Engine oil levels

[Jocko]

I was shown how to check the engine oil by a Honda mechanic, and he told me to insert the dipstick fully.
The manual for the car says, "Insert it all the way back in its tube", and the associated image shows it all the way in.

[sparky Paul]

Always fully insert the dipstick, as Jocko says. The mower ones are normally on the filler which has a screw cap, hence the difference.


Incidentally, I did the oil change the other week, as well as the full monty on all the other service parts. 3.6 litres brought it up to about 1/4" below the top mark on the dipstick, so as near as makes no odds. Those litre bottles I used last year must have been a bit short. 

[cornishpasty]

Yes. Honda mowers have  a screw in dipstick. The oil level is checked when the dipstick is placed on top of the filler and not screwed in. I feel like a dipstick now for trying to explain this. It's in the mower user manual. Good mowers. Had mine for 25 yrs.

[culzean]

Yes. Honda mowers have  a screw in dipstick. The oil level is checked when the dipstick is placed on top of the filler and not screwed in. I feel like a dipstick now for trying to explain this. It's in the mower user manual. Good mowers. Had mine for 25 yrs.

We have a Webb mower with Briggs and Stratton engine and that dipstick screws in as well - so you just rest it on top when checking oil level.

The take-away rule seems to be if it pushes in it needs to be pushed in to check level, if it screws in it needs to be rested on top of hole to check level, so with a Jazz - push it fully in.

[Hopipola]

I know I'm jumping in quite late but thought I'm going to share my mistery.

Week ago jazz oils got changed. Engine and Gearbox oils. Yesterday i plugged in obd reader as i was coming home and rpms where flowing little crazy. Taking out from first gear in neutral dipped down to like 400rpms with car rattling. In evening plugged obd and gave me oil can on display and hard to find explanation i figured its low oil level. Cut the engine, started and it dissapeared, topped up 100ml oil still not over limit and so far it haven't seen a comeback. Will see today. And funny enough car was cold, drove it around to heat up and rpms where steady.
Could it be that mk2 Jazzes are so sensitive to oil levels or i should be worried about oil pump or oil level sensor.!

[Jocko]

@Hopipola. What model Jazz are you talking about? You say Mk 2, you are posting in the Mk 3 section and your profile shows a 2004 Mk 1. Which is it? I have let my Mk 1 run right down to the fill mark and never had an issue with dropping revs or oil pressure light, hot or cold. There is no oil level sensor.

[jazzaro]

I know I'm jumping in quite late but thought I'm going to share my mistery.

Week ago jazz oils got changed. Engine and Gearbox oils. Yesterday i plugged in obd reader as i was coming home and rpms where flowing little crazy. Taking out from first gear in neutral dipped down to like 400rpms with car rattling. In evening plugged obd and gave me oil can on display and hard to find explanation i figured its low oil level. Cut the engine, started and it dissapeared, topped up 100ml oil still not over limit and so far it haven't seen a comeback. Will see today. And funny enough car was cold, drove it around to heat up and rpms where steady.
Could it be that mk2 Jazzes are so sensitive to oil levels or i should be worried about oil pump or oil level sensor.!

First rule: always check oil level following what written in the user manual and using the stick: oil level sensors, especially in old cars and in engines lubricated with mineral oils (semi-sinth 10w40 is a mineral oil with a little of sinthetic base) can give deeply wrong readings.

[bobby boy]

Re. checking oil on lawnmowers. The dipstick on Briggs and Statton engines needs to be screwed in to check the correct oil level.

[jazzaro]

Re. checking oil on lawnmowers. The dipstick on Briggs and Statton engines needs to be screwed in to check the correct oil level.

Honda engines for portable electric generators have a oil level sensor to switch off the petrol engine if the oil level goes too low: you must refill with oil if you want to switch it on again.

[Lord Voltermore]

To quote the 'dirty Harry' films  "well punk do you feel lucky?"   .   Most cars have a tolerance where putting ,say,  a 4 litre can of oil an engine  designed for 3.5 litres or topping up with a litre  when half a litre would have been enough   MIGHT not do any harm. Better that than too little oil.    But there comes a point where 'too much' is too much.  Do you know the 'tipping point' for a particular car ? 

There have been incidents where someone has topped up oil to the level of the  filler cap.  It takes all sorts to make human kind what it is.   

[embee]

I've done sump calibration work. One of the key aspects is aeration. As the crank etc rotates and flings oil it can entrain air into the oil, this is usually a "U" shaped curve relative to oil content (level). Too little oil and it doesn't have enough "residence" time in the sump to de-aerate before getting drawn back into the pump. Too much and it starts getting closer to the crank and gets "whipped up" and can froth.
There is also the issue of oil "hang-up", which is the time it takes for oil to drain back down to the sump, the faster the engine runs and the greater the oil delivery flow to the various parts of the engine, the less oil tends to remain in the sump. You need enough oil in the engine that the pick-up doesn't become uncovered at high speed.
This was a test result on one diesel engine.

[jazzaro]

Many years ago, about the 2005, my sister in law bought a new Fiat Panda 1.2, fire engine.
After 6 months, while she was having dinner with us, I asked her "how is the Panda? Checked oil level?"
"Very nice car", she answered, "oil level? The car is new, it must be ok!!!"
Ok, I took a torch and some rags, opened the hood, removed the dipstick and checked.
"hmm what a engine, very good oil and still clear, I can't see the level.." I watched closely, the oil wasn't clear, it was missing!! Had to add 2 liters to see the dipstick touching the lubricant...