S40 (New) General : Oil dipstick reading

[PNM]

Please can anyone shed any light on my oil level?
The dip stick shows oil from the bottom of the stick, to just below the max mark. There is then an area that is clean, followed by more oil. Is this car correctly filled or over filled?

2.0 S40 (2nd gen), parked overnight on level ground before checking. Dipstick cleaned before inserting.

[StatusRed]

Originally Posted by PNM

Please can anyone shed any light on my oil level?
The dip stick shows oil from the bottom of the stick, to just below the max mark. There is then an area that is clean, followed by more oil. Is this car correctly filled or over filled?

2.0 S40 (2nd gen), parked overnight on level ground before checking. Dipstick cleaned before inserting.

Looks fine to me, probably where it's splashed up while pulling it out or touched some oil that was hanging around by the side of the pipe..

You should try reading the oil level on a Saab 9-5... they decided to make the whole dip stick black 0_0.

[elsmandino]

Checking the oil on my 2009 V50 has become the bane of my existence:

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=283961

I just cannot seem to work out what my current level is.

PNM - can I ask you, specifically, what your routine is for checking the oil, please?

As per my other thread, my dipstick always seems to be completely covered in oil - i.e. it has no gap, like yours.

[4x4]

Originally Posted by PNM

...parked overnight on level ground before checking. Dipstick cleaned before inserting.

Caused when you remove the dipstick, wipe, reinsert and remove. When you remove the dipstick the first time a small amount of oil gets trapped in the dipstick tube and will cause a false reading. I remove the dipstick (usually when engine warm/hot) wipe it and place on top of the engine, let the engine cool down and then reinsert, remove and take the reading. This lets the excess oil drain down and prevents any errors

[XC90Mk1]

Originally Posted by 4x4

Caused when you remove the dipstick, wipe, reinsert and remove. When you remove the dipstick the first time a small amount of oil gets trapped in the dipstick tube and will cause a false reading. I remove the dipstick (usually when engine warm/hot) wipe it and place on top of the engine, let the engine cool down and then reinsert, remove and take the reading. This lets the excess oil drain down and prevents any errors

I would agree with this.

If it does stay as it is I would be ok with that.

[elsmandino]

Thanks very much for that.

Cr*p - I think I have indeed been measuring inaccurately, then (and would explain why I had so many issues with reading the dipstick marker levels to begin with).

Hopefully, I have not knackered the car too much.

This might explain why my mechanic said that I was low on oil, despite my having thought that it was perfectly fine.

I shall try leaving the dipstick out for 30 minutes, before reinserting, to see what the measurement is.