Oil Level

[grindjv]

Ok, checked my oil level a month or so ago, the level was half way between the full and the low mark on the dipstick... Drove it around for a few weeks, checked it again, same level... Added 1/2 qt to it and It went way past the full mark... Check over the next couple of days, still looked the same (overfilled)... Now about a week and a half later it is right back to the halfway mark it was originally?? I noticed it at the same level right before my last oil change as well.. What would cause it to "level out" at that point?? I have an o7 m35 with 130k

[steve_c]

Well, I cannot explain why your readings were so erratic, except that the oil did not have sufficient time to "level out" (settle in the pan) at the times you performed your oil level checks.
Was the car sitting for a decent amount of time (engine off)?
Level surface?
Did you let it sit after adding oil and again before re-checking level?
Was your dipstick fully seated?
Do you pull the dipstick at least 2x per check, wiping down stick between checks?

I can never get a good reading after adding oil because the oil is smeared all over the stick. Same after I shut down the engine. It takes several dipstick wipes to clear the oil from the stick under those conditions!

If I want a super accurate stick reading, I take it after the car sits overnight before start up. That is the best time to check.
If I need a reading after driving, I let it sit at least 30 full minutes to an hour for a good reading.
If I need a check after shutdown, (no or little oil settling time, 2 to 15 minutes or so) & I show I am short (under a quart or so), I do not add until checking again after an overnight sit.
That's my general practice when checking, I basically just follow consistency in procedure to obtain good readings, as I explain above.

[Ilya]

Yeah it's been a consensus of this group that the oil stick is a poor design which is hard to get a good read with.

I change my oil so often (5kmi) and run synthetic and honestly...in the 10 years I've owned my last 3 cars (ever since I got 'into' cars), I've never checked the oil lol.

[steve_c]

Yeah it's been a consensus of this group that the oil stick is a poor design which is hard to get a good read with..........

Agreed!
I've owned many cars in my day, and serviced many more. By far the dipstick setup in my M is worst I have ever seen in any car that I can recall!

PS to IlyaKol,
Updated my profile. I added an addition, a 1979 HD Electra Glide Classic. It was a victim of hurricane Sandy a few years back. Was flooded over the seat. The engine is apart, but everything else is intact & complete. Agonizing on how to get it on the road again.....full restore or just get it running & enjoy as is!

[BlackCat81]

I agree, the older dipsticks are next to impossible to accurately read. The manual states the car should sit level for a min of 10min for an accurate reading, 30 minutes is ideal. A little under filled or a little over filled isn't going to hurt anything anyways.

[Larz]

I always check my oil with the car on the pavers outside the garage which according to my level is just about bang on. I think it's important to have the car in the same position it was in from the previous time it was checked. Mine always seems to be half way along the etched section of the stick. BTW, on the HR engine, the dip stick is right up front and is a straight shot down and up with no tricky curves like the 07 had. The 07 used to drive me crazy coz by the time you got the bloody dipstick out, it had been jostled and it dragged the sides of the tube. I never felt 100% confident it was an accurate 'read' considering the twists and turns it made on the way out.

[szh]

I think it's important to have the car in the same position it was in from the previous time it was checked.

A good way!

I check the oil in my garage on level ground after the car has been sitting overnight ...

Z

[Markc]

Same here. The dipstick on the 06-08 has to be the worst design ever. I thought my 05 G35 was bad. It helps if you pull the left side engine cover