Reading engine oil dipstick
#1
06-29-2013, 03:49 PM
Reading engine oil dipstick
I changed the oil and filter on our then-newly-acquired XLS about a month ago.
Before doing that I endeavored to read the oil dipstick and I was flummoxed. There was even oil in the upper twists of the stick, which I could not understand.
I gave up reading the thing and, after draining all the oil and replacing the filter, I carefully measured the stated oil capacity and poured it in. I figured that because it was the stated capacity that it couldn't be that far off.
After doing that and allowing the newly-added oil to completely drain into the pan, I again attempted to read the dipstick with exactly the same frustrating result. It was at that point that I finally noticed the little sticker from Mitsubishi near the dipstick hole that stated that it was difficult to read the oil level on the stick. It's so true.
Anyway, I was so concerned that the oil level was high that I bought a manual transfer pump and sucked up about a litre of oil out of the dipstick hole (because I wanted to re-use the relatively-clean oil) in order to deliberately make the level low.
I then dipped the stick several times into the hole while holding the stick at various rotational angles and, finally, one angle read the low level on the stick at just touching the upper edge of the lower of the two holes on the stick.
The funny thing is that there was still some oil in the twists above the upper hole, but the level of the oil was clearly visible in the "measuring" area of the stick, between the two areas twist in the stick. There was a short length of dry stick between the the upper twists and the oil level near the lower hole.
I repeated measurement several times as I returned to the engine the oil I had just sucked out to do the test. I ended up not returning maybe a third of a litre, so the oil level was indeed a bit high when I put in the new oil after the oil change.
For the best measuring result, the stick must go into hole with the flat surface of the measuring area of the stick (and, luckily, the surface of the rest of the stick above the twists) parallel to the centerline of the crankshaft, or perpendicular to the side of the car, whichever you prefer. (Or, another way of looking at it, if the dipstick hole is the center-point of a clock-face drawn around it, and 12 o'clock is pointing toward the passenger compartment and 6 o'clock is pointing toward the front of the car, the two "edges" of the flat measuring portion of the stick would be pointing at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock during insertion and removal.)
In that orientation, insertion is also much easier -- the passageway not trying to re-orient the stick, as it does when trying to insert with "the flat" oriented differently.
So carefully keep the stick in that orientation both inserting and removing and you should see a nice oil level on the measuring portion of the stick. Ignore any oil on the stick above that area.
I hope this can save others the frustration I had when trying to read the oil level.
Before doing that I endeavored to read the oil dipstick and I was flummoxed. There was even oil in the upper twists of the stick, which I could not understand.
I gave up reading the thing and, after draining all the oil and replacing the filter, I carefully measured the stated oil capacity and poured it in. I figured that because it was the stated capacity that it couldn't be that far off.
After doing that and allowing the newly-added oil to completely drain into the pan, I again attempted to read the dipstick with exactly the same frustrating result. It was at that point that I finally noticed the little sticker from Mitsubishi near the dipstick hole that stated that it was difficult to read the oil level on the stick. It's so true.
Anyway, I was so concerned that the oil level was high that I bought a manual transfer pump and sucked up about a litre of oil out of the dipstick hole (because I wanted to re-use the relatively-clean oil) in order to deliberately make the level low.
I then dipped the stick several times into the hole while holding the stick at various rotational angles and, finally, one angle read the low level on the stick at just touching the upper edge of the lower of the two holes on the stick.
The funny thing is that there was still some oil in the twists above the upper hole, but the level of the oil was clearly visible in the "measuring" area of the stick, between the two areas twist in the stick. There was a short length of dry stick between the the upper twists and the oil level near the lower hole.
I repeated measurement several times as I returned to the engine the oil I had just sucked out to do the test. I ended up not returning maybe a third of a litre, so the oil level was indeed a bit high when I put in the new oil after the oil change.
For the best measuring result, the stick must go into hole with the flat surface of the measuring area of the stick (and, luckily, the surface of the rest of the stick above the twists) parallel to the centerline of the crankshaft, or perpendicular to the side of the car, whichever you prefer. (Or, another way of looking at it, if the dipstick hole is the center-point of a clock-face drawn around it, and 12 o'clock is pointing toward the passenger compartment and 6 o'clock is pointing toward the front of the car, the two "edges" of the flat measuring portion of the stick would be pointing at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock during insertion and removal.)
In that orientation, insertion is also much easier -- the passageway not trying to re-orient the stick, as it does when trying to insert with "the flat" oriented differently.
So carefully keep the stick in that orientation both inserting and removing and you should see a nice oil level on the measuring portion of the stick. Ignore any oil on the stick above that area.
