Can anyone here get an accurate oil level reading?
11-12-2007, 09:53 AM
#1
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,038
Can anyone here get an accurate oil level reading?
After years of annoyance, I'm just curious if any of you can get an accurate oil level from the dipstick.
I use the procedure outlined in the manual - operating temp and then cool down - and yet, for both my 96 and my 2k, figuring out the oil level is like reading bones.
I get an oil dipstick with oil all over it, on one side only, etc - and maybe just maybe I can decipher the oil level after pulling it several times.
Is it me? Is it possible I can change my clutch - but yet not know how to check the oil.
Please make me feel like a fool and tell me how to do it.
Thanks.
I use the procedure outlined in the manual - operating temp and then cool down - and yet, for both my 96 and my 2k, figuring out the oil level is like reading bones.
I get an oil dipstick with oil all over it, on one side only, etc - and maybe just maybe I can decipher the oil level after pulling it several times.
Is it me? Is it possible I can change my clutch - but yet not know how to check the oil.
Please make me feel like a fool and tell me how to do it.
Thanks.
11-12-2007, 12:29 PM
#7
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 63
Me too
I just purchased a 2002 Maxima the weekend before last, I felt pretty stupid too not being able to check the oil. I read the manual and it said to wait 10 minutes after the engine has been running to check it. That seemed to help a little. But like you said, one side of the dipstick shows oil all the up and the other side looks like I'm about a 1/2 quart low. Since I just got the car I don't know which side to believe. Either the previous owner really over filled it or I just purchase a Maxima that burns oil. I hope thats not the case. I was really hoping after I did the oil change myself I would be able to read that dipstick better. Sounds like that may not be the case though. Keep us posted if you figure something out.
Maybe we should have all purchased new BMWs, they don't even have dipsticks any more (according to Car and Driver). Just an idiot light. Sounds like the stupidest things I ever heard of.
Maybe we should have all purchased new BMWs, they don't even have dipsticks any more (according to Car and Driver). Just an idiot light. Sounds like the stupidest things I ever heard of.
11-12-2007, 12:54 PM
#9
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 63
11-12-2007, 02:00 PM
#12
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 63
11-12-2007, 02:56 PM
#18
Accurate reading? You can EASILY get that 30 mins after shut-off. but consistant readings? hell no, esp. not with the vq35 dipstick. Every morning my oil level will be in different places, some higher, some lower. And yes, its checked the same way all the time on the same level surface.
I will assume the oil filter holds different amounts of oil each time and thats why the readings are so inconsistant. Keep in mind when you check your level 30 min after shut-off it will be slightly higher than compared to letting the car sit overnight and checking it. The reason is simple: oil expands when its hot.
I will assume the oil filter holds different amounts of oil each time and thats why the readings are so inconsistant. Keep in mind when you check your level 30 min after shut-off it will be slightly higher than compared to letting the car sit overnight and checking it. The reason is simple: oil expands when its hot.
11-12-2007, 03:24 PM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 2,898
After years of annoyance, I'm just curious if any of you can get an accurate oil level from the dipstick.
I use the procedure outlined in the manual - operating temp and then cool down - and yet, for both my 96 and my 2k, figuring out the oil level is like reading bones.
I get an oil dipstick with oil all over it, on one side only, etc - and maybe just maybe I can decipher the oil level after pulling it several times.
Is it me? Is it possible I can change my clutch - but yet not know how to check the oil.
Please make me feel like a fool and tell me how to do it.
Thanks.
I use the procedure outlined in the manual - operating temp and then cool down - and yet, for both my 96 and my 2k, figuring out the oil level is like reading bones.
I get an oil dipstick with oil all over it, on one side only, etc - and maybe just maybe I can decipher the oil level after pulling it several times.
Is it me? Is it possible I can change my clutch - but yet not know how to check the oil.
Please make me feel like a fool and tell me how to do it.
Thanks.
