oil level??

[omgwtfreally]

OK so I feel dumb To bring this up About 5000 miles later I checked my oil maybe a few minutes warm, it was like low like REALLY low, I was shocked and freaked out I also was coming up on my first oil change so when I went to Nissan Asked them to see if I was possibly burning oil or my rings are messed up Anyways after they changed my oil they said it didn't look like it was burning oil, So I didn't really worry about it I get you're supposed to check your oil when it's a little bit warmed up But when it is dead cold wouldn't it be more accurate Because all the oil in the internals is all settled in the oil Pan?

Anyways I checked it this morning While cold And it shows like super low on the dipstick

I want to logically understand this If there's no oil in your internals Then it's all in your oil Pan So if you put your dip stick in Wouldn't it show an accurate level?


Anyways after driving to work 30 minutes dong about 100

I checked it again about 10 minutes later of sitting off

Now it shows high, I read all these debates whether you're supposed to do it when it's hot or its cold
And honestly I just wanna Just logically understand it And know whether or not I'm good on oil And not be freaking out and put a court in when I don't need to......

Thanks and sorry for sounding like an idiot


btw 7,800 miles

[jchammond]

Engine cold & parked on level ground; oil should be on top dot.
It’s not uncommon to have to top up if you’re going 5k between oil changes.
Be sure & remove dipstick & wipe clean before inserting it & reading oil level.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nis350]

not sure exactly what the differences were on the dip stick between your measurements but 'HOT' oil expands, so the oil level would be higher.

I think it would be fine as long as the oil level is near the middle of the two dots on the dip stick. Also, it is better to have the oil below the upper dot than over it.

Originally Posted by omgwtfreally

OK so I feel dumb To bring this up About 5000 miles later I checked my oil maybe a few minutes warm, it was like low like REALLY low, I was shocked and freaked out I also was coming up on my first oil change so when I went to Nissan Asked them to see if I was possibly burning oil or my rings are messed up Anyways after they changed my oil they said it didn't look like it was burning oil, So I didn't really worry about it I get you're supposed to check your oil when it's a little bit warmed up But when it is dead cold wouldn't it be more accurate Because all the oil in the internals is all settled in the oil Pan?

Anyways I checked it this morning While cold And it shows like super low on the dipstick

I want to logically understand this If there's no oil in your internals Then it's all in your oil Pan So if you put your dip stick in Wouldn't it show an accurate level?


Anyways after driving to work 30 minutes dong about 100

I checked it again about 10 minutes later of sitting off

Now it shows high, I read all these debates whether you're supposed to do it when it's hot or its cold
And honestly I just wanna Just logically understand it And know whether or not I'm good on oil And not be freaking out and put a court in when I don't need to......

Thanks and sorry for sounding like an idiot


btw 7,800 miles

[jchammond]

I pulled the owners manual & yes-engine must be warmed to operating temp & then turned off at least 15min for settling before checking/as read here in manual.
Level surface is very important, as a tad low in the front can cause a higher oil level reading & a lower reading if Z is parked with nose a bit higher......sorry for any confusion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[omgwtfreally]

Originally Posted by jchammond

Engine cold & parked on level ground; oil should be on top dot.
It’s not uncommon to have to top up if you’re going 5k between oil changes.
Be sure & remove dipstick & wipe clean before inserting it & reading oil level.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

thank you very much for this information at a dead cold on level ground my dip stick barley hits that curve


so I'm in trouble and should add oil

[omgwtfreally]

Originally Posted by jchammond

I pulled the owners manual & yes-engine must be warmed to operating temp & then turned off at least 15min for settling before checking/as read here in manual.
Level surface is very important, as a tad low in the front can cause a higher oil level reading & a lower reading if Z is parked with nose a bit higher......sorry for any confusion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

thank you very much this is helpful, this means my engine is in serious trouble and I need to get oil in it quickly, cause, the other guys oil is still full when dead cold on level ground and mine isn't, but following the manual it is what can this mean?

[FPenvy]

Originally Posted by omgwtfreally

thank you very much this is helpful, this means my engine is in serious trouble and I need to get oil in it quickly, cause, the other guys oil is still full when dead cold on level ground and mine isn't, but following the manual it is what can this mean?

mine has lied to me before. add a bit of oil, check a again, then add more if needed.

mine was in the curved part. tossed a quart and a half in.......next check it was above the high level line.

however i am running a 34 row oil cooler so could be different for me.

[Jsolo]

So I guess the moral here is if checking cold, fill up to ~1/4" below the full line?

[nis350]

I don't see how the oil level measured so high after the car was driven comparing to the cold condition.

Something doesn't seem right.

Originally Posted by omgwtfreally

Anyways after driving to work 30 minutes dong about 100

I checked it again about 10 minutes later of sitting off

Now it shows high, I read all these debates whether you're supposed to do it when it's hot or its cold

[Quicksilvers]

The best time to check oil levels on your dipstick between oil changes is when your engine is cold and has not been started like in the morning when you first start your 370Z. I would wipe your dipstick off once or twice before you read the oil level on your dipstick.

[SouthArk370Z]

Check it according to what the Nissan engineers say - see post by jchammond above.

After 15 minutes, the engine is, for all intents and purposes, cold.

In the 40+ years I've been maintaining vehicles, I have never run into a car where you were supposed to check the engine oil when hot. But I haven't seen everything.