I hope this can save others the frustration I had when trying to read the oil level.
#2
06-30-2013, 03:26 AM
What I found difficult was the fact that the stick is made of black 'plastic' type material making it difficult to see the oil level.I overcame this problem by dipping the stick in high temperature white paint and then letting that dry before replacing it. No problems afterwards !
#4
07-01-2013, 11:41 AM
I think can safely ignore oil above the twist. I found it's best to start the car to circulate the oil for a few seconds, park it overnight, next morning got 1 or 2 tries to read it before it become oily and impossible to read. The problem is everytime you re-use the dipstick the oil get on the tube and make it impossible to get a reading next time. Parking overnight make sure oil accumulated on the tube is drained, you will see a true level.
I have seen the oil forming perfectly on a cold morning on the first pull, that's the reading I would take most seriously. If the ground is not level then the oil reading would change, that goes with any car though.
I think 4.5 qt is just about spot on for a fill.
I have seen the oil forming perfectly on a cold morning on the first pull, that's the reading I would take most seriously. If the ground is not level then the oil reading would change, that goes with any car though.
I think 4.5 qt is just about spot on for a fill.
#5
07-02-2013, 12:51 PM
I think can safely ignore oil above the twist. I found it's best to start the car to circulate the oil for a few seconds, park it overnight, next morning got 1 or 2 tries to read it before it become oily and impossible to read. The problem is everytime you re-use the dipstick the oil get on the tube and make it impossible to get a reading next time. Parking overnight make sure oil accumulated on the tube is drained, you will see a true level.
I have seen the oil forming perfectly on a cold morning on the first pull, that's the reading I would take most seriously. If the ground is not level then the oil reading would change, that goes with any car though.
I think 4.5 qt is just about spot on for a fill.
I have seen the oil forming perfectly on a cold morning on the first pull, that's the reading I would take most seriously. If the ground is not level then the oil reading would change, that goes with any car though.
I think 4.5 qt is just about spot on for a fill.
#6
07-02-2013, 09:12 PM
Sort of a catch-all post here.
This morning the "regular" transaxle on our 2010 XLS was thoroughly flushed by a local Mit. dealer with a flushing machine and then filled with fresh ATF-J3. The job was $300+GST. By viewing the job through an open overhead door about 30 feet away, I would say at least 12 litres of J3 were used to complete the job.
When the procedure was complete, the tech showed me how he reads the tranny dipstick. It took him three attempts to get a good reading. He showed it to me after the last "pull" and I agreed with his reading. Then I dipped and held the stick in the way I described in my long-winded post on the thread devoted to not being able to see fluid on the dipstick. I got a good reading first time that mateched the technician's.
While I was there talking to the tech, I figured what the heck, and asked him to take an engine oil reading. Right off the bat he agreed that it's a difficult determination to make. Then he inserted the stick in exactly the same way I desribed earlier in this thread and got a good level on the portion of the stick between the twists. I immediately mentioned the oil in the twists above the measuring part of the stick and he said that the presence of that oil throws a lot of people off the scent. He said to just hold the stick horizontally for the reading, ignore the oil in those twists and look only at the measuring area of the stick for the oil level. Good!
I also bought some transfer case and rear diff. oil which, depressingly, was $100 for four litres. Even though the service manual states to use DiaQueen Hypoid Gear Oil GL-5 SAE 80, upon the recommendation of the tech I bought DiaQueen LSD SAE 90 because the tech said that that was what they use in the transfer cases and rear diffs in "all these vehicles". I hope the heck that he sold me something that is going to work OK in our transfer case and diff and not cause any trouble. If it does cause trouble down the road, I've got the official Mitsubishi receipt for the tranny flush and can of LSD fluid. Hopefully the dealerships' recommendation and policy of using LSD 90 versus SAE 80 will carry some warranty "weight" (SAE 200 "weight"). Are they really going to tell me that the warranty is void because I put a fluid in there that they themselves recommended? I doubt it, but you can never be certain when it comes to a dealership and a warranty.
After I got home, my wife and I drained and filled both the transfer case and rear diff. I was surprised to see how dirty both parts' oils were. I don't believe the original owner replaced either. After 88,000 km, compared to new fluid, they were pretty dark and I think that they really did need replacement.
To fill both the diff and transfer case I used an inexpensive Princess Auto manual transfer pump that works just great:
Manual Transfer Pump Kit | Princess Auto
The diff job is bone simple. Nuff said.
