Confusing readings on my dipstick....

aled247

Hello everyone, fairly new to MSE and need some help.

I have a 60 plate 207 which I have owned since new, I have always taken it to the dealership for things like oil changes etc as it came free of charge when I purchased the car.
However all of that has now finished so I now want to check all the fluids etc myself every few weeks alongside its yearly service to keep my car in tip-top shape.

However the most basic check is causing me problems.
My car is parked on a completely flat driveway, however whenever I go to check the stick (wiping it down with a rag, inserting it into the hole and taking it back out etc) the reading always seems to show the oil as over the max mark on one side of the stick and somewhere between minimum and the middle of the stick on the other side (hope this makes sense) like I cannot get a clear reading to judge how much oil is in my car, as if it is parked on a hill and the oil isn't laying flat inside.

The car is completely cold, I always wait for a day I havent driven it to test the oil and also tried checking it at work in our car park (which again is totally flat) to no avail.

Any tips?

torbrex

To start with the engine should be hot.

JustinR1979

torbrex wrote: »

To start with the engine should be hot.

So how do you check your oil before a long journey, drive round for 15 miles, come home, wait few minutes then check?

torbrex

JustinR1979 wrote: »

So how do you check your oil before a long journey, drive round for 15 miles, come home, wait few minutes then check?

with that level of reasoning is it worth answering?

gilbert_and_sullivan

Easiest to read when you first pull it out after standing for a decent period, at least 10 minutes, when you pull it out wipe and reinsert you are seeing oil previously dragged up the dipstick tube, that's why you get different readings either side of the stick.

Doesn't the 207 have an auto dipstick reading on the dash?

JustinR1979

torbrex wrote: »

with that level of reasoning is it worth answering?

Any hire or lease car etc often asks you to check oil and water level every day before you set off.
There could be a leak and in the morning be low on oil.
This would be checking when cold.

Rambosmum

When you first pull it out is the line wonky? If it isn't then it's an as someone above says that there is old oil in the pipe wiping its way on to the dip stick so use the lower level reading.

aled247

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Easiest to read when you first pull it out after standing for a decent period, at least 10 minutes, when you pull it out wipe and reinsert you are seeing oil previously dragged up the dipstick tube, that's why you get different readings either side of the stick.

Doesn't the 207 have an auto dipstick reading on the dash?

So you recommend opening it up, wiping the stick, putting it in but then leaving it for 10 mins or so for most accurate reading? Reference dragging up oil on the stick thats what I thought to, so tried twisting the stick when it was sat in the hole as to get a whole picture as it were :P Sadly this did nothing and one side still came out much lower

EdGasket

Take the low side as correct; the other side is probably where it is rubbing against the dipstick tube and getting smeared with oil. Measure it with the engine cold as this makes it easier to read, (no oil all up the dipstick tube) and simply take the stick out and read it; no need to wipe and re-dip if it has been left to stand as the oil should have run down the dipstick leaving it clean above the oil level mark.

gilbert_and_sullivan

As Ed Gasket explains so much better than i, no need to wipe, just pull it out and read.

jellie

JustinR1979 wrote: »

So how do you check your oil before a long journey, drive round for 15 miles, come home, wait few minutes then check?

Manual for mine says to make sure the engine is warm, but has been off for a couple of minutes. Manufacturer's (Audi) online guide says the same.