piclistguy@yahoo.com wrote in news:1192855728.752507.162900
@i38g2000prf.googlegroups.com:

> I have a 97 Accord. The level on the dipstick reads differently if I
> check the oil in the morning when the engine is cold, then when its
> warm.
> Is it best to read the dipstick cold or when the engine is warm after
> driving?. If I read it cold, should I start and stop it first to
> distribute the oil a bit? Thanks
>


The dipstick measures the oil that's in the oil pan. If you start the
engine then shut it off, you take oil out of the pan and pump it around the
engine. It will take a bit of time to fully drip back into the pan again,
so your dipstick reading will be falsely low.

If all you're doing is making sure the pan's oil level isn't too low, you
can check at any time, cold or hot. If the engine's been running, give the
oil a minute or so to drip back down into the pan before checking. And make
sure you check a couple of times (wiping the stick clean each time) and
seat the dipstick fully between checks.

If your car uses oil and you're using oil level checks as a precise study
of your car's oil consumption, then that's a /whole/ different ballgame.

--
Tegger