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how to mesure the oil level


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my knee has gone now so need to focus on day'ly drivers with an automatic gearbox. in that sector the legacy wagon is a nice car

will get a new knee in september.

:eek:

rens

swapped to boat ownership

that's were the subaru kick's in

needed something to pull the boat/trailer combo

 

cool car history, sorry about your knee.

 

what kind of boat do you have?

 

I've towed a bunch of weight with mine, and can tell you things get a little dicey 3500 lbs on public roads. but i was towning random crap that was stroon all over a trailer. boats with proper trailers have good weight distro.

 

you're gonna burn up clutches if your launching every weekend too.

"Remember Danny - Two wrongs don't make a right but three rights make a left."
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Yea, it's such a good feeling lol. Back in Mar. I had to replace my radiator and after getting quoted 500 for labor plus parts I decided to just do the job myself. Next on my list is my TMIC, it's starting to leak so I'll have to get a new one ASAP.

 

500 for the labor is nuts. I think a rad change we charge about 150 with the coolant. Parts and labor with new hoses, rad and coolant would be just shy of 500, 450 ish.

 

-mike

 

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11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

AIM: AZP Installs | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.2971 | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber

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Does anyone else have this problem?: I keep checking my oil but dipstick is dry. Last time this happened I added four quarts, to get me to mechanic safely. When he drained, about 7 quarts came out. Where is the damn oil hiding?
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Does anyone else have this problem?: I keep checking my oil but dipstick is dry. Last time this happened I added four quarts, to get me to mechanic safely. When he drained, about 7 quarts came out. Where is the damn oil hiding?

 

Allow the car to sit for 5 min on a completely level surface. Any slight variation will have adverse effects.

 

-mike

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpghttp://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/141039922.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://upload.pbase.com/image/137566671.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

AIM: AZP Installs | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.2971 | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

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Does anyone else have this problem?: I keep checking my oil but dipstick is dry. Last time this happened I added four quarts, to get me to mechanic safely. When he drained, about 7 quarts came out. Where is the damn oil hiding?

 

If I were you, I'd removethe o-ring from the dip stick. That trick make it easier to read the level in my cars.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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Does anyone else have this problem?: I keep checking my oil but dipstick is dry. Last time this happened I added four quarts, to get me to mechanic safely. When he drained, about 7 quarts came out. Where is the damn oil hiding?

 

If i were you i would learn that usually when it is near L or below it usually no more than a quart needs to be added. Why would you add 4 quarts? Didn't you think to add a bit check, add a bit check etc??

 

Never had a issue with the dispsticks on subies in general. I usually always check hot, make sure the car sits reletively level (put car in N see if it rolls at all) .

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If i were you i would learn that usually when it is near L or below it usually no more than a quart needs to be added. Why would you add 4 quarts? Didn't you think to add a bit check, add a bit check etc??

 

Never had a issue with the dispsticks on subies in general. I usually always check hot, make sure the car sits reletively level (put car in N see if it rolls at all) .

 

Reason? Every quart put in yielded the same result: Dry dipstick. I just added another quart yesterday...dry dipstick. Never had that problem in my WRX.

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9 x porsche, 2 x renault alpine 310, 1 lambo espado, 1 maserati merak, 1 de tomaso pantera group 5, 3 beamers, 2 mercs, 2 lotus esprits, 1 vette

TVR

 

Hmmmmm...I've never had to check the oil on my Gran Turismo 5 cars. (And yes I do know there is a "light" suggesting an oil change.)

It is still ugly.
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I've had some wild dipstick readings with my subie. 2 weeks ago when I went to check the oil level, I got every type of reading from 80% to the full mark to bone dry. After attempting to check the level about a dozen times with 12 different results, I said f-it and just changed the oil since I was at about 4,000mi. I've gotten strange readings before, but never that bad.
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Have you guys removed the o-ring from the top the dip stick. Then after driving it, check it the next morning or after the engine has cooled.

 

I normally check it after work.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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  • 9 months later...

"I've had some wild dipstick readings with my subie. 2 weeks ago when I went to check the oil level, I got every type of reading from 80% to the full mark to bone dry. After attempting to check the level about a dozen times with 12 different results, I said f-it and just changed the oil since I was at about 4,000mi. I've gotten strange readings before, but never that bad."

 

I had exactly this experience the last couple of days, never the same reading twice, even after cool and with the dipstick partly out between checks to keep the O ring out of play.

 

What is the benefit of removing the O-ring? Does it keep a vacuum from forming and "holding" oil in the dip tube?

 

I'm running Rotella T6 for the first time, does the 5-40 weight cling to the dip tube more?:confused:

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No but the 5/40 weight will help the oil cling in the engine, likely making checking the oil level not quite so fraught with fear that it's vanished after a short run to the shops. The oil dipstick on these cars is beyond useless. I get crazy goings on too. There's no good answers, no fix just lots of fancy ideas about polishing the stick, removing the o ring, opening the oil cap first, use dowsing rods around the car, park it on a ley line etc. just keep doing what you're doing and when the really crazy days hit - check it the next!
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As long as the car is perfectly level, checking it shouldn't be an issue. We do it all day long at our shop.

 

-Mike Paisan

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/145749898/original.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://www.whiteline.com.au/images/logos/perf1.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber |AIM: AZP Installs

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Years I've been on this forum and I still can't understand how people have difficulty checking their oil level... I park it on level ground and park it. Check it once. Then wait 2 minutes. Check it again. If it's low, I add some oil in. Wait 2 minutes. Check it again, etc.
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Years I've been on this forum and I still can't understand how people have difficulty checking their oil level... I park it on level ground and park it. Check it once. Then wait 2 minutes. Check it again. If it's low, I add some oil in. Wait 2 minutes. Check it again, etc.

 

^ This.

I don't think people wait a couple minutes between readings is what the prob is.

 

And most MFG's range on the dipstick between L to F is 1 quart. I swear

everything I have owned in the last 10 years has been 1 quart range.

Self proclaimed PNW Craiglist find of the day Champion, April 2014.
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I don't care about it anymore. Some people have problem sticks, others don't - After 6 years of owning the car I sort of have a system that I can use but it's hardly clear. I always drain the oil into a measured container... that at least assures me I am okay. One change only 3qt's came out so that wasn't so good, the new Turbo has helped - the VF40 took a lot of blow by I think.
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I don't care about it anymore. Some people have problem sticks, others don't

 

I agree.

 

I've owned numerous cars, and never had a dipstick that was this inconsistent. Anytime I check the oil, it's after the car has been shut off for at least 5 minutes. Checking the oil 2 minutes after shutting down isn't long enough. ***Actually I take this last statement back. On a horizontally opposed engine, checking after 2 minutes might be okay. I would wait longer with an engine that isn't horizontally opposed.

 

I pull the dipstick out and I don't even read it, I wipe it off.

I put the dipstick back in, count to 2, pull it out again and check the level.

 

This is where some people may differ. One single reading is meaningless to me. I wipe off the dipstick, put it back in, and check the level a second time on the same side of the dipstick to confirm the initial reading.

 

That's where the the problems happen. If the second reading doesn't match the 1st, I'll check it a 3rd time. I'll check it until I get an average reading that's at around the same level. The problem is on this car, my 1st and 2nd readings can appear to be as much as .75 quarts apart. People can say user error or whatever, but I know it's not just me.

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The first reading on an unwiped dipstick is meaningless. Always must wipe before taking the first reading.

 

 

-Mike Paisan

 

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/145749898/original.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://www.whiteline.com.au/images/logos/perf1.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber |AIM: AZP Installs

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"

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