11-13-2007, 09:57 AM
#20
i figured mine out a little bit after i got the car... what i do is make sure that the dipstick is in the correct way (in the 2k engine the yellow finger hole is facing up towards the sky, and not out in front of the car) then take it out and turn it around to the side where the H/L indicator is, and the oil on that side is your accurate level... on the other side, it's all over the place and i have yet to figure out how the readings can be so massively different on both sides of the dipstick, but whatever.. lol.. it works, and you can read it accurately that way
11-13-2007, 10:02 AM
#22
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 63
I checked mine last night after sitting for a couple of days. I finally got an accurate reading. On one side anyway. The other side was still all messed up. I was glad to see it was full though. I was getting concerned I had purchased a Maxima that burns oil.
11-13-2007, 01:35 PM
#24
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 63
11-13-2007, 01:52 PM
#25
11-13-2007, 02:10 PM
#26
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 63
He's saying this topic has been discussed before.... thats all. Look, it took me 12 seconds to prove his point. http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=394952
Part of the problem is that the search feature is pretty limited, unless you are a supporting member, all you can do is a google search within the forum. This gives a lot if irrelevant searches that you have to sift through. Its not much help. So after a couple of hours of reading useless threads a new thread is posted. It just seems that if the poster couldn't give some useful advice why bother posting. I will say no more as now I am posting a useless post.
11-13-2007, 02:17 PM
#27
Yeah, I know. Its been a bad day. But I'm new here and I've found that the forum can be a bit hostile to newbies. It seems unless you are trying to rice out your Maxima or add unneeded bling your questions aren't important. I was just trying to point out that some of us have just purchased Maximas and don't know everything about them. We never have seen this topic come up before because we've never been at the forum before. We just would like some help with the little things. It doesn't seem like we should be told were beating a subject to death when its the first time its come up for us.
Part of the problem is that the search feature is pretty limited, unless you are a supporting member, all you can do is a google search within the forum. This gives a lot if irrelevant searches that you have to sift through. Its not much help. So after a couple of hours of reading useless threads a new thread is posted. It just seems that if the poster couldn't give some useful advice why bother posting. I will say no more as now I am posting a useless post.
Part of the problem is that the search feature is pretty limited, unless you are a supporting member, all you can do is a google search within the forum. This gives a lot if irrelevant searches that you have to sift through. Its not much help. So after a couple of hours of reading useless threads a new thread is posted. It just seems that if the poster couldn't give some useful advice why bother posting. I will say no more as now I am posting a useless post.
11-14-2007, 01:02 AM
#28
Supporting Maxima.org Member
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: the OC & Silicon Valley
Posts: 2,586
Yeah, I know. Its been a bad day. But I'm new here and I've found that the forum can be a bit hostile to newbies. It seems unless you are trying to rice out your Maxima or add unneeded bling your questions aren't important. I was just trying to point out that some of us have just purchased Maximas and don't know everything about them. We never have seen this topic come up before because we've never been at the forum before. We just would like some help with the little things. It doesn't seem like we should be told were beating a subject to death when its the first time its come up for us.
Part of the problem is that the search feature is pretty limited, unless you are a supporting member, all you can do is a google search within the forum. This gives a lot if irrelevant searches that you have to sift through. Its not much help. So after a couple of hours of reading useless threads a new thread is posted. It just seems that if the poster couldn't give some useful advice why bother posting. I will say no more as now I am posting a useless post.
Part of the problem is that the search feature is pretty limited, unless you are a supporting member, all you can do is a google search within the forum. This gives a lot if irrelevant searches that you have to sift through. Its not much help. So after a couple of hours of reading useless threads a new thread is posted. It just seems that if the poster couldn't give some useful advice why bother posting. I will say no more as now I am posting a useless post.
11-14-2007, 07:56 PM
#29
my dipstick is bent...I have never seen these for sale as replacements. Would the Nissan dealer normally have them in stock being that its not really a part that is replaced?
11-14-2007, 08:02 PM
#30
11-14-2007, 09:22 PM
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Posts: 2,898
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