Inserting the dipstick

[richardinatlanta]

I know this sounds crazy, but I checked my oil for the first time in 4 years of ownership and I cannot reinsert the dipstick properly. Any suggestions on how to do it? I have a 2006 M35x. Thanks

[Double E]

How about some details such as it goes into the hole but... or I hit something that does not let it go all the way...

Or I can't find where it goes...

Just saying you can't do it properly is worthless in attempting to help you.

[Rogue One]

[richardinatlanta]

Fair enough. I do not see exactly where to reinsert the dipstick. When I placed it where I thought it should go, it does not go in smoothly and I cannot tell if it is in all the way.

[Rogue One]

There's a curve near the bottom of the dipstick tube. If you encounter a re-insertion problem, turn the dipstick approx 1/4 turn and try again.

[svard75]

Yeah the dipsticks on our cars are a real pain. I use a flashlight to find the hole. What you can do is find a metal tube slightly smaller than the OEM about 2-3" longer. Then push the rubber stopper on the OEM dipstick up 2-3" the same amount as the extension. You might have to bend the top of the dipstick straight.

[antzrus]

... If you encounter a re-insertion problem...

[Larz]

LMAO. I was waiting to see if anyone let this post take them to a different place - turns out it wasn't much of a wait ! I can only add ... slow, deep breaths for your target, and remember ... ALWAYS: clean to dirty / front to back !

Seriously tho ... I'm pleased to see I wasn't the only one standing in front of my car, dipstick in hand, scratching me head and thinking .... is there NOTHING this car company won't do to cause difficulty ????
It's a seldom seen dance of intrique that you won't learn at school, even at Eaton! Turn it slightly, change the angles, now turn it the other way, cross fingers, squint, slide in GENTLY, and hope for the best, mate.

TIP (from hindsight, but none the less) .... Assuming you DO get it back in properly ... pay CLOSE attention to the twists and angles it goes through on the way out, then do the reverse to replace it.

[richardinatlanta]

Using a flashlight, I was able to get it reinserted correctly (without K-Y Jelly, I might add) There is a little platform that guides the dipstick into the proper opening. It is hard to see and get to because of a large hose above and to the right of the opening. It goes in very smoothly once you insert it properly.

[Larz]

that's what SHE said ... sorry !

[antzrus]

Using a flashlight, I was able to get it reinserted correctly... It goes in very smoothly once you insert it properly.

[Costee]

Reading all this I'm wondering whether I have the same car. I've never had a problem with location and re-insertion--not the antzrus way though.

[Larz]

So ..... just to re-cap what we've learned here:

richardinatlanta:
for the first time in 4 years of ownership and I cannot reinsert

Double E:
I hit something that does not let it go all the way...

Rogue One:
There is a curve near the bottom

msvara:
I use a flashlight to find the hole

antzrus:
If you encounter a re-insertion problem ..... KY jelly

richardinatlanta:
it does not go in smoothly and I can't tell if it's in all the way in

Larz:
It's a seldom seen dance of intrique that you won't learn at school, even at Eaton! Turn it slightly, change the angles, now turn it the other way, slide it in GENTLY, cross fingers, squint, and hope for the best, mate.

richardinatlanta:
Using a flashlight, I was able to get it reinserted correctly (without K-Y Jelly, I might add) .... It goes in very smoothly once you insert it properly.

Teamwork at it's best, indeed!

[Godfoot]

So Good. Glad you got the problem worked out none the less!

[richardinatlanta]

Great recap Larz!

[SteveTheTech]

What a pain. I've been dealing with several of these a day for ten years and still miss one every once and a while.

What I usually do is catch the small indentation at the bottom of the stick on the outward facing edge of the hole in the block. From that point I bow the stick a toward the left and it slides right in.

Leaving the stick out or even partially will cause oil to spew out, typically landing on the exhaust manifold.

[ericthered]

I take off the right hand plastic panel to let light down there...

My real question is how do you wait 4 years before checking the oil? My engine would be junk if I ignored the oil level.
I have my "OIL" reminder on my dash go off every 1000 miles to remind me to top off the oil.
I use the "OIL FILTER" reminder for oil changes.

[richardinatlanta]

I get my oil changed regularly, religiously. That has served me well for the past 4 years.

[antzrus]

I change my oil regularly every 12k miles. I use Mobil 1 5-30. I've had the M for 7 years now and she runs like a top. I have yet to hear a complaint on any of these Infiniti lists that an engine failed due to the oil failing. They even have Mobil 1 that is guaranteed to last 15k miles! The 3k oil change is an anachronism that only makes $$ for the oil companies. Maybe not so bad a thing; I own shares in Chevron...

