Bongo Fury

Can someone clarify please (it isn't specified in the fact sheets)

Do you check the engine oil level with a hot or cold engine?

I've read a post on this forum that mentioned it should be checked cold, but every other vehicle I've ever had to check was with a hot engine.

Thanks.....

engine oil cold.
atf fliud hot.
i think

COLD!! Level surface

Engine oil: Cold engine (or at least having sat for a good 30 minutes). Level ground. Remove dipstick, wipe clean, refit and push it all the way 'home', remove, look and sniff!

ATF: Warm engine, still on tickover either in Park (safer) or Drive with handbrake firmly on (supposedly slightly more accurate), repeat process as with engine dipstick.

Trouble at t'Mill wrote: sniff!

spout wrote:

Trouble at t'Mill wrote: sniff!

DONT TELL ME YOU'VE NEVER SNIFFED YOUR DIPSTICK

Ok, fair enough...

It's something you'd do to a car you were considering buying - not to one you own (and which obviously has regular oil changes!)

daveblueozzie wrote:

spout wrote:

Trouble at t'Mill wrote: sniff!

DONT TELL ME YOU'VE NEVER SNIFFED YOUR DIPSTICK

I don't think i could reach...

daveblueozzie wrote:engine oil cold.
atf fliud hot.
i think

I agree if the engine is hot some of the oil will still be amongst working/moving parts

Sparky

No need to wipe your dipstick first either...

Just give it a good shake...

haydn callow wrote:COLD!! Level surface

Well that could cause a problem.
My drive is not exactly steep, but it aint flat.
So I’ll have to move it somewhere flat , but that then gives me a warm engine.

I have been giving it some thought (aside from the sniffing) and I don’t think the precise amount of oil in the engine is important – so long as it’s between the lower and upper (probably about a litre?).
It is any CHANGE in level between checking that’s important. For that reason I always check my vehicles in the same situation (ie after a run and then settled for 10 mins).

So all I have to do is find the hot/sloped equivalent to cold/flat.

This weekend I checked the hot/flat to hot/sloped and found no measurable difference (dipstick must be fairly central in the sump). I’ll report back on the hot and cold differences.

I can’t see there being much difference, and it does seem odd to check the level cold – how can you check on a long run? (how did those on the Poland 2008 run manage?)

PS The bandages should be coming off next week, after I poked myself in the eye with the dipstick during a failed sniffing attempt.

Any car should be checked cold shouldn't it? you check it before you set off.

As you say it's not the end of the world if you check it hot....Just a bit harder to check cos the oil is thinner and harder to see.
COLD...in the morning...just remove dipstick (the engine one) and read the level.
HOT.....anytime....remove dipstick...wipe with rag/paper....replace dipstick...remove again and read.