Is the oil dipstick poorly engineered?

[nazitf]

I noticed a small oily patch under the car & so after checking all the fluids levels myself and noting that they were all at the right level, I took it in to an independent vag garage for inspection. They couldn’t find the source of the leak but observed oil in the undertray and concluded it was definitely engine oil. The car was on a slight slope whilst I paid the garage for the labour time. I drove off this slope and on to a flat road next to the garage. The mechanic rechecked the oil level & we both saw it was about half the level on the hatched area. He added about 1 litre of oil and rechecked and it showed it covered the top of the hatched area of the dip stick.

 

Fast forward two weeks and I haven’t noticed any more oil patches under the car. When I check the oil level with the dipstick, to me (as a novice) it appears to be overfilled. My question is how can one tell if there’s too much oil? It’s easy to tell if the oil level is less than the high end of the hatched area but much harder to work out by how much it is over the recommended maximum level.

 

I tried two different ways to read this (both when the engine was cold on a flat surface) & apologies for the really bad quality of photos.

1.       Remove dipstick

2.       Clean dipstick

3.       Reinsert till it ‘clicks’

4.       Take the reading

Here’s the photo:

 

Edited 20 December, 2018 by nazitf

[nazitf]

Second approach was

1.       Remove dipstick

2.       Clean dipstick

3.       Reinsert till just before it ‘clicks’

4.       Take the reading

 

Here’s the photos

 

If its only slightly over then I’m not worried but since the grey blob on the right hand side is also covered in oil, does this mean its over filled to that level? Its weird that the grey plastic section doesn't extend much above the high level markings since its makes reading an overfill much harder!

 

Any advice on reading this oil level would be most helpful!

[FlyingSpanner]

G

Edited 9 January, 2019 by FlyingSpanner

[drefaldwyn]

Don't forget that repeated interruption of DPF regens can result in excess fuel entering the sump.  My advice, for what it's worth, is to get a good quality OBD11 adapter and download the VAG DPF App (preferably the paid for version - it's cheap enough). You can then keep an eye on the regens  and drive accordingly i.e. if you see that a regen is in progress keep driving until it's complete. 

 

Hope that helps.

Edited 20 December, 2018 by drefaldwyn

[silver1011]

It's all in the manual...

 

[FlyingSpanner]

G

Edited 9 January, 2019 by FlyingSpanner

[nazitf]

Thanks for all the replies. What’s confusing (for me at least!!) is that there is oil staining on the highlighted part of the dipstick below. Is this normal i.e. when it rubs the inside of the dipstick tube as its pulled out or is it indicative of the oil level in the sump? Note, I fully cleaned the dipstick so that there was no oil on it before reinserting it.

[silver1011]

Yes, perfectly normal, mines the same.

 

After removing the dipstick, give it a thorough clean, reinsert, wait a second or two and remove again to take the reading.

[chimaera]

1 hour ago, nazitf said:

Thanks for all the replies. What’s confusing (for me at least!!) is that there is oil staining on the highlighted part of the dipstick below. Is this normal i.e. when it rubs the inside of the dipstick tube as its pulled out or is it indicative of the oil level in the sump? Note, I fully cleaned the dipstick so that there was no oil on it before reinserting it.

There's always a bit of oil down the dipstick tube since the engine is churning it around down in the sump. Surface tension and the narrow clearance between the dipstick and the tube will hold some oil up there after shutdown.

[Ootohere]

Checking Cold on the flat is 'Simply Clever'  as Engines are often 'Cold' before setting off on trips.  You want to know there is oil, and enough oil,. and not stop 10-20 miles later to check.

 

But VW Advice is 'At operating temperature'  other than 1.2 44 kw engines which are checked when cold.

 

 

 

[Ootohere]

Remember that Low Oil warning lights and even Low Oil Pressure lights or messages can appear and if you stop open the bonnet and do nothing but it is open for 30 seconds the Warning Lights / message can extinguish (go off)  for the next 60 miles maybe.  Not 'simply clever' really.  actually ridiculous IMO.

[chimaera]

1 hour ago, Skoffski said:

Checking Cold on the flat is 'Simply Clever'  as Engines are often 'Cold' before setting off on trips.  You want to know there is oil, and enough oil,. and not stop 10-20 miles later to check.

 

But VW Advice is 'At operating temperature'  other than 1.2 44 kw engines which are checked when cold.

 

 

 

The volumetric coefficient of thermal expansion for engine oil is 0.0007 /K, so 5 l x 90 K x 0.0007 = 315 ml. This is the volume difference between cold and operating temperature so cold 2/3 up the hatched marking is equal to full at operating temperature.

[Ootohere]

^^^ There is a thread on all that.

It does not stop some TSI engines with Oil filters up top and 3.6 litre oil capacity having the Cold & on the flat level on the dipstick up on the flat above the cross hatch and at 80*oC 

or higher indicated oil temp the Oil is sitting at the top of the Cross hatch.

 

Never stopped VW Group Trained Techs over filling and under filling cars at PDI or services.

 

PS

Years worth of threads and posts if anyone wants to do a search like.

briskoda dealer overfilled oil

Edited 21 December, 2018 by Skoffski

[olduns]

19 hours ago, silver1011 said:

It's all in the manual...

 

 

...apart from the reminder to refit the filler cap 

recently checked my works Caddy van level, usually leave the 1l bottle wedged by battery, away to France tomorrow so was off last tuesday and thought i'd check the Superb, needed a bit so open the Caddy bonnet and it's smothered everywhere...around 500 miles in the 2 days previous and luckily the cap was still there, the drive also now has a nice oil slick on the block paving

[FlyingSpanner]

G

 

Edited 9 January, 2019 by FlyingSpanner

[olduns]

none taken....end result will be the same though 

[DEL80Y]

Away back at the start when I started at a "FastFit" centre it was attached to a petrol station when a wee old lady came in and said her car was not quite right and could we have a look at it for her.

Went next door to see a pristine Mini Clubman with the bonnet up 

She had filled and I mean FILLED the engine to the brim with the oil she had purchased from the petrol station........after her son telling her to mind and 'top up' the oil