Checking Oil Level cold or hot?

[minke]

Hi everyone,

Age old question - Doing my head in a bit. I just checked my GTi and found it below the low part of the hashed area when cold on a level surface. drove it 5km to get some oil and now find it in the middle.

Do I fill to the maximum (top of the hash mark) while hot or cold? I think cold personally, but what have others found out (ie fact not opinions)

Cheers

[Guest001]

Did you pull the dipstick and wipe it clean and put it back in to check. Always do that

I have always done mine first thing in the morning when all the oil has drained down. However in a recent thread some say turn motor off and wait 10 mins and do it.

Will stick to my way which means ALL the oil is in the sump. Having too much is sometimes worse than not enough. The Manual says turn engine off Wait for a few minutes and check. It also says too much can damage Cat so what do you do. Follow whats in the Manual I guess if you are worried It tells you and shows pics of the dipsticks used.

[Silvertfox]

Checking Oil Level cold or hot?

If you want facts, VW provide a handy manual that provides all the facts you need.
If you want opinions you've come to the right place. Most oil checks require the engine to be warm. A lot of dipsticks also have this stamped on them. I check all my vehicles when they are warm.

[Diesel_vert]

Age old question...

Do I fill to the maximum (top of the hash mark) while hot or cold?

Age old answer...

Refer to the owner's manual.

[Mi16 Man]

Checking Oil Level cold or hot?

Here are two pics detailing the levels. Basically, the oil level should be in the 'dipped' area. Top kink is max, lower kink is min. Hashed/chequer plate area is 'comfort zone'......

[Guest001]

Here are two pics detailing the levels. Basically, the oil level should be in the 'dipped' area. Top kink is max, lower kink is min. Hashed/chequer plate area is 'comfort zone'......

Good advice but it doesnt say WHEN to do it to achieve posted instructions only HOW to do it.


Cold, Hot, hot and wait 10 mins???????????????????????


I do mine first thing in the morning when all oil is in the sump as if too much then it could foam if crank should hit it ( Unlikely I know)

This was endlessly thrashed a few months ago and I think the wait 10 mins and do it was the popular recommendation but 'RTFM"

[Mi16 Man]

Checking Oil Level cold or hot?



And, apply common sense.

[Guest001]

And, apply common sense.

The reason I asked was because the OP asked and your post said how to do it but not when .

I have gone and got my manual and I quote.

Have car on a level surface. Switch off engine and wait a few minutes for oil to flow back into sump.

The oil can be checked IMMEDIATELY IF THE ENGINE IS COLD. Like first thing in the morning as I do.

I recommend the cold method as you are sure all the oil is down and therefore you wont overfill it if you are careful and only put small amounts in at a time and wait for it to get down.

The difference between the low "C" mark and high "A" mark is 1.5 litres according to the manual

Its on page 296 in mine if OP wants a quick reference save looking in the Index

[MGV]

But what if it's 1st thing in the morning and you have just gotten back from a super early pre dawn drive???

Sorry, just being a smarty pants...

I reckon you will get differing results comparing cold check to warm check after a 10 minute wait. Because of expansion/contraction caused by heating/cooling of metallic reservoirs.

Check when hot after a few minute wait after shutting down.

[Guest001]

But what if it's 1st thing in the morning and you have just gotten back from a super early pre dawn drive???

Sorry, just being a smarty pants...

Yes you are The meaning being that the car has been sitting not turned on long enough to cool down fully whatever time of the day it may be..

At my age predawn is for sleeping.

If your predawn "drive" has expanded the metal that much I suggest you wait longer for things to contract.

You normally get a difference in capacity because the oil has not drained down fully and therefore you could overfill it.

Whatever floats your boat.

I quoted what the manual said and thats what the OP asked for and his one probably says the same

[Mi16 Man]

Checking Oil Level cold or hot?

Here ya go!

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11514

[Guest001]

Here ya go!

Does oil expand when hot? - Technical Topics - Moto Guzzi V11LeMans.com Forum

That is a motorbike forum and they are referring to bikes which have a smaller sump oil surface area than a car and so any expansion would give a higher reading on the dipstick than on a sump with twice the area.

In any case it appears to hardly matter.

Read the quote from the manual in reply 8. Thats what matters, not some opinion on a more or less irrelevant forum.

[Mi16 Man]

Checking Oil Level cold or hot?

.......Thats what matters, not some opinion on a more or less irrelevant forum.

I bet the guys on the Moto Guzzi forum think the same thing re equivalent posts on VWW! Signing off as the below is eerily familiar;


In the meantime, disregard the Moto Guzzi factor and read the thread....it actually related to the OP FFS!

"Density (T) = Density (15 C) - beta*(T-15) where T is the temperature in °C, and beta is approx 0.0006 g/cubic cm/°C.”
The source of this information from Shell is:
R. Larsson, P.O. Larsson, E. Eriksson, M. Sjöberg & E. Höglund, "Lubricant Properties for Input to Hydrodynamic and Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication Analyses", Proc. Instn Mech Engrs, Vol 214, Part J, pp 17-27
Earlier investigation led me use a 15.5°C (60°F) specific gravity of about 0.890 which is still consistent with this information. Using that yields:
Temperature, °F53268104140176212248 284
Temperature, °C-15020406080100120140
Density kg/m3908899887875863851839 827815
Density, lbs/ft356.6856.1255.3754.6253.87 53.1352.3851.6350.88"

At 4.7L for a EA888, checking hot vs cold will result in imperceivable results.

[Guest001]

I bet the guys on the Moto Guzzi forum think the same thing re equivalent posts on VWW! Signing off as the below is eerily familiar;


In the meantime, disregard the Moto Guzzi factor and read the thread....it actually related to the OP FFS!

"Density (T) = Density (15 C) - beta*(T-15) where T is the temperature in °C, and beta is approx 0.0006 g/cubic cm/°C.”
The source of this information from Shell is:
R. Larsson, P.O. Larsson, E. Eriksson, M. Sjöberg & E. Höglund, "Lubricant Properties for Input to Hydrodynamic and Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication Analyses", Proc. Instn Mech Engrs, Vol 214, Part J, pp 17-27
Earlier investigation led me use a 15.5°C (60°F) specific gravity of about 0.890 which is still consistent with this information. Using that yields:
Temperature, °F53268104140176212248 284
Temperature, °C-15020406080100120140
Density kg/m3908899887875863851839 827815
Density, lbs/ft356.6856.1255.3754.6253.87 53.1352.3851.6350.88"

At 4.7L for a EA888, checking hot vs cold will result in imperceivable results.

Apologies to the Moto GUzzi forum I meant the subject was rather irrelevant to the OP's question as the 2 types of vehicle were very dissimilar

[Guest001]

Apologies to the Moto GUzzi forum I meant the subject was rather irrelevant to the OP's question as the 2 types of vehicle were very dissimilar

As the edit function is playing up I will clarify what I meant

The increase in the level of hot oil in a car sump which has a larger surface area than a motor bike will be a lot less and therefore of less significance in the scheme of things.