Engine Oil

[jennyjoan]

I'm just after cleaning the windows of my car - dirty due to the ice etc. I also needed to fill up my window washer container.

I just checked the oil gauge and I have what is left would be the size of your thumb. I'm off to get petrol - do I need oil. Thanks

[MartinMillar]

Check your dipstick and see where are then

[jennyjoan]

i have checked the dipstick - wiped it - and inserted it in and that is the oil level - thumb

[Hopkirk]

Oil gauge? I have never seen a car with an oil gauge.

[bookbinder]

Oil gauge = dipstick

[Hopkirk]

Ah, the dipstick. It should have two marks on it for maximum and minimum.

[jennyjoan]

where you put the dipstick in Hoppy - that's what I call a guage - you know how far the engine is up the stick. I can see sort residue of the oil being much higher.

jesus just a basic wee question

[bhg481]

Hoppy - you've never lived. On my first car, 1953 Rover 75, there was a button on the dashboard which you could press to get the fuel gauge to read the oil level. There was a dipstick as well.

[jennyjoan]

hoppy - do you own a car

[Hopkirk]

Apologies if I offended you.

[MartinMillar]

I own a car and have never called the dipstick a gauge!!
Depends on how far you are from the max mark as we don’t know how big your thumb is.
There is also no need to be rude!

[woofgang]

jj the basic answer is to wipe the dipstick and look at it. there should be two marks saying max and min and the oil level should be between the two. Measuring by your thumb, my thumb, anyone elses's thumb is no help at all.

[jennyjoan]

Hoppy dear - the way I'm feeling right now nothing would offend me.

so no offence taken my dear LOL

[Fitzer]

The point being Jenny, that when cold and on level ground the oil should be somewhere between the minimum & maximum marks on the dipstick, if near the minimum it should be topped up a little at a time as overfilling is bad as well.

[jennyjoan]

me rude MM - have a good look at yourself.

[Khandro]

You'll be fine going to the petrol station, get some of the right oil & top up. As long as there is some oil in the sump, which there is, you'll be OK.

[Hopkirk]

Everyone's finding things hard at the moment, so let's cut each other some slack.

[jennyjoan]

ok fitzer - will I have to buy a perhaps too big a container - cos I don't fill it up much.

My service man does that for me but because the MOT centres have closed down I unfortunately haven't been back to my service guy. He ususally (I think) clears it all out and replaces it with new oil. Maybe I should get that done

[TonyV]

jj one tip is to make car is on level ground when checking oil level. Take the reading at where there is a solid oil line, they streaky bits come from inserting the dipstick.

[MartinMillar]

Ok goodbye

[jennyjoan]

ok - bye bye - lovely to meet you.