# Oil check problem



## FCT (Mar 12, 2018)

Does it matter if the oil is hot or cold when you measure it? Does oil expand?

The car's manual says to check the oil when it is hot, but when I measure it hot I have issues seeing where the actual level goes on the dipstick. It looks like it is somewhere halfway but I can never be completely sure. The dipstick itself is of a dark color so it makes seeing the oil level even more difficult. The hot oil goes thin and I can't properly see where the line goes.

When I let the car sit for some hours the oil goes thick and then I can clearly see where the level is on the dipstick. I do the oil check itself with all the proper steps, parked level ground and wiping the dipstick before measuring. 

The car is a Volkswagen Golf SV 2016.

Thanks


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## Mark17jettaS (Jan 17, 2017)

I find it very difficult after doing an oil change...and if you keep checking it consecutively, the oil starts to get on the "sides" of the tube and dipstick, making it even more difficult to gauge. I usually let it rest overnight to get a good reading after an oil change.


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## GoGoTSI (Mar 13, 2010)

Follow the directions in the owner's manual.


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## Thy_Harrowing (Dec 7, 2014)

Yea it makes a difference, the oil level will be somewhere around 1/3 and 1/2 higher on the dipstick between the min and max zone when you check it hot. You are supposed to check it hot as per the manual.


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## bach61 (Mar 10, 2018)

*Oil stick reading -*

I had a heck of a time with a car I recently replaced, and older Infiniti coupe. 
After reading on some car forums and similar complaints about difficulty reading the level, I decided the stick was designed by Erno Rubik of The Rubik's Cube. It was a real puzzle, an awkward twist and bend to the stick that made it difficult to remove or replace and the extra fidgeting around could effect the way the oil film displayed on the stick. With fresh oil being so translucent, that of course was even more of the challenge.

I found taking 3 readings if two of the three seems to match up was a good method, 5 on a bad day. My tactic with all my cars has been to let the engine rest a min of 5 minutes after shut down but even within an hour is still a pretty hot reading during the warm months. I found most of my cars read a bit high for a while when hot and immediate checks were done. 

My current VW (17 Golf Sportwagen S 4Mo DSG) is pretty new to me and I checked the oil level within a day or two of purchase, new from the dealer. It had 46 miles on it about 2 months ago when I purchased it and the level was fine or 'safe'. Since then, I've checked a few times to see what variations I get and when cold, the stick reads about 2/3 to the top line of the sash marks. When hot, it reads at the top line and presently has about 1500 miles on it. 
Thy Harrowing has the example right for most of my cars and this one too, 1/3 to 1/2 below the top line on a cold reading. Unless I get that reading on a hot motor, I'm not adding oil.

For anyone having trouble with the read, as said by others, follow the steps in the manual and take a few readings to compare if they don't seem consistent. Good lighting and parking in the same level spot helps. Sampling 3 to 5 readings only take a few seconds to find the common line and if you take the time to check the oil, there is little sense in not being confident about the results.


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