Trouble checking oil! Anyone else see this?

[CanuckMazda5]

I have been trying to check the oil properly on a 2007 Mazda 5.

If it has been sitting for a while, I pull the stick and it shows a quart low or the bottom of the hatch area. If I immediately put the dipstick back in, and pull it out, it shows a quart overfilled.

I know some oil must be coming up with the fisrst dipstick pull and that could be a reason why it is showing high the second time.

Should I trust the first pull where it is showing low? I am thinking it is the best reading to use.

 

[Silentnoise713]

I have been trying to check the oil properly on a 2007 Mazda 5.

If it has been sitting for a while, I pull the stick and it shows a quart low or the bottom of the hatch area. If I immediately put the dipstick back in, and pull it out, it shows a quart overfilled.

I know some oil must be coming up with the fisrst dipstick pull and that could be a reason why it is showing high the second time.

Should I trust the first pull where it is showing low? I am thinking it is the best reading to use.

I notice this too. The dipstick design is not very good. I'm not sure if the OM recommend checking hot or cold for this car but I prefer to warm car up, shut-off, take dipstick out, wipe clean, WAIT a min or two for residual oil that came up with the dipstick to settle, dip back in all the way, take out and use this measurement. Following measurements should be consistent but every time you pull up you bring up residue oil as well so give it a min or two to settle before rechecking.

 

[Robotazky]

This conversation came up a year or so ago.

It boils down to the seal at the top of the stick being very good, rising/falling temp, rising/falling levels in the pan, etc when you go from "just turned off" to cold, and vice versa. Pull the stick out, clean it off, put it back in, pull it out again and use the new level on the second pull.

 

[Silentnoise713]

This conversation came up a year or so ago.

It boils down to the seal at the top of the stick being very good, rising/falling temp, rising/falling levels in the pan, etc when you go from "just turned off" to cold, and vice versa. Pull the stick out, clean it off, put it back in, pull it out again and use the new level on the second pull.

I did not get to see the previous post but if this was the case, what you do think about opening up the oil filler cap while you take measurements via the dipstick? I would think this will help alleviate the pressure buildup.?.

 

[Robotazky]

Yeah, it should definitely help.

 

[CanuckMazda5]

This is exactly the problem!

The seal is good causing the air pressure to force the oil down the dipstick tube. On the second pull you get the true reading.

I kept on adding more and more oil until pulling away from a stop light there was a huge plume of blue smoke out the back of the van.

Went and drained all the oil to get this sorted and the oil pan was overfilled by nearly 2.0L of oil. This is ridiculous for me. I have never had an issue like this.

I hope I haven't damaged anything. Oil level is now normal and everything is running perfectly. No oil leaks. I just hope I didn't foul up my plugs, O2 sensors and cat.

 

[Robotazky]

Ouch Canuck! I wouldn't be too worried, but if you get an 02 sensor CEL, you'll know why. And you can always pull your plugs and look for discoloration. Look at photos #5 and #6 at this link:

http://www.autohausaz.com/html/spark-plugs_spark-plug-wires.html



I'm glad you got this sorted out. Hopefully others will be enlightened and not have the same problem with overfilling.

 

[CanuckMazda5]

No codes, but it seems to idle a slight bit rough when first starting it up. Idles fine when warm. I will go through a couple tanks of Shell V-power to clean it up and see how it goes.

 

[Robotazky]

No codes, but it seems to idle a slight bit rough when first starting it up. Idles fine when warm. I will go through a couple tanks of Shell V-power to clean it up and see how it goes.

I'd pull a couple of plugs and check them out. No use in driving around with fouled up plugs. Replacing them is cheap.

 

[CanuckMazda5]

I'd pull a couple of plugs and check them out. No use in driving around with fouled up plugs. Replacing them is cheap.

I don't think they are fouled at all. Runing smoother by the mile now. No issues. It only puffed blue smoke twice.

 

[Robotazky]

I don't think they are fouled at all. Runing smoother by the mile now. No issues. It only puffed blue smoke twice.

But you just said it was idling rough when you start it. Glad to hear it's getting better. I'd still spend ten minutes and check the plugs.

 

[CanuckMazda5]

But you just said it was idling rough when you start it. Glad to hear it's getting better. I'd still spend ten minutes and check the plugs.

I think I might have exaggerated it by saying rough. It was very minor when dead cold and if you didn't know anything about the situation, you wouldn't notice it.