How to accurately check oil level


  #1  
Old 11-26-18, 05:50 AM
N
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 536
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
How to accurately check oil level

So I'm having a very newbie (which I am) issue in checking the oil level in my snowblower. This weekend I put gas in the snowblower, ran it for a bit to warm up the oil, then drained the oil (I think I got it all out but not 100% sure).

I then started filling it from a new 1 qt (32 ounce) bottle.

The manual says it takes 18 - 20 ounces, and to "fill tube to raise the oil level to the Full mark on the dipstick." I therefore figured I'd need just over half the bottle.

I put in half the bottle to start, and then checked the dipstick. Here's where I have an issue. No matter how careful I am, there's (I guess) so much oil on the sides of the tube, that the whole dipstick basically gets oil on it as it goes in and out. It's nearly impossible for me to figured out if the oil level is at the full mark on the dipstick or not.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
 
  #2  
Old 11-26-18, 06:01 AM
M
Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Iowa!!!!!
Posts: 3,799
Received 30 Upvotes on 29 Posts
Put in 2 -3 ounces, run the engine to warm it up. Then wait a minute, pull the dipstick, wipe it off, then reinsert and check the oil on it . It should be fairly easy to read.
 

Last edited by marbobj; 11-26-18 at 07:09 AM.
  #3  
Old 11-26-18, 06:03 AM
V
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: North East Kingdom of Vermont
Posts: 2,195
Upvotes: 0
Received 2 Upvotes on 2 Posts
Just wiping the DipStick before re-inserting it should give a clear reading.

Could it be that the Tube has debris in it that's dampening your DipStick on the way out ?
 
  #4  
Old 11-26-18, 06:23 AM
N
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 536
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
I think the process of putting in the oil coats the side of the tube, so that when the dipstick goes in and out, it picks up that oil (not debris). It's impossible to put the dipstick in and out directly in the center of the tube, no matter what it brushes against the side and the whole thing ends up covered in oil.

However, now that it's been a couple of days perhaps the oil on the side of the tube has all slid down, and trying again will be better...

I'll check it in the next day or two and report back if I have continued problems.

Thanks again.
 
  #5  
Old 11-26-18, 07:19 AM
V
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: North East Kingdom of Vermont
Posts: 2,195
Upvotes: 0
Received 2 Upvotes on 2 Posts
Yes, I've always overcome that problem by waiting a few seconds . . . . maybe even a whole minute after pouring oil to insert the DipStick. Don't do it until the oil has an opportunity to drain from the Tube.
 
  #6  
Old 11-27-18, 06:47 AM
G
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MI
Posts: 2,357
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
I find that because of the thick viscosity of the oil in the sump that if I pull the dipstick out & read it quickly I can tell the difference between the thin coat of oil from contact with the tube, and the thick clingy oil from being submerged in the sump.
Also--unless your motor is VERY new the sump oil will be darker than the added oil. Maybe you haven't put in enough oil yet to even register on the end of the dipstick?
 
  #7  
Old 11-27-18, 07:35 AM
G
Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 2,265
Upvotes: 0
Received 23 Upvotes on 22 Posts
Wrap a cloth or paper towel around a screwdriver or something and insert it into the tube and wipe it clean and it will probably stay clean for a long time, they get gunked up when tilted to drain the oil. Have a good one. Geo
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description: