Date:         Sun, 2 Oct 94 14:31:03 PDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart Redford <scrpers@hpvcpnpi.vcd.hp.com>
Subject:      Re: question of oil level (II)

> > 
> > 	Huh? Why's that?
> 
> Because overnight is how long it takes for the ALL of the oil to drip
> back into the sump.  This is the only way to tell how much oil is
> in the engine minus the filter.  Besides, this way ya don't have to 
> clean off the dipstick and put it back in to measure.  You just pull
> it out in the morning and look at it.  Even the Car Talk guys agreed
> that this is the best way to check your oil.  ;)  I've done this for
> decades.

	Hot oil takes time to move? Ya think so? Sure, I'd expect
	maybe up to 1/2 pint to be in the pushrod tubes, heads etc.. But,
	I would think that aftera couple minutes the stick would give a close
	enough reading. I've never topped off when hot and then found 
	I'd overfilled.

	Of course to get a more exact reading, the morning after is more
	telling (in more than one aspect of this life).

> 
> > > that these things didn't matter.  I decided the van needed oil.
> > > And not one quart, after checking the dipstick again -- but two.
> > 	Your sin.......clean oil.

	I speak from espeareeince.

	My 1st auto was a beater '64 Ford Galaxie 500 4DR.

	Rites of Passage....changing my 1st qt. of oil...

	I poured the required 5 qts. into that 289, ran the engine, check the
	stick...no oil. Hmm. Maybe the book was wrong. Walked around the corner
	to the 76 station, bought 2 more quarts, dumped them, still no oil...

	Duh. You know the story.

	I don't know how many gallons I put in that block, but I sure learned
	how to read a dipstick!

	wizzer