stupid question. I am curious when after turning the car off everyone checks their oil for an accurate reading?

ie... 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, etc?

just curious cause mine reads perfect like 5 minutes after shutting it off but it if sits for long periods of time it reads overfilled by like a quarter qrt.

 

when the engine is cold, i just keep it between the full and low mark.

 

Dipstick in the middle of a ramhorn FTL! I make my friends check my oil for me after I've driven to their house.

I generally check it at the gas station. I have an old shirt in my trunk to wrap my hand in so I don't burn it and everything.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SovXietday &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Dipstick in the middle of a ramhorn FTL! </TD></TR></TABLE>

x2, check mine once a week about, usually about 30 minutes after it was driven... not on purpose or anything, that's just usually how it turns out...

 

my understanding is...it's best to check the oil after the car has been sitting for at least 30-45 mins, to give the oil a chance to drain back into the pan. otherwise the dipstick will read lower than it really is...

OP...that's why yours reads perfect after 5 mins, but when you check 2 hours later it's over the full mark. i usually check mine 1st thing in the morning before i drive the car (after its been sitting all night), every other day or so...

 

Read the oil after it's all drained back into the pan. If it reads a 1/4 quart high after sitting, then it's a 1/4 quart overfilled.

 

Read the owners manual.