5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003) Learn more about the 5th Generation Maxima, including the VQ30DE-K and VQ35DE engines.

Oil Level Hard to Read

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 05-11-2002, 01:56 PM
  #1  
Member
Thread Starter
 
slo-ryde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Northern California
Posts: 158
Oil Level Hard to Read

Anybody else having trouble reading the oil level on the '02 dipstick? The only way I can get any kind of reliable reading is to check it in the morning after it's been sitting overnight, even then it's hard to tell if the oil is half a quart low or half a quart too full.

I mentioned it to the service department and got the classic blank look and shrug of the shoulders.
slo-ryde is offline  
Old 05-11-2002, 01:59 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
jkratzer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 657
Re: Oil Level Hard to Read

Originally posted by slo-ryde
Anybody else having trouble reading the oil level on the '02 dipstick? The only way I can get any kind of reliable reading is to check it in the morning after it's been sitting overnight, even then it's hard to tell if the oil is half a quart low or half a quart too full.

I mentioned it to the service department and got the classic blank look and shrug of the shoulders.


Yup. This is a classic problem with the 5th gen. I changed my oil at 3K miles and I could not get a good reading on that dipstick until the morning after. I guess Nissan had their experts work on the engine but the dipstick was designed by a newbie. If you do a search you will see this discussed many times.
jkratzer is offline  
Old 05-11-2002, 02:23 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
2K2_6spd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 534
I'ts a common problem with all "OHC" design engines, since the cams are in the head, there must be an ample supply of oil available for them, so after you shut your car off, the oil has to slowly drip back into the oil pan. This is why you cannot get a good reading after you have driven the car, or just changed the oil. The heads themself trap alot of oil, to prevent the cam(s) from starting dry.
2K2_6spd is offline  
Old 05-11-2002, 02:32 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
jkratzer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 657
Originally posted by 2K2_6spd
I'ts a common problem with all "OHC" design engines, since the cams are in the head, there must be an ample supply of oil available for them, so after you shut your car off, the oil has to slowly drip back into the oil pan. This is why you cannot get a good reading after you have driven the car, or just changed the oil. The heads themself trap alot of oil, to prevent the cam(s) from starting dry.
I also own a 2000 Honda Oddyssey and it has an OHC engine also BUT the Honda dispstick is not hard to read after an oil chnage. Their dipstick is straight without all of the twists and bends like the Max dispstick has. I think Honda has a better design.
jkratzer is offline  
Old 05-11-2002, 02:37 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
2K2_6spd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 534
Well it all depends on the design of the oil drainback holes, some are larger than others. My 4.6 Mustang is the same way, forget about checking the oil when it's warm.
2K2_6spd is offline  
Old 05-11-2002, 02:56 PM
  #6  
The silent but deadly Moderator
iTrader: (6)
 
TimW's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,691
its pretty easy...

oil gets in the tube, so pull the dipstick out and wait about 20 secs, the oil will drain back down.. then put the dipstick back in and pull it out quickly.. you should have a good reading. or at least on the second try.

If you dont wait a few secs with the stick out, you can check till you are blue in the face, oil will be ALL over the dipstick. Obviously coming back 5 mins later will work too, but thats not an option most of the time.
TimW is offline  
Old 05-11-2002, 03:11 PM
  #7  
Member
Thread Starter
 
slo-ryde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Northern California
Posts: 158
Originally posted by 2K2_6spd
I'ts a common problem with all "OHC" design engines, since the cams are in the head, there must be an ample supply of oil available for them, so after you shut your car off, the oil has to slowly drip back into the oil pan. This is why you cannot get a good reading after you have driven the car, or just changed the oil. The heads themself trap alot of oil, to prevent the cam(s) from starting dry.
Sorry, but I have to disagree with the comment that all OHC engines have this problem. I've owned too many cars with OHC to list here. None of them were this poorly designed. It looks like the problem is just a bad design. I was hoping someone at maxima.org had heard of a workaround. Oh well...
slo-ryde is offline  
Old 05-11-2002, 03:34 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
2K2_6spd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 534
I guess making sure the cams have plenty of oil makes no sense to you. Oh well I don't know what type of magic answer you were looking for. I think Tim lined it out pretty good for you.
2K2_6spd is offline  
Old 05-11-2002, 03:39 PM
  #9  
lcf
Senior Member
iTrader: (6)
 
lcf's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,583
first time i checked my oil it took about 5 minutes for me to be able to get my damned dipstick to get back in!!

