oil checking question
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 460
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From: South Mississippi
oil checking question
another dumb question, i like the v10 i just bought, being that it is 1000 miles to an oil change i checked it, it showed below the MIN on the oil dipstick, so i add a quart and now there is oil in the hashmark area but a thin streak still travels up the dipstick, how do i know its ok and i didnt mess it up and what does foaming oil mean. Thanks and pardon my stupidity.
Junior User
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Next to the wilderness
Since no one else decided to help out...
I'll jump in here. Hope I can help.
If your level was below the "ADD" mark and you added a quart, it should show between the "ADD" and "FULL" marks...no brainer there, right?
I have noticed that "streak", as you call it, up the side of the dipstick on some vehicles. Try wiping off all oil and inserting the dipstick differently.
That is, if the "T" handle is across (at 9 and 3 o'clock) or loop handle of the dipstick is at 3 o'clock, turn either 45 degrees and re-check with a clean dipstick.
If that doesn't solve it, all I can think of is there is some oil lying in the dipstick tube, which shouldn't hurt anything anyway.
If your level was below the "ADD" mark and you added a quart, it should show between the "ADD" and "FULL" marks...no brainer there, right?
I have noticed that "streak", as you call it, up the side of the dipstick on some vehicles. Try wiping off all oil and inserting the dipstick differently.
That is, if the "T" handle is across (at 9 and 3 o'clock) or loop handle of the dipstick is at 3 o'clock, turn either 45 degrees and re-check with a clean dipstick.
If that doesn't solve it, all I can think of is there is some oil lying in the dipstick tube, which shouldn't hurt anything anyway.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 460
Likes: 1
From: South Mississippi
yeah i no its a no brainer lol, im only 20 years old and this vehicle is my first purchase and i am being overly pickey about it and making sure everything is ok on it, but i did pull the dipstick in and out alot making sure i was reading it correctly. it was below the miniumum mark and now registers everywhere. The diesel isnt this bad its usually accurate. But this v10 scares me being i have never had one before if you know what i mean lol
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: 3rd Rock
You are your fathers son....
...your sentence structure is the same ....use of words.... the way you describe things...amazing ....
...good help to members ...thanks
...your sentence structure is the same ....use of words.... the way you describe things...amazing .......good help to members ...thanksI'll jump in here. Hope I can help.
If your level was below the "ADD" mark and you added a quart, it should show between the "ADD" and "FULL" marks...no brainer there, right?
I have noticed that "streak", as you call it, up the side of the dipstick on some vehicles. Try wiping off all oil and inserting the dipstick differently.
That is, if the "T" handle is across (at 9 and 3 o'clock) or loop handle of the dipstick is at 3 o'clock, turn either 45 degrees and re-check with a clean dipstick.
If that doesn't solve it, all I can think of is there is some oil lying in the dipstick tube, which shouldn't hurt anything anyway.
If your level was below the "ADD" mark and you added a quart, it should show between the "ADD" and "FULL" marks...no brainer there, right?
I have noticed that "streak", as you call it, up the side of the dipstick on some vehicles. Try wiping off all oil and inserting the dipstick differently.
That is, if the "T" handle is across (at 9 and 3 o'clock) or loop handle of the dipstick is at 3 o'clock, turn either 45 degrees and re-check with a clean dipstick.
If that doesn't solve it, all I can think of is there is some oil lying in the dipstick tube, which shouldn't hurt anything anyway.
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Long Island USA
another dumb question, i like the v10 i just bought, being that it is 1000 miles to an oil change i checked it, it showed below the MIN on the oil dipstick, so i add a quart and now there is oil in the hashmark area but a thin streak still travels up the dipstick, how do i know its ok and i didnt mess it up and what does foaming oil mean. Thanks and pardon my stupidity.
Did you check the oil after the engine was shutdown for a few hours? Oil stays up in the heads a long time, especially with OHC (overhead cam) motors.
Foaming oil usually means it's overfull. The owner's manual for my SD says not to add oil unless the oil is below the lower mark on the dipstick. And I'd wait a few hours after shutdown to check it, or do like I do and check it in the morning when the engine is cold.
Do not try to rotate the dipstick and insert it - the flat metal dipstick needs to bend as it goes through the dipstick tube so it's almost physically impossible to insert the dipstick rotated 90 degrees.
As for the streak, if you wipe the dipstick, and insert it, and pull it back out after only a few seconds, that streak is usually not there. It's either oil draining back out of the heads while the dipstick is in there, or a film of oil inside the dipstick tube. Again, pull it, wipe it, insert it for a second, and pull it back out. There should be a definite line of oil where the level is currently.
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Joined: Apr 2009
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tom
OK, so heres the deal with the dipstick, the dipstick on the V-10 is usually a cable type stick meaning that it is round and stranded so putting it in at any position is ok but with this type of engine it does take a good hour for the oil to drain back to the pan after shutting the engine off to get an accurate reading. The oil foaming issue is probably a pcv issue. I have 322,000 miles on mine and have noticed that the crankcase ventalation sucks. Whenever i see it build up under the oil cap on the valve cover i know its time for a new pvc valve. Change out the PCV often.
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FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 42,561
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From: Long Island USA
My '01 dipstick is flat spring steel.
Oil foaming is not a PCV issue, it's usually being overfilled.
Oil foaming is not a PCV issue, it's usually being overfilled.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: midwest
wipe dipstick and insert and remove as fast as possible...thats how i get rid of the long streak accross the dipstick
also if u check it first thing in the morning the oil level is crisp and clear to read the first time u pull it out without wiping it and reinserting
also if u check it first thing in the morning the oil level is crisp and clear to read the first time u pull it out without wiping it and reinserting
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 460
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From: South Mississippi
aight thanks for the help, i do love this truck after having it for a week and 3 days i just hate the fuel mileage but ill deal with that, hopefully my diesel will be up soon.
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