Dip stick numbers

[goatijoe]

Has any one ever figured out what the dipstick is calabrated in is it Qt. or gal. or is it a precentage of what is spose to be in the crankcase. I have looked but cant find anything on what the numbers mean on it. I allways just add till it says full but it would be nice to know what it means so I can read it so i know how much to get to fill her back up.

 

[Flyingvan911]

Quarts. When the engine is warm, if the oil is down to 2, add 2 quarts, for example.

 

[steelandcanvas]

You do know to start the engine, shut it off, wait one minute, then remove and check the dipstick level from the un-screwed position, right?

 

[SCSG-G4]

You got me curious, so I looked at mine. It appears to be quarts, since the marks are showing 'full', down '2' and down '4'. After sitting for a while the oil level should be the equivalent of 3 or four 'high' from the full mark, since the GI filters drain. HTH.

 

[Warthog]

A cold non-started engine with canister filters should be about 4 qts over full as the oil filters drain back in to the pan.

Spin-on's will be different.

 

[goatijoe]

Thats what i was figuring it was in Quarts. Yes Steelandcanvas i know about checking it after it has run. I check it twice once before and after it is cranked its just old habit to check the oil in something like that before you fire it off. Like they say you can't never check enough or you will be sorry if you hadn't. I have been know to check after driving to make sure i didn't loose to much while it was running, as long as you don't have a puddle its safe to say you still have the same amount of oil you left with when you check it but ill check it anyways before driven.

 

[73m819]

An old trick is make sure the oil is where it should be when warm, then shut the engine down, let things cool down and the oil drain back, over night is good, in the morning, check the oil, use a file to mark the dip stick at the cold level, NOW you can check the oil COLD before you start and you will be good to go.

 

[Junkyard Wars Crusher]

I remember we had a Motor Pool Sergeant that said the "Cold" check should read on the letter "E" in the word CHECK on the dipstick. I have found this to be true on my own trucks. Yours may vary.