Check oil when engine is hot or cold?

On my 15 year old Accord, I get different dipstick readings when the
engine has been sitting overnight vs. checking 10 minutes or so after
the engine was running for a while.
Most probably due to settling of oil into the pan over long time
periods.
When is it best to check oil. In the morning after the engine sits
overnight, or after being driven for a while?

Yes.

> wrote: (Honda Accord)

I get different dipstick readings when the engine
has been sitting overnight vs. checking soon after
running the engine. When is it best to check oil?
__________________________________________________ _

Check the oil at any time after the engine has
been stopped for at least an hour. This gives
the oil time to drain down and settle in the pan.

Rodan.

wrote:
> On my 15 year old Accord, I get different dipstick readings when the
> engine has been sitting overnight vs. checking 10 minutes or so after
> the engine was running for a while.
> Most probably due to settling of oil into the pan over long time
> periods.
> When is it best to check oil. In the morning after the engine sits
> overnight, or after being driven for a while?


RTFM :-)

as for hot engine vs sitting over night. i don't think it matters
much, just make sure you change the oil every 5,000 km or 3,000 miles

It actually does. I noticed sometimes a huge difference in dipstick
level vs. one hour of sitting vs. overnight.
My owners manual doesn't provide advice on when to check it.

On Aug 3, 9:37*am, wrote:
> as for hot engine vs sitting over night. i don't think it matters
> much, just make sure you change the oil every 5,000 km or 3,000 miles

On 8/2/08 8:11 PM, in article
,
" > wrote:

> On my 15 year old Accord, I get different dipstick readings when the
> engine has been sitting overnight vs. checking 10 minutes or so after
> the engine was running for a while.
> Most probably due to settling of oil into the pan over long time
> periods.
> When is it best to check oil. In the morning after the engine sits
> overnight, or after being driven for a while?

I have always heard that it should be checked in the morning or when you get
gas, as the last thing before you start the engine back up. Most owners
manuals don't say anything one way or the other. My new Nissan Altima
manual says check it hot after waiting longer than 10 minutes & that's the
first printed info I've seen on the matter.

On Sat, 2 Aug 2008 18:11:19 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

>On my 15 year old Accord, I get different dipstick readings when the
>engine has been sitting overnight vs. checking 10 minutes or so after
>the engine was running for a while.
>Most probably due to settling of oil into the pan over long time
>periods.
>When is it best to check oil. In the morning after the engine sits
>overnight, or after being driven for a while?

Damn. What do you do when you gas up on the highway and
check you oil? Get a motel room so you can wait overnight?
Just gas up and then check the oil. That's plenty of time for it
to drain down and give you a good reading.
Just make sure you're not confusing the trans stick with the oil
stick.

--Vic

Vic Smith wrote:
> On Sat, 2 Aug 2008 18:11:19 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
>
>> On my 15 year old Accord, I get different dipstick readings when the
>> engine has been sitting overnight vs. checking 10 minutes or so after
>> the engine was running for a while.
>> Most probably due to settling of oil into the pan over long time
>> periods.
>> When is it best to check oil. In the morning after the engine sits
>> overnight, or after being driven for a while?
>
> Damn. What do you do when you gas up on the highway and
> check you oil? Get a motel room so you can wait overnight?
> Just gas up and then check the oil. That's plenty of time for it
> to drain down and give you a good reading.
> Just make sure you're not confusing the trans stick with the oil
> stick.
>
> --Vic


I would say to just do it under the similar conditions each time, so
someone can be aware of /changes/ in the level and appearance.

wrote in news:511ed7f5-faf3-4759-b2ba-
:

>
> On Aug 3, 9:37*am, wrote:
>> as for hot engine vs sitting over night. i don't think it matters
>> much, just make sure you change the oil every 5,000 km or 3,000 miles
>
>
>
> It actually does. I noticed sometimes a huge difference in dipstick
> level vs. one hour of sitting vs. overnight.
> My owners manual doesn't provide advice on when to check it.



This is a favorite subject of mine, and I've conducted extensive studies on
it.

I have found that oil splash/pull up the dipstick tube, plus oil
temperature, plus residual that has not dripped down yet, does definitely
affect the dipstick reading. Also important is what part of the stick
touches what part of the tube during insertion and removal, and this will
vary slightly with each insertion/removal. I have even found that on my
engine the dipstick will read differently from one side to the other, on
account of the fact that the dipstick enters the oil pan at a slight angle.

If your oil consumption is normal (+4,000mi/qt), all you need to do is make
sure you're well above the minimum level. For this, a quick check at the
gas station is sufficient. If your consumption is high (as mine is;
~2,000mi/qt), and/or you're trying to determine _precisely_ what your
consumption level is, you need to be far more rigorous. And this means
checking first thing in the morning, before the engine is cranked, and with
the car sitting in the exact same attitude for each check.

The comparative validity of any measurements lie in the consistency of
method from instance to instance.

--
Tegger