This might be the dumbest question ever, especially coming from me as I've been getting my hands greasy on a regular basis for over 30 years. But it's been bugging me so I have to ask: does anyone else have trouble determining the oil level in their cars?

I can never tell exactly how much oil is in my crankcase. Just this past weekend, for example, my car sat for two days, plenty of time for all the oil to drain down into the oil pan. Yet when I pulled the dipstick, it was (as usual), covered with oil, almost all the way to the top. If I wipe the dipstick and put it back and pull it out real fast, there will still be oil covering 8 - 10 inches of the dipstick - there will, however, be some clean spots and sort of a line (can't quite explain it) near the "full" mark, so I just assume that the oil level is close.

Anyone else have this problem? Is it an issue with my car? I have never seen anything like this; then again, this is my first turbo. Thanks.

 

sounds like you are smearing the oil on the dip as you remove the stick. Is the stick bent. Try pull the stick a bit slower and more carefully and also get multiple readings.

8-10 inches.. we are talking about the dipstick for your oil level right? just checking haha.

 

Yup that's exactly what I was gonna ask you if you were smearing the oil. When I check oil levels it's usually when the car is warmed up and the engine is
off. I wipe the dipstick from end to end after taking it out the first
time. I also wipe the fill spout as well and in the hole as far as I can go with my finger. I then push the dipstick back in till it clicks then out again. I check the level and mentally notate it's level the wipe it off completely again (end to end) then repeat the process to e sure my first and possibly the second reading is accurate.

 

I let the car sit for 2 days, there shouldn't be any oil to smear on the dipstick, should there? With any other car I've ever owned, if I had let it sit for 2 days, the dipstick would come out clean with a nice defined line at the oil level. Even if the dipstick is flush against the dipstick tube, I would think all the oil would drain down after 2 days. Maybe I should leave the dipstick out overnight to see what happens...?

 

that is odd though... hmmm.

 

Hey Ross, can we get a pic of the oil smear? Is it a very heavy residue or light? If its heavy, maybe there's too much crankcase pressure?? As for me, my car never has more than a days rest but when I do check the oil levels when it rests for a day, it sits above the full marker on the dip stick. I usually put 4.5 quarts of oil and check again to top it off.