[Larz]

Seeing as how Antz, you are one of the more experienced with our M's ...... Let me ask your opinion on the semi-new Mobil-1 that is supposedly for engines over 75,000 miles (Im at 85,000). It's Mobil-1 5w20. I just switched over to it and I'm unable to find anything concrete that makes this a better mixture for my car. Have you heard anything regarding this?

[antzrus]

Seeing as how Antz, you are one of the more experienced with our M's ...... Let me ask your opinion on the semi-new Mobil-1 that is supposedly for engines over 75,000 miles (Im at 85,000). It's Mobil-1 5w20. I just switched over to it and I'm unable to find anything concrete that makes this a better mixture for my car. Have you heard anything regarding this?

Larz-No. But I've trusted my engines to M-1 since its been on the market and no problems yet. I'd trust them and follow their instructions re changes. If no instructions re changes I'd go well beyond the 3k so many are obsessed with; 12k +? Heck, I've been going w/the 12k on just plain old M-1 5-30 since its inception. You can read all over that its not going to hurt your engine using synthetics for extensive distances. Sure if you do an oil analysis (as some OCD folks do...) you'll find something wrong. But then whenever one does a CAT scan there invariably is also something wrong. Nothing is perfect; oil nor human beings. But somehow we all muddle along.

I'm surprised you are using 5-20. I would think down South in Fl., in the heat, you'd use a heavier grade oil.

If indeed there is no real difference between your last oil and the M-1, hopefully the higher price you're paying for the M-1 will add to the placebo effect that: "WoW!! This is some damn fine oil!!!

[Larz]

I'm with you, mate. One of the things I do early-on after buying a car is switch to Mobil-1 5w30. I have never used any other brand. This is the first time trying the 5w20 and I think you have a good point regarding the heat down here and lack of cold starting temps. I'm gonna go back to the 5w30 at the next change. I reckon that Mobil coats and protects the engine well enough that 5w30 should be fine for any mileage. As for the price, I get the 5-quart jugs at Walmart for about $25. No matter how many pennies you have, nothing wrong with pinching them!

[SteveTheTech]

I change my oil regularly every 12k miles. I use Mobil 1 5-30.

Really...12K.

I think the old school car guy in me could never let it go that far. I have a tough tine making 5K without just throwing it away and I use nothing but ester.

How long does it take you to hit 12K?

(sorry these are old questions...I've been out of the loop for a while)

[The00Dustin]

I'm with you, mate. One of the things I do early-on after buying a car is switch to Mobil-1 5w30. I have never used any other brand. This is the first time trying the 5w20 and I think you have a good point regarding the heat down here and lack of cold starting temps. I'm gonna go back to the 5w30 at the next change. I reckon that Mobil coats and protects the engine well enough that 5w30 should be fine for any mileage. As for the price, I get the 5-quart jugs at Walmart for about $25. No matter how many pennies you have, nothing wrong with pinching them!

I'm pretty sure the first number is the cold rating (relevant to starting / environment) and the second number is the operating temp rating. Given that, switching between the use of 5w20 and 5w30 would not affect starting even if there were cold starting temps. I'm also pretty sure the manual says 5w30 even for high temp environments, so I'm not sure why you'd go to 10w30 unless you were trying to fight oil consumption during warmup (and I have no idea if that would be effective or not). OTOH, if talking about the hot environment in regards to the second number, I'm pretty sure the second number is rated at boiling temp, which you don't want your engine to raech, so when operating your engine at full temp, the environmental temperature should no longer be relevant to the oil, and as such, I can't imagine any reason you would want to run, for instance, 5w40, even in Florida (again, short of thinking it might reduce consumption, this time at operating temperature).

ETA: I guess I should clarify that I understand the typical reasons for deviating on the second number, involving fuel mileage and engine protection (running 5w20 instead of 5w30 for better efficiencey at the cost of engine protection vs running 5w40 instead of 5w30 for better engine protection at the cost of reducet fuel efficiency). The post I am editing was just about my not understanding why Antz and Larz were discussing environment in regards to the oil he was running (with plenty of segues as is typical when I type).

[Larz]

Thank you Dustin for clarifying that! I thought the "30" in 5w30 was viscosity related to cold environment starting. Now that I know it has to do with the engine under power, I'm definitely not going to continue on 5w20. I shall switch back to my uaual 5w30 at the next oil / filter change.
Thanks again, mate

[EniGmA1987]

OTOH, if talking about the hot environment in regards to the second number, I'm pretty sure the second number is rated at boiling temp, which you don't want your engine to raech,

Just so everyone knows, our engines seem to run around 90 degrees C as their target temp (see image below that I got from my engine readouts). In hot environments this can sometimes be up around 93-94 as standard operating temperature. So at our operating temps we can realistically just assume we are nearly right at the 2nd weight rating of the oil.