Checking Oil Question

[Ras_Thavas]

Anyone having a hard time reading the dipstick?

The dealer did the 5k checkup on my 2014 yesterday. Today I tried to check the oil. The side of the dipstick with the raised indicators shows about a quarter inch over the top mark. The back of the dipstick has oil up it even further than that. Tried cleaning and re-inserting several times to no avail. Oil also looked dirtier than I would have liked it to be.

It is perplexing to me because I know when I first bought it I checked the oil and it was right where the top indicator was. The dealer does not do a 5k change because it is synthetic.

I'll see if I can get a pic and post it.

Pics Up:

 

[Lester Lugnut]

My 2014 SR5 4 Runner has 4130 miles on the odometer at this time. What I've noticed from day one is that there is not a consistent run of oil from the base of the dipstick to where it tops out.

I use the term "splotchy" to describe what the oil trail looks like on the stick.

This may be a result of 0W20 weight oil being used. Very low viscosity. A guess on my part.

 

[harkco]

Are you checking when the engine is warm or cold?

 

[Ras_Thavas]

Cold

 

[Antman]

You need to pull the dipstick out, wipe it clean, put it back in for a few seconds and then pull it out to check it. From the photos you posted I suspect you just pulled it out to check.

You need to be on relatively level ground too.

 

[mace.]

If you check it more than once in a short period you'll end up pulling oil into the dipstick tube which will give subsequently higher readings. If this happens stick the dipstick back down the tube but stop it just short of going back into the oil. If you do this a couple times it will clean out the tube and you can get a good reading by checking as normal

 

[dsfra]

Or just let it sit for a while, e.g. overnight, then check it. This not only gives the oil time to drain from the top end back down to the pan, but also allows any oil that's stuck along the inside of the dipstick tube time to drain so it won't smear all over the dipstick when you try to get a accurate reading.