[gn842]

Well I don't mean it as dumb as it sounds. I see where the diptstick is and I can pull it out and read it...sort of.

It's just that the dipstick has this little orange plastic thing on it and it seems designed to catch the oil--maybe they thought they needed it for 0-20.

But it's really hard to tell what the actual oil level is because the oil pools inside the raised lip of the elongated orange plastic thing and once it pools it flows so it's hard to get a sense as to where the exact oil level is.

Personally, it seems to me that the old style dipstick with cross-hatched markings to help hold the fluid are much easier to read. I'm not sure I can read this one.

By this I mean I can't read it to any precision. It is clear that my car has enough oil. But we're in a situation where we have to be monitoring whether the oil level is *increasing* not decreasing, and I think our main concern is the potential for gasoline build up in the oil. This means we have to know the difference between full and full-and-getting-even-more-full.

I'm not confident I can accurately monitor the oil level with this dipstick...this is for the 2019 Accord, I hope y'all know what I'm talking about.

Greg N

 

[azrael69]

Yeah buddy

Well I don't mean it as dumb as it sounds. I see where the diptstick is and I can pull it out and read it...sort of.

It's just that the dipstick has this little orange plastic thing on it and it seems designed to catch the oil--maybe they thought they needed it for 0-20.

But it's really hard to tell what the actual oil level is because the oil pools inside the raised lip of the elongated orange plastic thing and once it pools it flows so it's hard to get a sense as to where the exact oil level is.

Personally, it seems to me that the old style dipstick with cross-hatched markings to help hold the fluid are much easier to read. I'm not sure I can read this one.

By this I mean I can't read it to any precision. It is clear that my car has enough oil. But we're in a situation where we have to be monitoring whether the oil level is *increasing* not decreasing, and I think our main concern is the potential for gasoline build up in the oil. This means we have to know the difference between full and full-and-getting-even-more-full.

I'm not confident I can accurately monitor the oil level with this dipstick...this is for the 2019 Accord, I hope y'all know what I'm talking about.

Greg N

https://www.hanselhonda.com/blog/how-to-check-your-cars-engine-oil-level/


:nerd::grin::nerd:

 

[Fired00d]

Your concern of it being overfilled should be visible on the dipstick as there is still some of the hard plastic of the dipstick above the high mark (see attachment). Also I would think if there was gas present in the oil you should be able to smell it.

 

[gn842]

Your concern of it being overfilled should be visible on the dipstick as there is still some of the hard plastic of the dipstick above the high mark (see attachment). Also I would think if there was gas present in the oil you should be able to smell it.

That long oval thing fills completely with oil on mine which is straight from the factory. It seems to be a little heavier between the two holes. It is not an easy detection. And if the line went above the top hole I'm not sure I'd see it. For sure this is not as easy as once it was. I guess I'll make a point to sniff test but I will also be sending samples to Blackstone.

 

[gn842]

Maybe there are aftermarket dipsticks that would be easier to read. Least I can do is try one, if I can find one. So long as one does not have the gasoline in oil problem, the oil might get browner with age, and even with oil changes some of the old oil will be in there to add color. Maybe this problem goes away. But if one does have gasoline in the oil the dilution could keep it very hard to read.

Greg N

 

[gn842]

I found this guy on youtube. So far as I'm concerned he has it exactly right. These things may get easier to read with time, but frankly looking at the oil level is like trying to find a raw egg white on the counter top. It can be done but it's not easy.

 

[gn842]

Y'all have a look. Note how the top part (bottom of pic) has oil clinging to upper rim. I'm not really sure where the oil is filled to. I tried taking a picture of the side like the guy did in the video but it was absolutely clear. Nothing to show.

 

[BuickNut]

Y'all have a look. Note how the top part (bottom of pic) has oil clinging to upper rim. I'm not really sure where the oil is filled to. I tried taking a picture of the side like the guy did in the video but it was absolutely clear. Nothing to show.

It's so simple, just set it on a piece of something absorbent like cardboard or go and get new glasses. I've never had a problem checking oil levels. :sad:

 

[gn842]

It's so simple, just set it on a piece of something absorbent like cardboard or go and get new glasses. I've never had a problem checking oil levels. :sad:

Well of course it's simple. I've been checking oil in cars since 1965. If it worked like any other car I wouldn't have posted about it. Nor would the gentleman have made his video.

I got an O4 Corolla in the driveway that's no problem.

Girlfriend is coming tomorrow with week old 2020 Corolla I'll take a look at her dipstick and check the oil level.

The problem is not that I can't *see*. The problem is that the oil gets distributed evenly inside the oval catchment of the dipstick. So there is no fill line, no part of the dipstick where you can say "the oil comes up to here."

I tried keeping the dipstick entirely vertical on the theory that in the horizontal read position the oil was pooling in that orange thing and spreading out. But holding the dipstick vertical didn't help.

And I'll get some other people to see if they do better.

Greg N

 

[gn842]

Well I had my son look at the dipstick it took three times before we got what we thought was a good reading. I did not brief him on my problems. On the first reading he said, "why is this thing filled up with oil? You can't read it." The "thing" was the orange piece of plastic.

 

[italian926]

Same

Ive been doing my own oil changes my whole life, and Im having the same issue as you. The etched dipsticks Ive used are tons easier to read. I have always checked my oil levels with every gas fillup, and this is hard to gauge , especially when the oil is new & clear. Quite frankly, I want to replace this thing as well.



On a related note, how much oil are you guys adding when doing changes? Im sure I can lookup up capacity, but real world with oil remaining in the pan. TY.