Checking oil - engine warm or cold?

unkel

What's best or does it make any difference?

I normally leave the checking in the hands of the capable computers for my own car but this is for mrs unkel's car

mike65

Cold or at least not hot - leave it 10 mins after switching off so it settles in the sump.

Mike.

unkel

ta Mike

murphaph

....and to add to what Mike said, make sure the car is parked on level ground to get an accurate reading. Most cars take just 1L of oil to go from the LOW mark to the HIGH mark, worth bearing in mind if you need to top it up.

Squirrel

It's also worth checking the colour of the oil, and if there's a strong smell coming off it, if there is get it changed.

AMurphy

mike65 wrote:

Cold or at least not hot - leave it 10 mins after switching off so it settles in the sump.

Mike.

For the engine at lest. For AutoMatic gearboxes, the opposite.. for the A/T that is, same for the engine.

kluivert

Jesus Christ you dont know how to check the engine oil. How long have you been driving for. Remind me never to buy a car of you. You should be checking ALL fluids at a minimum of every two weeks.

What if your brake fluid was really low and the brakes stopped working, please dont tell me that u'd blame the computers. You cant wait for warning lights to come on, they might not be working.

Do yourself a favour and get a Haynes Manual so at least you know the basics. Hey for basics go to www.howstuffworks.com and go to the auto section.

mike65

Kluivert, Unkel is too posh for such manual undertakings! His own car does all the work for him (Just wait till all those computers break down;) ).

MIke.

unkel

kluivert wrote:

Jesus Christ you dont know how to check the engine oil

Uh-oh do I see a large condescending finger pointed my way?

kluivert wrote:

How long have you been driving for

A while

Tis about 5 years ago that I last checked engine oil. I had it in my head that the engine needed to be warm and then to switch it off and wait for 10 minutes for the oil to drain and then check but someone told me that it's more accurate with a cold engine as the oil would definitely have drained completely

As for reliance on computers - they have proved to be very effective for me. My previous car had an engine oil leak and a few coolant leaks over the 3 and a half years I owned it. I don't know the specifics, but the sensors are set to pick up when the levels get to a certain tolerance level above the minimum level before a warning is triggered. Needless to say I always topped up immediately upon a warning

And as for the Haynes manual - I don't service my own car. The few things I am interested in are usually computer / electronics related and way too specific for Haynes and I have to go find answers on the interweb

Seth Brundle

unkel wrote:

And as for the Haynes manual - I don't service my own car. The few things I am interested in are usually computer / electronics related and way too specific for Haynes and I have to go find answers on the interweb

Haynes manuals are shíte anyway and even if you wanted to get dirty I don't think Bentley do a manual for your ship!

unkel

kbannon wrote:

Haynes manuals are shíte anyway and even if you wanted to get dirty I don't think Bentley do a manual for your ship!

There's neither a Bentley nor a Haynes manual for the E38. Haynes openly admit that the car is too exclusive for them to consider developing a manual as they won't recover costs

This is a site I have found useful though

AMurphy

unkel wrote:

There's neither a Bentley nor a Haynes manual for the E38. Haynes openly admit that the car is too exclusive for them to consider developing a manual as they won't recover costs

This is a site I have found useful though

A Bently for the next best thing would suffice, whether that is a E37 or E39 I do not know, but it's not so exclusive as it does not share common parts with some other from BMW.
anyway, checking the oil is covered in the glove box manual, or was the last time I read such a manual.
maybe it's in the "read-me" file in the ECU.

AMurphy

kluivert wrote:

Jesus Christ you dont know how to check the engine oil. How long have you been driving for. Remind me never to buy a car of you. You should be checking ALL fluids at a minimum of every two weeks.

.....

Don't be so negative and answer the question.

which reminds me, once every 2 weeks and mine would have run dry at the rate it currently leaks. (both the engine and the PS).
I'll get to it, don't bug me. :rolleyes:

BrianD3

I rarely check my oil either. For many years now Renaults have had "electronic dipsticks" which do work, are reliable and give a reading which tallies with the manual dipstick. The electronic dipstick gives an oil level reading every time the ignition is switched on. How many people with manual only dipsticks check their oil every time they switch on the ignition?

mike65

BrianD3 wrote:

The electronic dipstick gives an oil level reading every time the ignition is switched on. How many people with manual only dipsticks check their oil every time they switch on the ignition?

Only if the engines leaking like a sieve...!

Mike.

Capt'n Midnight

unkel wrote:

I had it in my head that the engine needed to be warm and then to switch it off and wait for 10 minutes for the oil to drain and then check but someone told me that it's more accurate with a cold engine as the oil would definitely have drained completely

some cars have marks to take into account hot and cold , but IIRC that's for gearbox or something.

If changing the oil, it's better to have the engine warm so the oil flows out more freely, but not so hot that you will scald yourself (or the serf who actually does the physical bit)

Seth Brundle

Just thinking about this again, many Porkys require the engine oil to be checed with the engine running and the oil at running temperature!
... does a quick google (BRB!) ...
Porsche models 3.0 SC, 3.2 Carrera, 964, Turbo I, Turbo II, 993

redspider

AMurphy wrote:

mine would have run dry at the rate it currently leaks.

Speaking of Oil Leaks, what is the best method to clean up Engine Oil leak spots?

The surface in this case are stone cobbles and the stones are stained. Hot water and washing-up liquid have been tried without success. I read somewhere that coca-cola would do a good job. Perhaps vinegar is also an option. One problem perhaps is that the stone cobbles may be pourous to some extent so the oil has soaked.

Any tips/hints/recommendations?

I couldnt find anything on google.

Thanks.