Oil level, check hot or cold?

[G60_edge 0]

Hi all,

 

Pretty stupid and simple question I think, but want to be certain I'm getting this correct. Can't find anything on the search.

 

Had my Corrado a few weeks now. Have done a service. Oil, filter, fuel and air filter, plugs etc.

 

Checked the oil level yesterday, when cold, and the reading was near the bottom of the hatching!!

 

Then checked the manual and its says it should be left for a few minutes then checked, I presume this from a hot engine. Did this method and the level was spot on. I then checked about half hour and an hour later and the level was dropping toward the original reading when cold.

 

So, is it correct to be checking after 10 mins when hot?

Would you expect the level to drop that much when cold?

 

Just want a definitive answer, as oil is obviously a pretty important thing to get right.

 

Cheers

 

Al

[steve @ 0]

Check when the engines cold. On level ground.

[double-6s 0]

Isn't it supposed to be warm? About 20 minutes after running?

[drunkenmunkey 0]

When the engine oil is hot you've been running the engine, the oil has therefore been flung up and around the various components including the dipstick, appearing higher. The manual will say to leave it 10mins to let the oil drain back down into the sump, after 10-15mins [or cold as steve @ says] will be your actual oil level.

 

Sounds like you need to stick some more oil in it! :wink:

[Roger Blassberg 0]

As has been said, the important things are to check it on level ground and to make sure that the dipstick is pushed in fully. If it has been standing overnight, the oil will all be back in the sump. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it and push it back in fully and take it out again for a reading. If the engine has been running recently give it a few minutes to allow the oil to return to the sump then do as above for the dipstick reading.

 

I don't think that the temperature of the oil is material, other than to alter the time taken for the oil to get back to the sump.

 

The other important thing is not to overfill as the catalytic converter is intolerant of oil being blown down the exhaust pipe (or unburnt fuel for that matter). And don't forget to put the filler cap back on - it sounds obvious but it can be forgotten, and it makes a terrible mess of the underbonnet area if the oil gets sprayed all over the place.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[DanVW 0]

Check your dipstick holder is not broken too! Can lead to over filling the oil just ask Dub_Nut_G60 ;-)

[Dub_nut_g60 0]

Check your dipstick holder is not broken too! Can lead to over filling the oil just ask Dub_Nut_G60 ;-)

 

lol, mine wasnt because it was broken as such! it was because there was gaffa tape that was used to hold the 2 bits together and the top bit wasnt there so it wiped the dipstick off before it came out the tube!

 

i didnt do the 'fix' to the tube i might add!!!!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Monitor the level over a week's checking and do it cold.

 

You often get oil trapped in oil coolers, in the head etc that doesn't always fall back to the sump, so if the cold level is the same over a week, that's your definitive level.

 

Oil expands when hot, so you will apparently have more oil with a hot check......but not a litre more!!

[davidwort 0]

I've had my car over 10 years and regularly dip the oil as valvers tend to burn a bit every thousand miles or so.

TBH I've never seen any difference between oil levels when I turn the engine off and wait a couple of minutes to leaving it overnight and checking when cold, it's pretty 'runny' when hot and drains back to the sump fairly quickly, the difference hot and cold wouldn't read right up/down the min and max marks on the dip-stick that's for sure, it's over half a litre.

[G60_edge 0]

Cheers for the replies, has got it clear in my head now.

 

Have just checked the car on level ground after being left all morning. Level is half way up hatching, so not critical but in need of a top up.

 

Just bought some Silver Synta, so will be topping up before leaving work.

 

As suggested, I'm going to check every day this week and see if there is any variation. Also try hot and cold to see if I can repeat what appeared to be a variation in the level.

 

Dipstick and plastic shroud appears to be in good shape

 

Cheers all

 

Al

[davidwort 0]

perhaps the drain of oil from the charger makes a difference in hot/cold readings on the G60?