Technical Oil level reading help

[crispyy]

Dearest forum members,

I topped up my engine oil, and went on a roughly 2000km trip. I tried checking the oil level periodically during the trip, since according to the manual the car can consume up to 400ml of oil per 1000km (before reaching 6000km and stabilizing). The level always seemed fine to me (close to or at max) during the trip, and now after I got back home I checked the oil level again and it still looks like it's on max to me.

Please take a look at the pictures below and let me know what you think the level is:

Edit: manual says high oil consumption goes until 6000km, not 10000km as I previously stated.
Excerpt from manual: "Engine oil consumption The maximum engine oil consumption is usually 400 grams every 1000 km. During the initial period of use the engine oil consumption conditions should be considered as having stabilised after the first 5000 - 6000 km."

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Tell me to p155 off if I’m teaching you to suck eggs (British expression for telling you something that you already know)

But did you take the dip stick out, wipe it, put it back in, take it out again and then measure it.

The paper in the second picture would suggest the level of the oil is higher even than the gauge on the dip stick because the oil gets thrown around all over the place when driving so you need to clean the dip stick before you take the measurement.

 

[crispyy]

But did you take the dip stick out, wipe it, put it back in, take it out again and then measure it.

Yes of course. Multiple times even.

Before measuring I even removed the dipstick to let the oil drip down from the tube as well so that it wouldn't mess up the reading. For about 30 minutes. Alas there was still some oil on the walls of the tube/pipe.

I don't think the oil is over the limit. I think this dipstick is just really terrible to read. Since the pipe is also very narrow it's pretty easy for the oil to stick to it.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

I don't think the oil is over the limit. I think this dipstick is just really terrible to read. Since the pipe is also very narrow it's pretty easy for the oil to stick to it.

I don’t think it’s over the limit either, it’s just it looks like a faint amount of oil on the top part of the plastic bit.

My assessment from the first picture is that the level is somewhere around the dot in the upper part of the plastic.

The oil is definitely thicker below that line and thinner above, and the stupid pattern on the plastic means that oil migrates up the pattern by capillary action.

Probably would be much easier to read if the oil was a bit older

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Is the other side of the dip stick flat? That silly pattern won't help in getting an accurate reading (Mine's a diesel and it has a metal end section that is much easier to read)

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi,

Maybe look here

At the GUIDE that I posted a while ago..

 

[crispyy]

My assessment from the first picture is that the level is somewhere around the dot in the upper part of the plastic.

...

The oil is definitely thicker below that line and thinner above, and the stupid pattern on the plastic means that oil migrates up the pattern by capillary action.

Thanks for the assessment. I still fear tho that if the oil is really at the max line and that the grooves are not fine enough for the oil to "capillary action up" through them.
I managed to find this picture from before my trip where the oil level seems not to even have made it up to the dimple:

But yeah it's hard to know. The texture makes everything worse I feel like... Harder to see, harder to reason about capillary action and stuff...

Is the other side of the dip stick flat? That silly pattern won't help in getting an accurate reading (Mine's a diesel and it has a metal end section that is much easier to read)

Unfortunately not. Both sides are textured.

Hi,

Maybe look here

At the GUIDE that I posted a while ago..

Hey, I took a look at the GUIDE, thanks. Unfortunately tho there is nothing there that I didn't try yet.
I tried the trick of not inserting the dipstick the whole way in, and this was useful before when my oil was definitely below max and I could actually insert the stick partially and get it out dry. But now that I want to accurately determine whether it is sitting at max level, the trick doesn't really help much.

 

[Panda IIs]

Thanks for the assessment. I still fear tho that if the oil is really at the max line and that the grooves are not fine enough for the oil to "capillary action up" through them.
I managed to find this picture from before my trip where the oil level seems not to even have made it up to the dimple:

View attachment 482390

But yeah it's hard to know. The texture makes everything worse I feel like... Harder to see, harder to reason about capillary action and stuff...



Unfortunately not. Both sides are textured.



Hey, I took a look at the GUIDE, thanks. Unfortunately tho there is nothing there that I didn't try yet.
I tried the trick of not inserting the dipstick the whole way in, and this was useful before when my oil was definitely below max and I could actually insert the stick partially and get it out dry. But now that I want to accurately determine whether it is sitting at max level, the trick doesn't really help much.

A couple of things you could try;

• As the plastic is textured both sides you could remove the texture on one side with some abrasive paper - a smooth surface may help?
• For oil level certainty, drain the oil and filter and refill with fresh oil using the measured volume to the specification then try to identify whether the dip stick can indicate that level (you at least know the correct volume is in there!).

 

[Mike1alike]

Hi,

Maybe look here

At the GUIDE that I posted a while ago..

You forgot to post the Guide link, Charlie...

 

[Mike1alike]

The most accurate way to read the oil level is to do it first thing in the morning, before starting the engine.