What a Dip Stick!

[DitchCrawler]

This might sound a bit simple, but is there a knack to checking the engine oil on my 3.0 D, i warm the engine up, stop the truck on level ground, pull the dip stick, clean it off and re insert, pull the dip stick again and oil is spread over the bottom 2-3" of the stick, and no, its not overfilled I have to try a number of times before the stick even gives a hint of the level, its almost as if the stick wipes against something on the way in to smudge the reading or maybe the finish of the stick diffuses the oil to give a poor reading.

Any Ideas??

Paul

[TonyN]

It goes round a bend, the side that rubs on the inner side of the bend often wipes the oil off the dipstick.

[lclascaris]

My 3rd Gen does the same.

When you pull the dipstick out the 1st time the reading is clear but if you re-insert the dipstick then pull it out again it's smudged. But on the back side of the dip stick it's a clear reading. So when you remove it look on the side facing the back of the car & that should give you a clear reading.

I find that after an hour of refilling after an oil change it is spot on the max mark. But then the next morning the level seems to rise quite a bit, as on some of my oil changes I have had to let a bit of oil out as it has exceeded the max mark.

[DitchCrawler]

It goes round a bend, the side that rubs on the inner side of the bend often wipes the oil off the dipstick.

Thats a good design then

I CAN get a reading eventually, but when i ask the missus to get more involved in the maintenance on the truck, by checking the oil and tyres, beer level in fridge etc. she is finding it tricky and i dont want her to think its full when it isnt, or t'other way around of course.

Tony, i've got to come and see you about a couple of rattles, a service and to give you your spares back might pop over saturday pm if thats OK with you

Paul

[Rob]

But on the back side of the dip stick it's a clear reading.

Was gonna say the same thing

I don't think there's any need to warm the car up first though - I generally check mine when the engine is cold, or has been sitting for at least 30 mins or so.

[DitchCrawler]

I don't think there's any need to warm the car up first though - I generally check mine when the engine is cold, or has been sitting for at least 30 mins or so.

Perhaps thats the secret, i've always warmed up the engine before checking because oil can drain back from filters and coolers giving a false reading, i'll ignore that in future and try it cold. Ta

[Tallyman]

If you are talking about engine oil then you must check it with the engine cold, as warm oil will expend and also if it's just been run then there will be oil still in some of the upper oilways, thereby giving a false reading.

Now, if you are talking about the ATF fluid, then that does have to be checked hot, after a run or having warmed it up and cycled through all the gears to make sure there is fluid in all the right places.

[DitchCrawler]

Maybe the habit of checking while hot has come from checking the bikes engine oil, that needs to be done with the engine hot and within between 10 & 20mins of stopping the engine.

Paul