To fill the transfer case, the discharge hose on that pump is plenty long enough to go up and over the crossmember just behind the transfer case and straight into the fill hole on the transfer case. Otherwise, one would have to somehow kink over the hose to get it in the fill hole -- a far more difficult thing to do than running the hose over the cross-member.
When filling both the case and the diff, I inserted the hose a couple of inches straight in the fill hole; the other hose in a graduated cylinder partially filled with LSD, and just pumped until the fluid began to flow out of the fill hole as I pumped it in. I then withdrew the hose and waited for the slow residual flow out of the fill holes to stop, which took a minute or so.
Because of it's postion and location behind various objects in the area immediately around it, the transfer case's fill bolt is rather a pain to get lined up to screw back into its hole, but my wife's small hands were much better at accomplishing the task than my big ham hands. (Thank goodness that I have a very helpful wife when it comes to any job on a vehicle.)
We will not hesitate to do both of these jobs in the future, and we've got plently of LSD fluid to do all of the changes that will likely be necessary for the rest of the vehicle's life (and probably ours, too). They're nice, easy, fun jobs on a warm summer's day.
This morning the "regular" transaxle on our 2010 XLS was thoroughly flushed by a local Mit. dealer with a flushing machine and then filled with fresh ATF-J3. The job was $300+GST. By viewing the job through an open overhead door about 30 feet away, I would say at least 12 litres of J3 were used to complete the job.
When the procedure was complete, the tech showed me how he reads the tranny dipstick. It took him three attempts to get a good reading. He showed it to me after the last "pull" and I agreed with his reading. Then I dipped and held the stick in the way I described in my long-winded post on the thread devoted to not being able to see fluid on the dipstick. I got a good reading first time that mateched the technician's.
While I was there talking to the tech, I figured what the heck, and asked him to take an engine oil reading. Right off the bat he agreed that it's a difficult determination to make. Then he inserted the stick in exactly the same way I desribed earlier in this thread and got a good level on the portion of the stick between the twists. I immediately mentioned the oil in the twists above the measuring part of the stick and he said that the presence of that oil throws a lot of people off the scent. He said to just hold the stick horizontally for the reading, ignore the oil in those twists and look only at the measuring area of the stick for the oil level. Good!
I also bought some transfer case and rear diff. oil which, depressingly, was $100 for four litres. Even though the service manual states to use DiaQueen Hypoid Gear Oil GL-5 SAE 80, upon the recommendation of the tech I bought DiaQueen LSD SAE 90 because the tech said that that was what they use in the transfer cases and rear diffs in "all these vehicles". I hope the heck that he sold me something that is going to work OK in our transfer case and diff and not cause any trouble. If it does cause trouble down the road, I've got the official Mitsubishi receipt for the tranny flush and can of LSD fluid. Hopefully the dealerships' recommendation and policy of using LSD 90 versus SAE 80 will carry some warranty "weight" (SAE 200 "weight"). Are they really going to tell me that the warranty is void because I put a fluid in there that they themselves recommended? I doubt it, but you can never be certain when it comes to a dealership and a warranty.
After I got home, my wife and I drained and filled both the transfer case and rear diff. I was surprised to see how dirty both parts' oils were. I don't believe the original owner replaced either. After 88,000 km, compared to new fluid, they were pretty dark and I think that they really did need replacement.
To fill both the diff and transfer case I used an inexpensive Princess Auto manual transfer pump that works just great:
Manual Transfer Pump Kit | Princess Auto
The diff job is bone simple. Nuff said.
To fill the transfer case, the discharge hose on that pump is plenty long enough to go up and over the crossmember just behind the transfer case and straight into the fill hole on the transfer case. Otherwise, one would have to somehow kink over the hose to get it in the fill hole -- a far more difficult thing to do than running the hose over the cross-member.
When filling both the case and the diff, I inserted the hose a couple of inches straight in the fill hole; the other hose in a graduated cylinder partially filled with LSD, and just pumped until the fluid began to flow out of the fill hole as I pumped it in. I then withdrew the hose and waited for the slow residual flow out of the fill holes to stop, which took a minute or so.
Because of it's postion and location behind various objects in the area immediately around it, the transfer case's fill bolt is rather a pain to get lined up to screw back into its hole, but my wife's small hands were much better at accomplishing the task than my big ham hands. (Thank goodness that I have a very helpful wife when it comes to any job on a vehicle.)
We will not hesitate to do both of these jobs in the future, and we've got plently of LSD fluid to do all of the changes that will likely be necessary for the rest of the vehicle's life (and probably ours, too). They're nice, easy, fun jobs on a warm summer's day.
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Mitsubishi Montero & Montero Sport
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