How High On The Oil Dipstick Is Too High?

[kevin65]

When I checked the oil after changing it today I found it about 4 - 5mm above the max point on the dipstick. Is this excess OK, or should I just remove it? It's just a PITA when trying to let out a small amount of oil of the sump.

[eygo]

well its what is says on the can "max" is the maximum ,you know your car better than anyone else if your engine is oil tight then i would drop some ,if on the other hand your engine burns oil or leaks then i would probably leave it in as before you know it it will be back to max.when you drop the oil just collect it in a new 1ltr water measuring jug then use jug to refill to max so you dont have to be too careful with the amount that comes out.

[MikeSh]

Doh. Didn't read OP post properly.

[Cyker]

Probably okay, as long as there aren't any serious hills :)

You could take it for a high RPM burn, that'd probably burn off some of the oil

[Red Yaris 54]

Probably okay, as long as there aren't any serious hills :)

You could take it for a high RPM burn, that'd probably burn off some of the oil

That is not really advisable as you could blow the oil seals which could be an even bigger PITA :(

[AlanTR]

Running the car with a significant excess of oil in the engine may not good for the catalytic converter. Catalytic converters don't work well if they get clogged up and are expensive to replace.

The best thing to do is drain the oil to its normal level, might be a bit tricky to get it right, but you can always top it up if you drain too much. The alternative, if it's near an oil change interval, is to do an oil change.

Topping up the oil should be done in small amounts allowing time for it to drain to the sump before checking the level and adding more. It's easy to overfill if you're in a hurry.

[kevin65]

Thanks guys. I drained the excess this morning just to be on the safe side.

@eygo, thanks for the tip on using the measuring jug. I took out 250ml and that brought it back to the max level on the dip stick.

Part of the problem in refilling after an oil change is that it is difficult to get a proper reading on the Aygo dipstick. Never a problem with the dipstick in the Rav 4.

[AYGOSTU]

I can NEVER get an accurate reading on the dipstick.. i don't know what it is but mine never looks like its at the correct level.. I have now personally done 87k miles and my 90k miles service is booked in.. still going strong, and no problems.

I topped up my oil yesterday, as usual after 7k miles from my last service the oil light starts to occasionally flash around the bends (so i know it was getting low) I poured half a litre in.. that will be ok until service in 3 weeks.. (after putting the oil in the dipstick still didn't make much sense to me.. on some dips it does show oil and some it doesn't

I wish the dipstick was straight in (vertical) like my last car.. or digital like my dads bmw.

[Jan van de Wouw]

When the oil light lights as a result of too little oil there really is TOO little oil.

Probably not even enough touy reach the dipstick!

[AlanTR]

You're right about that!

The best advice is never run a car with a low oil level. Reduced oil quantity can lead to higher than normal oil temperatures, especially at sustained motorway speeds - not good as too high oil temperatures affects oil performance.

If your car is using more oil than normal it needs investigating. If the oil light comes on you shouldn't be driving the car. Regular oil level checks before using the car are well advised...

[AYGOSTU]

Alan - sound advise.. but any ideas on advise how I can tackle this issue i have ? .... after almost 90k miles and no breakdowns I have had this same problem.. Every time I get my car serviced (and it always gets done on time, every 10k) there never seems to be a problem. and its done by an official Toyota dealership. They always comment on how well my car is taking the mileage I am doing..

if my oil light ever comes on which it hasn't for ages since I topped it up.. it only flashes a bit.. just to point out it never stays on.. When i have then completed my journey I will take the bottle of oil out of my boot and top it up with half a litre or so. there is no point in me checking the dip stick (although I do) because it either shows nothing on it or lots.. it can literally vary from dip to dip.

I drive 130 miles per day, (last week I drove 460 in a day) and the Aygo runs really smooth and has never missed a beat. I just find the Oil to be very odd and its the only car i have found it hard to check the level...

My car is in for its service in 2 weeks, I will again ask for them to check the oil level and check for leaks.. I don't intend on getting rid of the car anytime soon so I want it to last.

[AlanTR]

My 60 plate Aygo is the first I've ever owned and its only done 13K miles and oil consumption is negligible. At 90K miles you can expect the engine to use more oil than it did at say 30K miles.

Keep a check on exactly how much oil you use for topping up between services and ask the dealer for advice as to whether the consumption vs. mileage is excessive .

Any oil leaks should be obvious on the ground after leaving the car standing overnight. No leaks, then the engine is burning oil. If the engine performance seems good and there is no excessive "blue" smoke from the exhaust, then you are probably experiencing normal oil consumption for the mileage. Check the level more often and keep the level at maximum. If you find the car is burning large amounts of oil, it's time to change it out for a newer model as getting it fixed can be expensive.

I've never had any trouble getting a good oil level reading from the Aygo's dipstick. Obviously, the car has to be on level ground and the engine needs to be stopped long enough for the oil to drain back to the sump before you can get an accurate reading. Wiping the dipstick first and then checking the oil level is normal practice as I'm sure you know only too well. Our other car is a Hyundai and it also has a fairly long slanting dipstick (plastic) but we have no problems getting a good reading. In fact, I've found the plastic dipsticks to be easier to use than the metal type.

[AYGOSTU]

Cheers Alan, I am going to ask the dealer to tell me how much oil is left in my car, and i know how much i have put in so i will be able to work out how much it has burnt, i will then ask them if that's normal.

I totally agree about the plastic dipstick, my motorbike one is plastic and is a lot easier to see. My Aygo one is metal.

Thanks for the advise.. fingers crossed all will be ok on the service as im hoping to get at least 200k out of my car before I think about changing :)

stu