Auto_Sparky_WRX

hey just wondering i always thought u should check the oil level when the car is stone cold, yesterday morning i check mine n it was about 2cm over the full mark so 2day i took it back to the subaru dealership where i had the 80k service done 2 weeks ago n asked if this was right , obviosly i dont wana blow any seals n the guy said yea that perfect he said check it when its warm n it will b perfect??? it will b cuz the oil will b all over the engine???

ZEN Performance

Should be checked warm, just after stopping the engine, and it should be at the top dot. You must check on very level ground or you're wasteing your time.

dj219957

the classics have a full mark which use to check cold and a hot notch to check hot.

Auto_Sparky_WRX

k cheers guys settled my mind

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Paul, is this the semi-circlular notch in the side of the dipstick, further up from the two whole 'holes' (lol) below it?

ZEN Performance

The notch is the cold max, when the oil the oil will have drained back into the sump.

dj219957

i have always understood that the oil level should be read when the oil is cold (when all the oil has drained into the sump) and that it should be between the two holes L and F. The oil level will then be upto the notch when hot?????

this is how ive been running both my classic imprezas.

the classic service manual tells you to check the oil when cold and also says this:

quote from service manual

"Just after driving or while the engine is warm engine oil level may show in the range between the f line and the notch mark. This is caused by thermal expansion of the engine oil"

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Yes dj, that's what I was led to believe. Must say I'm a bit confused now. I'm reluctant to question Paul and his wealth of knowledge all things Subaru.

merlin24

iTrader: (1)

This is from the oil change procedure :





Mick

dj219957

i thank you

radboy69

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Cheers Merlin - I get it.

So when stone cold (left overnight for example), then the level should be at, or slightly below, the F mark.

If measuring hot, then after switch off, leave for a few minutes for oil to return to sump. Because the oil is still very hot it will have expanded, so the level should be anywhere between the F and the notch further up.

Make sense on all counts. (To be fair to him, dj219957 covered BOTH methods).

ZEN Performance

I must indeed stand corrected, and upon testing oil does indeed expand hot. I'm not sure how much but from 20deg to 65 deg you must be looking at over 5%.

In my experience, measuring stone cold without running the engine will yield a lower reading by about 1/4 inch when compared to doing a cold reading after running the engine for say 30 seconds and then switching off.

All in all, it's a pain, the angle of the stick, foaming of the oil, the incline of the ground your car is on, and the temperature all conspire to making it inconsistent.

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Tell me about it Paul.

I tend to dip (and clean off) the stick 4 or 5 times to try to get an idea of where the level is <groan>

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Just to reiterate then:-

dynamix

iTrader: (3)

and look at both sides of the dipstick .... when cold the surface tension of the oil on a clean dipstick could stop it registering the correct level on the front of the dipstick.

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Absolutely Duncan! Normally, one side is higher than the other... what is the correct reading?

Is the reason for this, due to oil being dragged up the dipstick as it's being pulled out?

eggy790

iTrader: (20)

top thread, just a bump up, never understood the nholes and that semi circle on my dipstick, cheers guys

MaDaSS

Best way to check is this:-
Leave car overnight or few hours. Remove dipstick and wait for 5 mins with dipstick out.
THEN check the oil level. You will get a more consistent and proper reading.
I got this advice off this forum and its the best way i have found for doing it.

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Agree with MaDaSS.

jimes

dip stick is such a pain to get in i find it hard to get a good reading!

Big Pete

A bump up as this is top info!

Cheers guys

nick172sport

iTrader: (6)

just a quickie check my oil in the car tonight cold it registered below the min mark so **** myself and got 2litres off 10 40 castrol magnatec before i put it in checked oil level after 5 minutes it was on f mark so i put 1 litre in just in case cant understand why it read so low when cold then reads ful when hot

dj219957

there is about a litre difference between min and max. couple that with thermal expansion and thats why the level can be all over the place on the stick. you really need to keep a regular eye on the oil level. i always check mine when the engine is stone cold (after overnight) and fill it to the max mark.
running a scooby below the min mark even when cold is not a good idea.