Checking Oil level

[Josef_H]

Car: Peugeot 208 - 2007 - Petrol
I'm continually get a warning message to 'check oil level' on starting the engine. I've checked it with the dipstick and it always looks OK, so not sure if the sensor is broken. One concern I have is that when I searched about checking the oil level on the internet the videos you get all show a dipstick with a smooth area which shows the level of oil clearly. However the dipstick I have is not smooth, it is coiled with bulges where the min and max levels are. This makes it difficult to be sure of the actualy level. When I check it there's always oil of the 'min' bulge, suggesting there's enough oil, but the amount of oil is not that large. I'm concerned that the oil showing on the min bulge might just be some that got onto the bulge from the side of the tube as it's pushed down into it to take the reading.

I've attached a picture of the dipstick. Has anyone else got a similar dipstick, and do you think what it shows is OK (sorry for picture quality - couldn't get camera to focus on the dipstick properly).

 

[unthread8059]

It is very hard to determine from this image. However, since you say it is at the 'Min' level of the dipstick, I would suggest you go grab some motor oil. The owners manual specify the exact type to buy.
I would imagine the warning message would dissappear afterwards.

 

[Josef_H]

It is very hard to determine from this image. However, since you say it is at the 'Min' level of the dipstick, I would suggest you go grab some motor oil. The owners manual specify the exact type to buy.
I would imagine the warning message would dissappear afterwards.

Thanks for your reply. Should have mentiond that I tried that when I first started getting the message but it didn't remove the message. Haven't treid it again as was worried about over-filling it. I notice on the picture there is also some oil at the bottom of the 'max' bulge...

 

[unthread8059]

Thanks for your reply. Should have mentiond that I tried that when I first started getting the message but it didn't remove the message. Haven't treid it again as was worried about over-filling it. I notice on the picture there is also some oil at the bottom of the 'max' bulge...

That does change stuff a bit. It is not easy to see the oil level from your image, but is the dipstick visibly oily? Like a film covering it? Not just a spots/very small amount amount?
A european car can easily hold 3 liters, if it is completely empty. Even more most of the time. There is much difference what the minimum level of the dipstick measures, so how much you have to pour into it, I can't say for certain.
Since you are a bit uncertain on the amount of oil to fill into the engine, it might be better to do it over a couple of refills. Do one, then leave it for 30-40 min to let the oil settle to the oilpan. Repeat until the dipstick has the propper amount.
It is important that the oil levels are checked on an engine that has been stopped for at least a couple of hours.

 

[Josef_H]

That does change stuff a bit. It is not easy to see the oil level from your image, but is the dipstick visibly oily? Like a film covering it? Not just a spots/very small amount amount?
A european car can easily hold 3 liters, if it is completely empty. Even more most of the time. There is much difference what the minimum level of the dipstick measures, so how much you have to pour into it, I can't say for certain.
Since you are a bit uncertain on the amount of oil to fill into the engine, it might be better to do it over a couple of refills. Do one, then leave it for 30-40 min to let the oil settle to the oilpan. Repeat until the dipstick has the propper amount.
It is important that the oil levels are checked on an engine that has been stopped for at least a couple of hours.

Hi
Thanks. I think that's probaby the best way forward. I'll continue to add a small amount of oil each time before I start the car and see if the message goes away and see if that eventually removes the message. I note there isn't a huge amount of oil on the conical bit at the bottom of the stick so thinking it might in reality be lower than the min level despite there being spots on the min bulge.
That's the problem with the dipstick is that you get some 'spots' on the bulges, but it;'s hard to know if they genuinely reflect the level of the oil, or just some oil that caught on the bulges as the dipstick is re-inserted/removed. The coils between the bulges don't show a visible tide mark either so just hard to know what the level is.

 

[Burnerman]

Keep the oil level up to the second bulge (bit difficult to see if the oil is fresh).
The sensors are always failing, but try switching the ignition on and pressing the accellerator pedal 3 times to the floor - this may reset it.
The sensors screw into the engine block, usually near the oil filter and the ones I've seen have a green top.
John

 

[Mottie]

Probably stating the obvious here but are you checking the oil level when the vehicle is on level ground and that you’re not holding the dipstick upside down when checking it?

 

[unthread8059]

Hi
Thanks. I think that's probaby the best way forward. I'll continue to add a small amount of oil each time before I start the car and see if the message goes away and see if that eventually removes the message. I note there isn't a huge amount of oil on the conical bit at the bottom of the stick so thinking it might in reality be lower than the min level despite there being spots on the min bulge.
That's the problem with the dipstick is that you get some 'spots' on the bulges, but it;'s hard to know if they genuinely reflect the level of the oil, or just some oil that caught on the bulges as the dipstick is re-inserted/removed. The coils between the bulges don't show a visible tide mark either so just hard to know what the level is.

I would however still recommend doing this some day you don't need to use the car. Do some smaller refills throughout the day. There shouldn't be any doubt about where the oil is touching the dipstick.
Please do be careful not overfilling it as well.

Also, as Mottie has written, the car has to be on somewhat level ground when checking.

 

[Old Salt]

Level ground, cold car, remove dipstick, wipe dipstick clean, insert dipstick, remove dipstick, check level.

Don't pour in random amounts of oil till the message clears, too much oil can be as bad as too little.

 

[robinbanks]

if it came down to a choice of what a dipstick told me, or what 20 year old French electrics told me, I know where I would put my money

Remove, wipe, reinsert, remove, lay the dipstick on a blank piece of paper, and take a photo. Not too close; you can always zoom a photo after but going too close will mean your camera can't focus on it

Laying a small thing you want a clear shot of on a highly patterned background is always going to give a camera a bit of an uphill struggle

 

[cdbe]

I was going to suggest a cheap oil and filter change at Halfords so I googled it - from £149!!! That is absolutely unbelievable, even in this day and age, I'm absolutely stunned.

 

[Munroast]

Probably stating the obvious here but are you checking the oil level when the vehicle is on level ground and that you’re not holding the dipstick upside down when checking it?

and the engine switched off - I used to know someone who argued it could only be done properly with engine running (he never wrecked it by over filling)

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

When I check my oil, I check it in the garage, engine cold, when it hasn't been run for a while - which produces a reliable reference level, with all the oil drained back down. My car, has a peculiarity, where the dip-stick tube, goes down below the oil level, and it is normally sealed at the top by the dip stick - which means, it will not show a true level, unless withdrawn, you wait a few seconds, then reinsert. Whilst it is out, I give the stick a good wipe with a rag, so there is no confusion over the actual level reading.

Doing it this way, there are no oil splashes in the tube, to confuse the reading. When refilling after an oil change, I fill to the minimum, then gradually top it up, a little at a time, over the following days, until the level precisely matches the MAX level. That way, I know if any oil is being burnt, or consumed.

 

[Mottie]

I was going to suggest a cheap oil and filter change at Halfords so I googled it - from £149!!! That is absolutely unbelievable, even in this day and age, I'm absolutely stunned.

I used to pay £1.99 a gallon for Solvol 20w/50 engine oil. Duckhams and Castrol GTX were both £7.95 a gallon at the time. Extortionate! I think it was Duckhams that was green in colour.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Duckhams that was green in colour.

Yep!