Oil Level with Cooler Installed
 

Here is what may be a dumb question.

If one checks the oil level when the engine is cold (i.e. it has sat overnight) and there is an external oil cooler installed where do you look for the proper level on the dipstick? Keeping in mind the more or less quart the cooler and lines hold and that the oil drains into the pan overnight, should you not have the level above the high dot? It seems to me that if the level is on the dot, the engine is actually a bit low. Am I right?

Thank you in advance for your thoughtful replies.

It really only matters if you mount your cooler facing down. Then I can't remember what the measurements are for that type. But there is a write up here somewhere that a member did to explain it all.

Like SPOHN said unless you mounted it upside down for ease of oil drainage you should be reading the dipstick like you would without a cooler.

:iagree:

You can read it just like normal even if the oil cooler is upside down. The oil from the oil cooler gets blocked from going back to the pan by the anti drainback valve on the oil filter.