stupid oil dipstick

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Sat Feb 01, 2003 10:50 pm

About 3 weeks ago, I checked my oil... said it was a quart low, being suspicious, I ignored it. I checked it again 3 days later, and without adding a drop of oil, it said it was full. Now, as of 10 minutes ago, it said it's low again!

I'm curious, can wiping the dipstick off with KripsyKreme napkins (mmm...KrispyKreme

), affect the way the oil adheres to it?

rallysam · Post by **rallysam** » Sun Feb 02, 2003 12:37 am

Hahaha!

So, now your engine is lubrated with donut glaze (mmmmm.... just like my arteries).

Seriously, though. I wouldn't think it would make a difference unless you really smeared a lot of cream-filling on the dipstick.

Were you parked in the same place every time? Parking on a hill can make a big difference.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sun Feb 02, 2003 8:30 am

It also matters if the oil is hot or cold (it expands or contracts)... Also, if you just shut the engine off, some oil will be in the engine still; it drains back into the oil pan fairly slowly.

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Sun Feb 02, 2003 8:29 pm

There wasn't anything on the napkin, never used except for that, I just threw the KripsyKreme part in for comic relief

...

I know to check the oil on a level surface, a decent amount of time after the engine has been off... this last check was after some 9 hours of sitting on a pefectly level surface, could leave it in Neutral there if I wanted to...

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 5:43 am

My Legacy has me so confused right now...

I checked my oil last week, and it was a bit below the F line, being the freak I am, I filled it up to the F line...

This morning, I checked it, and the dipstick had NO OIL on it! Dry as a bone! I poured a little in it, and drove it anyway, coz I figured maybe the oil is 'hiding' somewhere in the engine... NO valvetrain noises, NO oil light, engine ran just peachy...

Now, there are no visible oil leaks, it doesn't burn a drop, I pondered the rear main, but the bellhousing is dry, and I pulled the little rubber cap off the top of the bellhousing and looked down inside, dry as a bone...

I'm just going to keep an eye on it and hope everything's alright. Engine is still great...

123c · Post by **123c** » Fri Nov 14, 2003 6:56 am

My brother has some of the same problems as discussed above on his Legacy. However he mostly has this problem with synthetic oils, but if he uses dino oil, he never has problems.
I however, have never had a problem reading the oil level. The oil level has stayed the same, and it has been 2,000 miles since I filled it with Mobil 1 10W-30. However the oil started to darken after 500 miles, I figure in another 1,000 miles the oil will be Diesel oil black...

All I have problems reading is the ATF dipstick, but I think alot of people have problems with them...

czo79 · Post by **czo79** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 12:27 am

YES!!! You guys made my day. All of my many legacies have given me some degree of trouble at least on occasion reading the oil level on the dipstick (engine) and come to think of it I'm running dino in the GT still, till next oilchange...and I havn't had problems with it yet...and all the other were synth.
Oftentimes, there would be oil high up the dipstick on the sides, and it would dip way down towards the center of the dipstick, and would look like a quart low, when the sides look like a quart high....crazy
Micum

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Sat Nov 15, 2003 6:54 am

I've always used synthetic and have had the same issues with my 3 Subarus (2 EA81 GLs and the Leg). I usually let it sit overnight and check it in the morning, otherwise I get the oil up the dipstick.

Steve

georryan · Post by **georryan** » Sun Nov 16, 2003 11:31 pm

Mine does it too, but I have the luxery of not leaking any oil out of my car. It doesn't drop a drip at all on the ground.

I just figure it takes near 4.5 quarts on each oil change. I think the way the engine is designed helps give you bad readings, that and maybe oil in the turbo lines and what not.

cbose · Post by **cbose** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 10:06 pm

There's been a lot of talk about this sort of thing on the mercedes diesel
BB where many owners are running full synthetic. Then, the claim
is that the oil level is only reliably checked after the car sits overnight.
The 'reason' given is that synthetics are very clingy and hang up in the
top end of the engine for a very long time after shutdown. Traditional
oils seem to drain down much faster, esp if the engine and oil is hot. Those
engines have 8 litres of oil in them, so it is easy to lose a full litre somewhere
inside and have the level appear dangerousl;y, but incorrectly, LOW.

