Checking oil level

Checking oil level

Author
Discussion

c1sps

Original Poster:

133 posts

209 months

Wednesday 5th September 2007
quotequote all
I'm aware of this topic being discussed before, but I'm still a tad confused (even before the red wine takes effect !) on how to correctly check oil levels on my Mk 1 Tusc (52 plated, 19k miles).
When cold I see nothing on dip stick at all, and after running for one hour or so, the stick is covered with clean oil, but only just registering at the bottom of the stick when re- dipping.

I'm worried about over-filling, but even more worried about not having enough oil in the engine !

Both oil temp and pressure seem to fall in line with what the handbook suggests it should be, but I now wonder if there might be different lengths of dip sticks ..........................

Any advice would be greatly appreciated (but not about the effects of the vin rouge !)

Tuskaa 7

156 posts

228 months

Wednesday 5th September 2007
quotequote all
My method, after reading many similar posts on this forum as follows:

Run car until engine fully warmed
Exit car with engine running
Flip bonnet and secure
With clean rag in hand, switch off engine
Quickly unscrew dipstick and clean
Re-insert and screw half way back (peoples opinion differ on whether to screw back dipstick or not, so half way seems a fair compromise to me)!
Take your reading

Keith

c1sps

Original Poster:

133 posts

209 months

Thursday 6th September 2007
quotequote all
Cheers - appreciate that , and will give it a try after this evenings hoon.

Daftlad

3,324 posts

246 months

Thursday 6th September 2007
quotequote all
Tuskaa 7 said:
My method, after reading many similar posts on this forum as follows:

Run car until engine fully warmed
Exit car with engine running
Flip bonnet and secure
With clean rag in hand, switch off engine
Quickly unscrew dipstick and clean
Re-insert and screw half way back (peoples opinion differ on whether to screw back dipstick or not, so half way seems a fair compromise to me)!
Take your reading

Keith
Keith,
I would suggest not screwing it in at all. It means the reading would be lower so you carry a little more oil than you do now. That seems the safest method!

Dont worry about the odd litre overfill, it will not do any harm and if tracking the car, its a good idea.

S5TVR

1,239 posts

238 months

Thursday 6th September 2007
quotequote all
Daftlad said:
Keith,
I would suggest not screwing it in at all. It means the reading would be lower so you carry a little more oil than you do now. That seems the safest method!

Dont worry about the odd litre overfill, it will not do any harm and if tracking the car, its a good idea.
Seems sensible to me, particularly as oil starvation is often cited as being one of the main issues with the SP6 engine. For that reason alone I would have thought it makes sense to keep the oil levels close to max to keep the oil pressure high.


Tuskaa 7

156 posts

228 months

Friday 7th September 2007
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Thanks guys, i'll start doing that. Always run it on max, but good to know!

Buffoon

879 posts

209 months

Friday 7th September 2007
quotequote all
I seem to have a bit of an oddball. Read many a post on this subject, but my oil level does not change, hot, cold, etc..

Should I be worried?