Zoe says , How to … Engine Oil Check

How to Check Engine Oil level by Zoe Holmes

Well what can I say!! Yes I am woman, yes I love to be girly but I also have a love of cars and fixing them. Over the years I have done loads, from the simple service to the big major things like gearbox changes and turbos and even the head gasket. And while a few ladies are probably thinking no way am i doing a gearbox change, it’s the little things you can do will make you feel proud of yourselves.

Weekly checks include most of the fluids and tyres. The major one would be the engine oil level and that’s the dipstick, not to be confused with the person sat at the side you though. (See picture A for location) Now on this you have some notches a min and a max. Now the best way to check is to remove the dipstick give it a wipe from top to bottom and then reinsert it and pull back out again without wiping. If the level of oil it between the the notches then all is fine and nothing needs to be done. (See picture B.) If the level is below then you need to top your oil level up. This is easy to do. The filling cap is located at the top of the engine (See picture C.) unscrew the cap and pour a little oil in, best way i find it using a funnel, wait a few minutes for the oil to go through and down into the stump, and check the dipstick. If the oil level is between the notches, than jobs a good one!! If not pour a little more oil in and just keep checking the dipstick. Without oil in the engine, you run the risk of the engine seizing, meaning either new car or new engine. I have only ever know this happen to one person and that was my aunt. My dad stripped the engine down and rebuilt it for her.