I too have had difficulty in determining the oil level in my legacy, and once
early on, overfilled it. Last oil change I put in EXACTLY the amount of
oil from the spec sheet and it read FULL. 1000km later, checking in the
morning, it sits right on F. Other times, it can appear lower. I'm running
10-40 dino oil, bye the way.

FWIW, my theory is that the boxer configuration is especially bad for holding
oil in the 'top end' and it takes a very long time for it all to drain back.
My little experiment at the last oil change would indicate that FULL
should be measured with all the oil back in the pan. So now, I only
bother to check the oil level in the morning before startup. Since I'm
not losing any oil, I only need to do this once a week, at most.

Chris

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 7:01 am

I also figure the horizontally opposed configuration had something to do with this. Haven't had a chance to ask any Porsche or BB/Testarossa owners yet, though. I only get a reliable reading in the morning, also.

Steve

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 12:53 am

Here we go again

Checked it about 10 minutes ago. Said it's a quart low. Again no valve tapping, no nuttin... The car has sat for 12 hours in a spot so level I coulda left it in Neutral...

I started the engine for about 10 seconds, and when I leave work, I'll check it again. Maybe some oil got stuck in the heads or sumthin... dunno...

But for the sake of experimentation, I will probably buy a new dipstick the next time I'm at the stealer... Couldn't hurt...

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 1:43 am

What would a new dipstick do that a thorough cleaning of your current dipstick wouldn't?

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 1:52 am

Yeah I don't think a new dipstick will help either

Brat4by4 · Post by **Brat4by4** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 1:57 am

Maybe easier to read since it hasn't been soaking in oil for 13+ years. A good enough scouring might start to wear down the indicator marks on the old one. Plus they probably use a different alloy now that shows where the oil is better.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 2:18 am

Huh... I think you might be right. They have superceded the original part number several times since 1990. The current part number is 11140AA046, and it's only like 14 bucks, so I guess it might be worth a shot.

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 3:12 am

That's great, but what does a whole oil pan cost?! Bastard must have sat my kitchen-turbo in the snow all winter for all the rust on it.

Steve

Brat4by4 · Post by **Brat4by4** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 3:27 am

Sandblast, pour-15 (or epoxy), paint. done. looks better than new.

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 3:39 am

Not this pan, it's so thin in one spot that I could almost poke through it. Thank god its the pan only, though, the exhaust was fine once I pulled the shields off.

Steve

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 5:05 am

There are two part numbers for oil pans: 11109AA052 and 11109AA091. The former is around $60 and the latter is around $110... I don't know what the difference is.

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 7:37 am

Wow, thanks! I more just said it as a joke. I could've checked myself, but thanks!

Steve

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sun Dec 14, 2003 4:00 pm

No problem.

At those prices, though, you might just want to get a used one and follow Brat4by4's suggestion.

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Sat May 08, 2004 8:35 pm

Oh for God's sake...

This is dumb. Patti has held onto almost every drop of oil she has since I changed it last 1400 miles ago. It was still at the F on Wednesday.

Checked it today, and it's down by the L.

Now how the hell can an engine that can keep all its oil in the pan for 1400 miles lose a quart in about 150 miles???

She must be getting bored and had to start playing games with me, since I've had a 100% trouble-free 4000 miles since I put the tranny back in...

evolutionmovement · Post by **evolutionmovement** » Sat May 08, 2004 9:23 pm

Mine does this without fail: I check the oil and it's full with me having to wipe oil off the dipstick. Next day it's down a quart or a little more with the oil to the L or barely touching the end. I always check firsat thing in the morning and park in the same spot, so that's not the issue. I do have a dent in the pan and some leaks, but what's the difference of a day?

Steve

entirelyturbo · Post by **entirelyturbo** » Sat May 08, 2004 9:32 pm

This is what I'm going to do: I am going to change my spark plugs tomorrow, and analyze the old ones. If that much oil is indeed entering the combustion chamber that fast, the spark plugs will be soaking wet with oil, or at least really gunked up with black soot. If the plugs look okay, I'm going to dismiss it as oil getting stuck in the various passages in the engine and say no more about it.

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