she gets one. I would buy an M4 for myself but refuse to do so just because it does not have an engine oil dipstick.



I personally love the electronic display for oil level in my wife's BMW, it gets rid of the guesswork. I find it difficult to read most conventional dipsticks on just about every car I've ever owned, especially when the oil is fresh and clean. I wish my Corvette had this feature, because it suffers from having two different readings on either side of the dipstick, so I don't know which one is truly correct!!

I hate dipsticks so much that for the past 10 years or so, I generally didn't even use them at all, I just measured how much oil came out of my cars at oil change time to determine it's consumption rate, and added top up oil on the next oci based on that. (as an example, I know my Honda consumes about one liter every 10,000km so I simply add 200ml every 2,000km and when I drain my oil the same amount always comes out that I initially put in)
 
My Ram, I check about once a month after it has sat on level ground at work for over 10 hrs. My wife's car, because our driveway is sloped, is parked at the end of the driveway/road and I wait at least 2 hrs or longer before I check it.

To date, my Hemi Ram hasn't ever used a drop but I have added 100-200 mls occasionally to my wife's car that sees nothing but city stop and go traffic.

Someday I plan on stopping in at my wife's work to check the level after it has sat 5-6+ hrs on flat/level ground just to see if there is any difference?
 
Originally Posted By: ZZman
Or maybe you let it sit all day or night and just pull it out and read it.


I always read oil level cold after it's sat all night. Easiest way to see the level, and only have to pull it out once.
 
I agree letting it sit all night is the way to go for total accuracy. Pull the stick out fast, get it horizontal and read within a blink of the eye.

Side bar-I think its funny to check the oil after doing a change. As in, dump old oil, pour in required amount, check dipstick. Umm, no. Example, if I know my tundra takes 8 quarts say, and I just put 8 quarts in after a complete drain, I'm pretty sure I know the oil is at the correct level without needing to look. I have friends that will not start their car until they verify its there and at correct level. I guess the oil went elsewhere and a check is needed? No way, craziness. I guess I just live dangerously, call me a rebel.
 
Originally Posted By: 93cruiser
I agree letting it sit all night is the way to go for total accuracy. Pull the stick out fast, get it horizontal and read within a blink of the eye.

Side bar-I think its funny to check the oil after doing a change. As in, dump old oil, pour in required amount, check dipstick. Umm, no. Example, if I know my tundra takes 8 quarts say, and I just put 8 quarts in after a complete drain, I'm pretty sure I know the oil is at the correct level without needing to look. I have friends that will not start their car until they verify its there and at correct level. I guess the oil went elsewhere and a check is needed? No way, craziness. I guess I just live dangerously, call me a rebel.


True, once you've changed the oil on a car a couple of times you learn to know exactly how much it takes and then you can just add that amount every time without needing to do a double check on the dipstick. But on the first change on an unfamiliar car you can't simply just drain the oil, add exactly what it says in the manual and call it a day, because that still might not be enough oil (or in some cases it might be too much, as I found with my Corvette)
 
Originally Posted By: Patman
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake


I never check the dipstick on my wife's BMW, largely because it does not have one. I do an electronic measurement on it about once a week. Always at 100%. Eliminating the dipstick was the stupidest thing BMW ever did to their cars. My wife likes their cars so she gets one. I would buy an M4 for myself but refuse to do so just because it does not have an engine oil dipstick.



I personally love the electronic display for oil level in my wife's BMW, it gets rid of the guesswork. I find it difficult to read most conventional dipsticks on just about every car I've ever owned, especially when the oil is fresh and clean. I wish my Corvette had this feature, because it suffers from having two different readings on either side of the dipstick, so I don't know which one is truly correct!!

I hate dipsticks so much that for the past 10 years or so, I generally didn't even use them at all, I just measured how much oil came out of my cars at oil change time to determine it's consumption rate, and added top up oil on the next oci based on that. (as an example, I know my Honda consumes about one liter every 10,000km so I simply add 200ml every 2,000km and when I drain my oil the same amount always comes out that I initially put in)


Curious, since it's electronic, what happens if that fails and shows 100% but in reality, your engine is way low or ran out entirely? What would happen with regards to warranty in that situation? Would they cover it or tell you you didn't check it via the dipstick?
 
I think if the electronic level were to fail it would probably just not work at all and show an error on the dash, as opposed to just showing a constant full reading. At least I hope it works this way and hope I never have to find out what happens if this unit fails.

In the case of my wife's car, it only uses about a quart of oil between intervals anyhow, so if the level display stopped working I would still be ok, I'd just put the usual 7 quarts of oil in it when I changed the oil, and I'd add a half quart every 5000km just to keep it full.
 
