Confuzzled by Oil Dipstick reading

Andy_L

Now I've had a read around the site and can see that it's a bit of a lottery.

Also Benny gave me some information about checking the oil level when I visited him recently.

So car on level ground, engine stone cold, checked oil level - MIN
Started car up switched it off almost instantly waited a few minutes then checked again - MIN.

Added some oil around 200ml and went shopping.

Came back, engine at operating temp, gave it 5 minutes then checked again - MIN.

Ambled out about 2 hours later and checked and got a reading over half!

Each time I checked I checked 3 times and each time thoroughly wiped the dipstick clean.

Now did 200 miles last night at 70-80 mph no sweat but I am confused as to which is the correct oil level as I don't want to overfill the car but neither do I want to run it too low.

Anyone got any advice???

Martyn

easy way round it mate, just drain all the oil out and top up

BURT150

There great fun :lol:

All i do now is wait till the warning comes up on the MID then put 3/4 of a liter in. probably not brilliant but thats the habit ive got into and its worked for me dunno..

There is a fix for it not that ive done it yet but theres a plate covering the end of the dipstick inside the sump and can be removed to give a proper reading on the stick.

Andy_L

Martyn, I did think this but then how do you keep an eye on the oil going forward?? Drain it every month and refil? Seems excessive!

Burt, that's kinda what I'm thinking, which as you say is not ideal.

It's getting an oil change this Saturday anyway so I'll keep checking the dipstick this week and then mesure how much comes out on Saturday.

Martyn

its quite easy really mate to drop the oil, but if your loosing oil you need to rectify that problem

rushy

I wouldn't have thought the C was different to the B or Astra, but on mine your supposed to run it to full operating temperature, turn off, leave for 5 mins than check, I always make sure the cutout in the dipstick faces the passenger headlight to get a good none smeared reading.

MikeS

must admit these engines are no different to any other vxhall engine in the sense they like to leak oil

on this engine it is the oil filter housing, water pump, crank seal

with 5/30 oil i lose about 3/4 litre every 3000 miles but i know i got a slight leak on oil filter housing and still my water pump is leaking slightly even though it was replaced

si_c1978

the dip stick is also notoriously unreliable and gives funny readings,

MikeS

indeed

your best off letting her idle for 10 minutes until she reaches operating temps then turn her off for another few minutes before you check oil

JohnnyN

What a pain in the ass! I always check the oil after I've had the engine running and it's nice and warmed up. Park car on level ground. Pop the bonnet, remove the oil cap. Leave car for 10/15 minutes and then remove dipstick. Clean off, put it back in again, rotate dipstick 2 or 3 turns, leave for a further few seconds and then pull it out. Works a treat.

old_cruiser

JohnnyN said:
What a pain in the ass! I always check the oil after I've had the engine running and it's nice and warmed up. Park car on level ground. Pop the bonnet, remove the oil cap. Leave car for 10/15 minutes and then remove dipstick. Clean off, put it back in again, rotate dipstick 2 or 3 turns, leave for a further few seconds and then pull it out. Works a treat.

That's what I tend to do now, utter nonesense really isn't it ?just to take an oil reading, don't take much effort but it's the principle of the thing ,it just shouldn't be like that, have to say my vec C is the 1st car I've had (I've had quite a few!!) where its a palaver taking a reading, I don't know ,'what a state to get into in this day and age' !!
Cheers Pete

JohnnyN

I found this way of doing it through my OCDish habits, lol! The only thing that i've left out is that I turn around and touch the ground 7 times before scratching my left ear lobe!!

pmsl.. :wtf: pmsl..

si_c1978

dammit thats where i was going wrong!

old_cruiser

JohnnyN said:
I found this way of doing it through my OCDish habits, lol! The only thing that i've left out is that I turn around and touch the ground 7 times before scratching my left ear lobe!!

pmsl.. :wtf: pmsl..

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Andy_L

Changed the oil today so I know it's right.