Even if you have no intention of jacking up your car, sliding yourself underneath, and doing your own oil change, you should still know when and how to check oil. So how often should you check your engine oil? At least once a month, but if you routinely put a lot of miles on your car, checking oil more frequently is wise.
Some people check their oil every time they get gas, but that is really not the best idea. The best time to check the oil is when the engine is cold, such as in the morning before you head off to work. You can check your oil at your convenience, though, as long as the engine has been off for at least 15 minutes. If you are checking your oil at the pump, your engine is probably not cold.
Check Oil Yourself
If you buy your gas at a full service gas station, there is no need to let the attendant check your oil for you. If you do, much of the oil will still be in the engine when you pull your car in for gas so the reading will be a bit low. Allowing the attendant to add oil based on a check done while the engine is still hot may result in overfilling which could damage your engine.
The Oil Dipstick
Learning How to Check Oil is Easy and a Good Idea
If you are going to do your own oil checking, you will need to know how to locate and use your oil dipstick. Oil has traditionally been and is still usually checked by using a dipstick, though more and more cars manufacturers are doing away with them in favor of electronic monitoring. An oil dipstick is a long and thin metal rod with a handle on top. The dipstick handle is usually a loop painted a bright color such as orange or yellow. The dipstick handle may have OIL printed on it as well, making it easier to find and identify.
On the dipstick itself, there will usually be FULL and ADD markings as well as crosshatching to indicate whether you need to add more oil or not. Newer cars may use two holes instead of the words FULL and ADD. The oil is held in the holes which prevents it from running down while reading the oil level. The top hole corresponds with the FULL mark and the bottom hole means ADD. Your owner’s manual will probably have a diagram of your dipstick if you are ever unsure of how to read it.
Oil dipsticks will usually be found near the front of the engine. It will likely be the only dipstick but some cars do have a transmission fluid dipstick as well. If your car does have two dipsticks, it is best to check your owner’s manual to see which is for checking the oil level if you are not sure which is which. You will know you pulled the wrong one if you see reddish transmission fluid on it.
If you have ever seen someone check their oil by removing the dipstick, wiping it off, then putting it back in before pulling it out again to read it, you may have wondered why they did that. The dipstick has to be cleaned off before checking the oil because oil splashes as it moves through your engine possibly getting onto the dipstick and giving you an inaccurate reading if you don’t wipe off the dipstick first.
How to Check Oil
Now that your engine is cold and you know where to find and how to identify your dipstick, you are ready to do a quick oil check. The only other thing you need is a rag. To check engine oil:
- Pop open the hood of your car.
- Find the oil dipstick and pull it out.
- Wipe down the end of the dipstick with a rag to remove all of the oil from it.
- Replace the oil dipstick, pushing it all the way back in.
- Pull out the dipstick again.
- Check to see where the oil level is on the dipstick.
If the oil reaches up to the FULL mark, then your oil level is fine and no further action on your part is needed. If the oil is at the ADD marking on the dipstick, you will want to add enough oil to get to or as close to the FULL mark as possible. It typically takes about one quart for the oil level to go from ADD to FULL. If the oil is below the crosshatching on your dipstick or you do not see any oil on it at all, you will need to add at least one quart and possibly two, but be very careful not to overfill.
How to Add Oil
If after you check your oil, you discover that more oil is needed, the process for adding oil is simple enough for you to do on your own as well. Before you add oil, though, you should keep in mind that it is very important not to overfill. Overfilling can cause changes in oil pressure, foaming, and engine problems that can wind up costing you hundreds. Only add oil through your oil filler and do not pour oil down through the dipstick tube. You should also never add more oil while your engine is running.
Adding Engine Oil
Before you can add oil, you will need to know where your oil filler is located. Usually, it will be toward the front of the engine and close to the side. The oil filler cap may have a picture of an oil can or the word OIL on the cap, but some cars have no indicator. If you are not sure, consult your owner’s manual. In addition to a quart or two of the proper motor oil, you will want to have a funnel handy as well. The funnel should be clean and not one you have used to add other fluids, such as brake fluid or transmission fluid. You do not want traces of these other car fluids getting in to your motor oil and contaminating it. To add oil:
- Open the hood of your car.
- Remove the cap from the oil fill hole and put it somewhere it can’t roll away or get lost.
- Place the funnel into the oil filler.
- Remove the cap from the quart of oil then remove the seal or poke a hole in it.
- Pour the oil into the funnel.
Again, make sure you do not overfill. Once you have added oil, check the oil level again with your dipstick.
Checking and Adding Motor Oil
Learning how to check oil, checking your engine oil level frequently, and adding oil when necessary are all cheap, quick, and things any car owner can do. For a few minutes of your time plus the cost of a quart or two of oil, you can avoid expensive repairs and having your car die an early death.
