i have a 2001, just changed my oil for the first time, what's the right way to check? should the engine be cold? i drove it home after i changed it and it's been sitting in the parking lot for 2 hours, would now be a good time to check with the engine off? all the oil should have drained to to the pan right?

 

Do it with the car off. I would wait to check it until your car is at running temp. Then check.

 

getting it to running temp? would that mean letting it idle, pull out dipstick, let it sit for 5 minutes? check?

 

Maxima dip sticks blow...

The easiest way to read them...is to let it sit overnight...then check it in the morning when all the oil has settled back into the oil pan...I've been doing this for awhile now...and have always gotten accurate results...and many other members too

 

check it cold.. that way you see exactly how high or low you oil is. As long as you add 4.5q to the engine you should be fine. IF you have a 5.5 engine you should carry like 10q in the trunk just to add to it in case you have an oil eater....

 

Check it cold it's and you'll get an accurate reading on the oil level. In fact speaking of oil I actually have a leak in my oil pan, a small leak just not too far from the drain plug. There was a rust spot there which got worse over time and it's now leaking. I ordered a new pan along with the sealant and I am plannig to change it probabaly next weekend.

 

when i first read the subject, i cracked up gotta be thinking that you have to be mechicanically challenged. But after reading the post, i see what your question to be valid when oil should be checked

 

yeah, check it when the engine's cold.

and the dip sticks on our cars have been known to give horrible readings.

 

i checked it this morning, took it out, wiped the marker clean, dipped it and read it and its just like a slight hair above the H line, it's so clean still right now that it's hard to see where the oil starts, i wiped it again and flipped the stick upside down to see if measuring it that way would be easier to read, but it looked just exactly on the line.

odd thing is i only added 4 quarts of oil exactly, i haven't opened my 5th qt, i let it drain for hours and it wasnt dripping anymore when i put the plug and filter on

 

clean oil FTW!

mine is easy to read...becuz its green in colour

 

German Castrol FTW then...send some my way, I can't find any

 

LOL, ask torkoholic (EKpolk on BITOG)...that guy has like 150qts+ of green GC...my 12qt stash is diddly squat to him