I know sounds like a novice question but I have heard too many different views so wanted to find out for sure...

engine should be HOT or COLD ?
car should be running or off ?
dipstick should be pushed all the way in or just to the first mark on the rubber?

 

Car off. Hot or Cold, I don't think is that big of an issue.

Pull the dipstick out, wipe it clean, push back in all the way, pull out and see level.

 

last i cheaked engine should be shut off and siting for 30 minz before cheakin correct oil ratio and stick sho

 

car has to be off, and give it about 30 seconds to 1 minute for the oil to drain back into the pan

 

Road Rage covered this with great eloquence in this post. Confirms the procedure in the owner's manual but explains it better.

 

that post seems to be about tranny fluid

 

I have always thought the best way to check it is first thing in the morning, or after work? When the car is parked for more than few hours...???

 

I'd warm up the car, then turn it off for 5-10 mins before checking.

MW

 

The prevailing opinion on Honda's is to check them 1st thing in the morning, before starting off. You will find up to a 1/2 quart difference by letting them sit overnight. I have owned Honda's since 1986 and they all seem to have this in common. By letting them sit overnight, you can get a good comparison from week to week. I use only Honda filters, so they should not be draining back like some of the discount store brands.

The important thing is to make sure you check them often enough and top up if necessary to avoid ever getting below the lower line, hot or cold. None of my Honda's has ever burned enough oil to notice, but my wife's CRV oil pan nuts backed off enough to leak a bit before I caught it.

 

Hot or cold, doesn't matter. Dipstick all the way in, car off.

Remember that when the car hasn't been run in a while, the reading will be higher than right after it was run. So keep that in mind.

 

What about those in Colorado or other places way above sea level?











Dumb joke I know.... couldn't resist for some reason... <----me

 

Shouldn't you know how to use your dipstick by now?



rent some porn or something...



















sorry, i had to

 

You should have tried harder to resist.

No more of these please. Seems like it is catching and makes people want to do the same. I deleted another post which was worse IMO. Sorry, I had to.

I always check my oil in the morning before starting the car. Doesn't really matter when you do it as long as you do it the same way each time so the results are consistent, but doing it before you start the engine will ensure that all the oil has drained down and you will get a more accurate reading.

 

 

Yeah, come on... dumb jokes make these places interesting.
Don't delete what you consider a bad joke. At least I acknowledged mine.

 

Ron, i think we could have let those two jokes stand, i didn't realize we were such a stuffy bunch these days!

 

OK. I to popular opinion and will adjust my bad joke tolerance level from zero to +1 (highest being 100)

 

 

back to the thread topic.

From what i know, the car can be warm, but it should have been shut off for 30mins b4 checking. If the car is cold and has been sitting, you will also get an accurate reading.

 

Have to admit I find humor not so much from the jokes but from the fact that their are so many opinions on how to check your oil..... The only "thought" required is to wait a little from the time you shut the engine off to the time you perform said check. The fact remains, whether you wait 15 min or two weeks the reading you get will be equal. The warmer the engine the less time required for the oil to return to the pan.

Just check it in the morning after the car has set all night. You can't go wrong

--I was completely qualified in "using" my dipstick at age 12. The one in the lawn mower that is.....

Cheers

 

Be sure you are parked on a level surface also before checking the dipstick.

dsc888