Oil dipstick??

Post by **eroosa** » 17 May 2009, 17:04

OK,
I know I am going to look really stupid here, but I have had my 93 850 now for about 2.5 years, done some work on it (thanks to all of you with your assistance) and now I have a really embarassing question.
I have about 163 K miles on it and it does leak some oil. I know that it goes through some because after a month or two of seeing some marks on the driveway it needs some. I also am told by the people at the garage when I get it inspected that it is leaking. My dilema is that the %&$^#*@ dipstick is ALWAYS reading in the full level. This is NOT possible and I have even waited until the low oil light came on, checked it and it was still reading full. Like I said, it IS leaking and needs a couple quarts between oil changes. I feel like an idiot, but no matter how I check it (even after letting it sit all night) it ALWAYS reads full.

THis is driving me crazy.

Ed

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 17 May 2009, 17:37

Do you clean it off before dipping it in the tube again to measure your levels?

Post by **eroosa** » 17 May 2009, 20:00

yes I do mij. This is totally unexplainable. I have even tried to let it set overnight, leave the dipstick out after cleaning it for a few minutes and then trying it. IT ALWAYS shows oil in the hashmarks. Maybe oil is in the dipstick tube and it clings to the stick in the hash marks. I have NEVER had a dipstick do this and I have had cars for the last 25 years.

I even worked at a full service gas station for 3 years and checked oil on thousands of cars. I did buy a new stick for it right after I bought the car for the plastic handle broke off the original one, but I compared sticks at the time and they seemed identical. I also bought it at the dealership.

VERY STRANGE

Post by **FlyingVolvo** » 17 May 2009, 20:18

Probably haunted by the ghost of a Swedish Viking or something... no big deal.

Post by **JDS60R** » 17 May 2009, 21:48

Always check with the motor off and at least 10 min for the oil to drain down. Pull the stick , then wipe clean, then reinsert and withdraw for the level check. The dipstick will read high if you did not wipe and reinsert .

Other Ideas:
I have taken apart some motors that had sludge issues in the area where the dipstick reachs which lead to bad readings.

Next time you change the oil you should check for sludge under the stick and see if the level is stil high. The dipstick tube can be removed and you can replace the lower seal for good measure. While the dipstick tube is out you can check the tube for some sludge as wella s spray some carb cleaner into the motor while draining to was out any sludge that would be near the stick.

Also while training new mechaincs we teach not to turn the oil dipstick upside down while reading. This lets the oil flow and it may creep past the fill line. Always hold the dipstick the way it came out of the motor.

Thats about all I can think of for now.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 17 May 2009, 22:22

This reminds me of the increasing coolant I read about on the brickboard a few years ago... The guy would drain some coolant out of the expansion tank because it was over-filled. The next day he would drain some off... then in a couple of days the volume of the coolant had increased again- so he would drain it off again- this went on for weeks. He was stumped. Finally, his wife came home one day with a jug of coolant she had bought at the parts store, complaining that something must be wrong with the car because it kept loosing coolant- to the point that it really needed to go in to be looked at. In the meantime she bought a jug so that she can keep filling what is lost, like she had been doing for a couple of weeks.

Just a thought but could it be that another family member is filling the engine with oil and you are unaware?

Post by **eroosa** » 18 May 2009, 20:28

I will keep all the tips in mind, especially if my wife is adding oil.

takane2 · Post by **takane2** » 28 Aug 2010, 21:05

How did this turn out? I'm having the same trouble with my dipstick. The thing is it reads empty when i drain the oil and then right after the oil change it displays a plausible level. I did the change after replacing the pcv system and i no longer have smoke from the dip or a CEL on so I don't think it is from oil being blown up the dip stick.

850tech · Post by **850tech** » 28 Aug 2010, 22:18

It is possible the oil pressure switch is the source of the leak and the oil light is a symtom of the failing oil pressure switch. A leaking pressure switch will make a hell of a mess even if the leak isn't large due to it's position at the front of the block.

vantassell · Post by **vantassell** » 29 Aug 2010, 04:33

850tech wrote:It is possible the oil pressure switch is the source of the leak and the oil light is a symtom of the failing oil pressure switch. A leaking pressure switch will make a hell of a mess even if the leak isn't large due to it's position at the front of the block.

Oh snap. My car is leaking a ton of oil and now I think it might be this oil pressure switch you're talking about. Sorry to derail the OP, but thanks 850tech.