How, and how often to check engine oil?

[BigCanoe]

I was thinking today, I need to check my oil. How often do you check yours? And do you drive the car first, and then let it sit and check it warm?

 

[OldVWFan]

The manual says to check the oil after it has achieved normal operating temperature. So, drive it first to get the oil temperature up to a stabilized temperature, mine is normally over 200F, then shut the engine off and wait maybe 5 minutes, then check it. I normally check mine at least once per month.

 

[dequardo]

Agree.

 

[jimlloyd40]

Check mine weekly because I drive 1000 miles per week. I do it in the morning only because it's easier to read the dipstick.

 

[BigCanoe]

Do you get a higher reading when its cold in the morning than after it runs and settles back down? Or is it the other way around?

 

[OldVWFan]

If you mean by higher on the oil dipstick, then no. When oil is cold the the reading is lower. The oil level is higher once it has achieved normal operating temperature. Since oil is a liquid is has an expansion factor, though small, that causes it to expand when hot.

 

[BigCanoe]

Yea, that's what I was wondering, thank you!

 

[Strange Mud]

I experimented with checking level warm/cold and there is no real difference. 1x month minimum and that is only because I know it doesn't burn any.

 

[jimlloyd40]

Do you get a higher reading when its cold in the morning than after it runs and settles back down? Or is it the other way around?

Higher when engine is cold.

 

[Shane_Anigans]

Higher when engine is cold.

I thought there was a valve in the filter housing assembly which prevented all of the oil from draining down to the sump.

 

[dequardo]

The difference warm vs cold is negligible but the manual recommends checking 10 or so minutes after shutdown.

 

[jimlloyd40]

I thought there was a valve in the filter housing assembly which prevented all of the oil from draining down to the sump.

There probably is. I just like checking the oil after the car has sat all night because I can just pull the dipstick out and don't need to wipe it off to see the level.

 

[Keehs360]

I do it immediately after filling the tank. For me that’s about every 3-6 weeks

 

[Hollywood0220]

Open up the bonnet, pull the dipstick, check the level, if it's good you're good. Make this a regular habit every week or every fill-up as it takes no real time at all. It's like going to bathroom

 

[BigCanoe]

Yes, thank you all!