hi all,

everytime i try to check my motor oil (which is also leaking a little bit) i get this:



i drive around, go to a gas station and let it rest for about 5min so that all the oil flows down again, then this is the result.
inside the car, the oil pressure meter is slightly above middle most of the time.

any ideas what i do wrong?

 

Try looking at the back side of the dipstick, or flipping it around when you insert it. Depends on how the tube is bent as to whether the oil gets scraped around when you pull the dipstick out. Might also want to check the straightness of the tube and whether it's inserted into the engine block properly.

Also, always pull it out once, wipe it clean with a paper towel or rag, and then reinsert it to get the best measurement.

 

Change the "rubber" O-ring on the dipstick you'll maybe get less oil up in the tube but it is the nature of the beast the first time you pull it out it will drag some up the tube.

Pull, wipe, stab.
Pull, read, wipe, stab, pull, verify..

might want to wait abit longer after driving also, best to check first thing in the morning, if you need to-do it during the day while you're out and about do it after you come out of somewhere slightly more involved than a snack stop at a gas station.

 

Thanks both of you for your replies. Forgot to add that O of course always pull, wipe, stab, pull, read 😉

I let it rest overnight and got the same result. When I try inserting the dipstick after turning it 180° (or any other angle for that matter) it will get stuck at about 85% in (see pic)


The tube itself seems straight from what i can see from above. Will check if it is inserted properly once i am able to get a good view from below again.

With changing the rubber o-ring on the dipstick you mean the last part before the handle?

Also, can I read the approximate oil amount from the oil pressure meter inside the cabin? E.g. if it is always in the middle even in full throttle it means too little oil?
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No, the oil pressure is not directly related to the amount of oil in the crankcase. Oil pressure is primarily affected by bearing clearances (low pressure means worn bearings), oil temperature and viscosity, engine speed, etc. Oil pressure won't change with oil level until there is so little in the engine that the oil pump starts sucking air instead of oil. That usually happens with less than two quarts in the crankcase.