Should the oil dipstick be checked when the engine is hot or cold?
1 Answers
Check the oil dipstick when the engine is cold. Specifically, wait at least thirty minutes after turning off the engine. This is because while the vehicle is running, the oil circulates throughout the engine to lubricate, reduce friction, dissipate heat, clean, and perform other functions. Immediately after turning off the engine (hot state), the oil has not fully returned, which can lead to inaccurate measurements. Precautions for adding engine oil are as follows: 1. Adding engine oil is not like refueling gasoline—filling it to the maximum is not the ideal condition. 2. The correct oil level should be at the middle mark on the dipstick. Overfilling can create resistance for the engine's pistons, increase fuel consumption, reduce power output, and lead to more carbon deposits. Conversely, insufficient oil will fail to provide adequate lubrication and cooling.