Oil Check

[richierich]

Hi everybody,
Just a quick one.I'm getting different opinions on when you should check the engine oil for a correct reading.I thought when the engine is cold this will give you the correct reading, but a mechinac said best reading when its hot.:bang:

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The best time to check the oil is when it is cold and sitting for a while, preferably over night. The best time to change the oil is when it is hot.

 

[dufus]

When the engine is cold all of the oil has drained into the sump, so it is the best time to check the level.

 

[richierich]

Thanks guys ,i thought so. I've been doing that for years.:thumbsup:

 

[commsirac]

Unless you are using oil with the viscosity of cold molasses, and check it within minutes of the motor being started from cold, the difference wont be of any significance.

 

[burnz]

Hi everybody,
Just a quick one.I'm getting different opinions on when you should check the engine oil for a correct reading.I thought when the engine is cold this will give you the correct reading, but a mechinac said best reading when its hot.:bang:

to me your mechanic is right.
your oil is in the gallery's.
your oil is at an expanded rate.
that way you know it hasent drained from the gallery's and contracted when cooled.
simply their is no right/wrong answer in this senario but it is easyer to change when hot.
sorry for the inconclusive answer but it's all the same.


burnz

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

And how could you know that the amount of oil in the galleries equals that of the amount of expansion?

The difference between cold and warm checking isn't that much, but if you were to add oil up to the full line within a few minutes of switch off, you would over fill the oil. Every millimetre of oil on the dipstick on the ecotec is 50ml of oil in the sump.

Rule of thumb is to wait at least 10 minutes after switch off before checking the oil.

 

[burnz]

And how could you know that the amount of oil in the galleries equals that of the amount of expansion?

The difference between cold and warm checking isn't that much, but if you were to add oil up to the full line within a few minutes of switch off, you would over fill the oil. Every millimetre of oil on the dipstick on the ecotec is 50ml of oil in the sump.

Rule of thumb is to wait at least 10 minutes after switch off before checking the oil.

as you said wait 10 minutes i though that was self evedent.
but the difference between cold/hot 30*C/280*C is a big difference in expanion

 

[s1nge]

yeh when its cold, mechanic was trying to trick u probs.

 

[GOTMYN]

Oil...

Funny this, but you have just serviced a car, you add the new oil...check dip stick, add a bit more, it was low.... then OK it looks right, you start the car.... let it run for a minute or so, then shut it down, again you check the oil, (you may have fitted a new filter), this will steal some oil from the first reading.... OK, needs a little more..........

What have you just done?? Checked engine oil after the car has been running!!

This is done after every service at every workshop I know of!!