Dip stick issue
 

91' F250 7.3 I.D.I. When I check my oil the dip stick has two oil levels showing. I do not remember having this issue before as I have owned this truck a long time. At this time the embossed side that shows the checkered design and has printing on it shows I need to add oil, the other side shows oil level about an inch higher than the embossed side. Whutsgoinon?

I ran into this when we had a 7.3 Navistar on a cross mount Darley fire pump. Stick was inaccessible so we ordered a longer one from Ford (only option we had). When comparing the two, I noticed the "IH" stick's full indication was higher than the Ford's. Roughly what you are describing here. I can only assume IH dictates more oil than Ford. I pulled the two roll pins and shortened the stick by the difference. Not really recommending this to you, just an FYI as to the two different recommendations by two different companies. Of course I am assuming they had the same pans.

How can this be physically possible, how can the oil be higher on one side of the stick?

It's not. I think you may have a repurposed dipstick. Does one side have a ford logo and part number on it?

Yes, the part# is 1811229C2, it also embossed with "Do not overfill, add mark denotes 2 quarts low". The crosshatch pattern is also stamped into the stick.

I know exactly what you're talking about cause it happens to me on pretty much everything I own once in a while. First make sure the truck is level when you check the oil. After you pull the stick out and wipe it off, put it back in and let it sit there for 5 seconds or so before you pull it out again. Works for me on every engine that's given me this problem.

I agree with Dixie on this.

I will check several times before I'm satisfied on the level.

The oil being higher on one side or the other is just usually a simple case of the stick rubbing as you're pulling it out and it's either picking up extra oil on one side or removing oil from the other side, always try to make sure that when you put the stick back in that the hatched is facing up if at all possible, that will give you your true reading, but also like the other said check multiple times

Wow...I totally read that wrong

OK, check this out. I have left the dip stick out of the tube overnight, checked oil in the am:, same problem. The oil on the dip stick is higher on one side than the other. The truck is on level ground, the crosshatch is facing toward the fender well, the oil showing on the embossed side is what I am going to go by. But yet how is this physically possible that there are TWO oil levels.

Snap a picture, and post it.

Its residual oil in the dipstick tube, and because of the bends it rubs.


Its hard to say for sure no being there to look at it, but it is normally, the lowest mark that is correct.


Really, this is the first time you have noticed this? Check your oil often?

It's physically possible because the stick enters the pan at an angle, and by letting your truck sit overnight you let the oil cool off which made the problem worse. You should try and check it when it's warm instead.