Checking my Oil
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 171
Likes: 0
From: Bay Shore New York
Checking my Oil
I tried checkign my oil yesterday and it is very hard to tell if I need to add a quart of not. Is there a trick to get an accurate oil level using the dipstick?
P.S. It is on a level surface in my garage.
P.S. It is on a level surface in my garage.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,217
Likes: 5
From: Stark County Ohio
Are you having trouble pulling out the stick from the engine or are you having trouble seeing the oil on the dipstick?
Fresh Mobil-1 is very difficult to see, as it is very transparent when new.
After an oil change where I am positive I’ve put in 6.5 quarts, I simply check for leaks upon startup, I then wait for several miles to check the dipstick. (When the oil starts to darken it is easy to read on the dipstick.
Car should be on a level surface and the engine should be stopped at the very least 3-minutes. Best time to check the engine oil is before startup in the morning.
Stick should pull out easily.
-
Fresh Mobil-1 is very difficult to see, as it is very transparent when new.
After an oil change where I am positive I’ve put in 6.5 quarts, I simply check for leaks upon startup, I then wait for several miles to check the dipstick. (When the oil starts to darken it is easy to read on the dipstick.
Car should be on a level surface and the engine should be stopped at the very least 3-minutes. Best time to check the engine oil is before startup in the morning.
Stick should pull out easily.
-
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,386
Likes: 689
From: Boise ID
Sometimes I pull the stick out (I love saying that) of the tube, clean it off and leave it out a few minutes so the oil in the upper part of the tube can drain out. Then I stick the stick back in and check the level.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 538
Likes: 0
From: Edmond Ok
I try to read mine after sitting all night, or sitting for a while. All the oil drains out of the dip stick tube, it is a bit thicker and sticks better to the dip stick. The sandpaper idea sounds good too.
good luck
good luck
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
I check mine cold before I start it. If you check after running the motor I have found the readings are inconsistent and when I first got the car I added oil that wasn't needed. Now I just check it cold before starting. This is the best method I have found.