lcf is offline  
Old 05-11-2002, 04:02 PM
  #10  
Member
Thread Starter
 
slo-ryde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Northern California
Posts: 158
Originally posted by 2K2_6spd
I guess making sure the cams have plenty of oil makes no sense to you. Oh well I don't know what type of magic answer you were looking for. I think Tim lined it out pretty good for you.
Whether or not the cams have plenty of oil has nothing to do with the design of the dipstick. This ain't rocket science we're talking about. If you think the dipstick design and the amount of oil the cams have on them are interdependent then you're the one making no sense.
slo-ryde is offline  
Old 05-11-2002, 04:08 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
2K2_6spd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 534
Well, maybe I misunderstood your question. I thought you were talking about the oil looking a tad low on the level, but I think you are talking about the oil being splashed all over the dip stick. My bad, 2 different issues.
2K2_6spd is offline  
Old 05-11-2002, 04:37 PM
  #12  
john2002max
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Re: Oil Level Hard to Read

Originally posted by slo-ryde
Anybody else having trouble reading the oil level on the '02 dipstick? The only way I can get any kind of reliable reading is to check it in the morning after it's been sitting overnight, even then it's hard to tell if the oil is half a quart low or half a quart too full.

I mentioned it to the service department and got the classic blank look and shrug of the shoulders.
I have the same problem! the only way to get a good reading is to pull the dipstick out and wait a few minutes. I usually check it 2 or 3 times just to make sure I get a good reading. I have owned many Honda's and have never had this problem. i guess it's just a Maxima thing!
 
Old 05-11-2002, 05:39 PM
  #13  
The silent but deadly Moderator
iTrader: (6)
 
TimW's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,691
hmmm

ever feel like your posts are invisible?
TimW is offline  
Old 05-12-2002, 03:55 AM
  #14  
Donating Maxima.org Member
 
Hobert's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 790
Re: hmmm

Originally posted by TimW
ever feel like your posts are invisible?

Hehehe I saw it and made a mental note of it. It happened to be the most useful post in this thread.
Hobert is offline  
Old 05-12-2002, 09:03 PM
  #15  
Member
Thread Starter
 
slo-ryde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Northern California
Posts: 158
Re: hmmm

Originally posted by TimW
ever feel like your posts are invisible?
I tried your suggestion (take the dipstick out and wait a few minutes) but I still can't tell for sure where the true oil level is. As the oil starts to darken I can sort of figure out where the level is.
slo-ryde is offline  
Old 05-12-2002, 09:35 PM
  #16  
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (3)
 
[maxi-overdose]'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 4,305
it is hard to read...just follow the instruction in the manual....heat up the car and cool it down for 10min then read it....
[maxi-overdose] is offline  
Old 05-12-2002, 10:07 PM
  #17  
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (6)
 
K Pazzo 6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,024
yeah i hate reading it...b/c you cant
K Pazzo 6 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
RinconI30
New Member Introductions
1
11-10-2015 10:55 PM
kjlouis
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
12
10-03-2015 05:29 AM
Vequity
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
7
09-10-2015 05:26 AM
dcardello
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
7
09-03-2015 11:44 PM
sdotcarter
6th Generation Maxima (2004-2008)
2
09-02-2015 09:53 PM



Quick Reply: Oil Level Hard to Read



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 06:20 AM.