How to Check your Car’s Engine Oil

How to Check your Car’s Engine Oil – Your car is one of your most important assets. There is much pressure on your vehicle due to daily or continuous use where important working elements of your car is often overlooked—the engine oil.

Car engine oil is a lubricant design to help lubricate components that lessens friction between parts in motion and also reduce corrosion.

Besides, engine oil helps to cool components or parts such as pistons and bearings. The oil picks up heat from the hot parts which it comes in contact. Here, oil is then cooled to prevent excessive oxidization and loss of viscosity.

Most models should have an oil change every three(3) months or three thousand miles. In between your regularly scheduled oil change, you can check your engine oil levels to ensure that it has not become too low or dirty.

“A minute investment can keep your car engine healthy and running smoothly”

Steps to check your car’s engine oil

Other European vehicles don’t have oil dipstick. Check the owner’s manual of the vehicle on how to check your oil if you can’t find one on your vehicle.

If you want to check the oil and have been driving the vehicle, wait five(5) to ten(10) minutes to allow the oil settle into the oil pan before checking it.

Follow these simple steps to check your vehicle’s engine oil;

1. Park vehicle on a level surface

For an accurate reading, vehicle is suppose to be parked on a level ground before checking the oil.

Refusing to park your vehicle on a level ground can generate inaccurate readings which can lead to topping up more oil or draining some of the oil in the vehicle.

Always park your vehicle on a level ground whenever you are ready to check your car’s Engine Oil.

2. Open the hood and secure it

After parking your vehicle on a level ground, the next thing to do is kindly open the hood of your vehicle and make sure its been secured.

Often, there is a latch somewhere at the foot of the driver side door. Pull or push the latch. Then, you’ll need to come out to the front of the car’s hood for a latch. Pull or slide the latch and raise the hood.

3. Find a lint free rag

Look around if you can find a free lint rag. This will be used to wipe off the dipstick. Usually old t-shirts works.

4. Locate the dipstick

A dipstick is a graduated rod for measuring the depth of a liquid. On most models, the dipstick is located on the left side of the engine.

The dipstick usually has an orange or yellow handle. It’s color stands out. Pull this handle and a long piece of metal will slide out of the engine.

5. Clean dipstick and re-insert

After pulling the the dipstick out, clean it with your lint rag and re-insert ii back. Make sure it goes all the way down and fits fully.

6. Remove dipstick and Inspect

After cleaning and have re-insert the dipstick, remove the dipstick back again to inspect it. Also, check if oil is at its desired marked level.

If oil is found to be low, then you need to top-up your oil before driving the vehicle. Do not fill over the maximum level.

Check out our complete guide on How to Top Up Your Cars Oil.

Also, if oil is above the gauge or marked level, I recommend to seek technician’s advice.

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Conclusion

We recommend that you check your oil level in the morning when the engine is cold where most of the oil has run down into the engine’s oil pan. You can also check out 10 Things to Check on Your Vehicle every Morning-and why?

Most people overlook checking their engine oil. It’s easy to do, but can cause major damage requiring thousands of dollars for repairs.