I have one of the last BMW engines before they eliminated the dipstick. You can only check the oil a minute after shutting off a warmed up engine. If you check it cold in the morning, or wait too long after shutting it off, it will give you an inaccurate reading.

So I could understand why they got rid of it. It eliminates some of the confusion.

In addition to the dipstick the car also has a low oil sensors. So I don't think they introduced some wild unproven technology.
 
I never reinsert. I take the reading on the first pull. That is the most accurate reading you will get with a stick.
Now if your stick turns out to be a thin cable, then the 2nd reading should be very-very similar to the first reading.

A stick can mar the results, for oil from the first pull can find the tube wall and give a false reading on the next pull. Cable-end can find a wall also when reinserted. But the percentages of that is much less than with the old-school, wider metal stick.

Our first reading on level ground is the best reading you will get. Always wipe-off the end of the cable or stick with a paper towel. You don;t want any buildup or discoloration staying on the end of that reading. Wipe it good every time and check your level at-least few times between oil changes. I check mine every 2-3 weeks.... no more than 750 miles.

I would check more, but I show no leaks or discharge from the tail pipe.
 
Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
I never reinsert. I take the reading on the first pull. That is the most accurate reading you will get with a stick.


Wrong!

With the dipstick in the pan and the engine running and oil moving around for all that time since you last checked it, it'll never show an accurate reading on that first pull compared to wiping it off and putting it into the pan a second time.

If you google how to check engine oil, every link that comes up will tell you to wipe off the dipstick and re insert it a second time. They can't all be wrong.
 
Originally Posted By: Patman
Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
I never reinsert. I take the reading on the first pull. That is the most accurate reading you will get with a stick.


Wrong!

With the dipstick in the pan and the engine running and oil moving around for all that time since you last checked it, it'll never show an accurate reading on that first pull compared to wiping it off and putting it into the pan a second time.

If you google how to check engine oil, every link that comes up will tell you to wipe off the dipstick and re insert it a second time. They can't all be wrong.


I disagree, but that may have something to do with a particule engine/vehicle?
When I check my truck at work after sitting 10 hrs, there is no sign of streaking whatsoever on the dipstick. Every drop of oil that is going to go into the oil pan has already done so at that point, imo.
I have done both, 1 and 2 pulls and I always get some streaking on the dipstick after the second pull which renders it less accurate.
 
Originally Posted By: irv



I disagree, but that may have something to do with a particule engine/vehicle?
When I check my truck at work after sitting 10 hrs, there is no sign of streaking whatsoever on the dipstick. Every drop of oil that is going to go into the oil pan has already done so at that point, imo.
I have done both, 1 and 2 pulls and I always get some streaking on the dipstick after the second pull which renders it less accurate.


What does the owner's manual for this car say? For my Corvette it says the following:

"Pull out
the dipstick, wipe it with a clean
paper towel or cloth, then push it
back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and
check the level"
 
Originally Posted By: Patman
Originally Posted By: irv



I disagree, but that may have something to do with a particule engine/vehicle?
When I check my truck at work after sitting 10 hrs, there is no sign of streaking whatsoever on the dipstick. Every drop of oil that is going to go into the oil pan has already done so at that point, imo.
I have done both, 1 and 2 pulls and I always get some streaking on the dipstick after the second pull which renders it less accurate.


What does the owner's manual for this car say? For my Corvette it says the following:

"Pull out
the dipstick, wipe it with a clean
paper towel or cloth, then push it
back in all the way. Remove it
again, keeping the tip down, and
check the level"


My owners manual reads, "Check engine oil when cold and on level ground"

Some vehicles for the last while want the engine/oil warm before checking it. Like I said above, "That may have something to do with a particular engine/vehicle?

If one, like in my case, sees the level at the exact same spot with one pull as it does with 2, what is the purpose of doing 2 pulls?
Like I mentioned, 2 pulls causes me some streaking so in my case 2 pulls is redundant.
 
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Originally Posted By: irv



My owners manual reads, "Check engine oil when cold and on level ground"

Some vehicles for the last while want the engine/oil warm before checking it. Like I said above, "That may have something to do with a particular engine/vehicle?


It definitely pays to listen to the manual, as is the case with my Corvette there is a huge difference between the dry sump LT1 that comes with the Z51, Z06, ZR1 and Grand Sport packages, compared to the wet sump LT1 in the base Stingray. With the dry sump you must check the oil hot but the manual specifically says to wait between 5-10 minutes after shutdown. If you wait too long, the dipstick won't show any oil on it at all, since it all drains back to the pan and the dipstick is in the dry sump portion of the system. With my wet sump, it says the best time to check the oil is on a cold engine, if the engine is hot it says to wait at least 30 minutes after shutdown.

But I still think that with most engines, you won't see the most accurate reading on the first pull, which is why many manuals will tell you to wipe it off and reinsert.
 
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