Dip stick

I'm having trouble getting a useable read on the dip stick on my v10 triton.  What am I missing?

Dave, I don't know what you are missing but I do know that I have trouble reading them on all my vehicles.  Not surmountable trouble, but you would think there would be a better way given the technology that exists today.  Push a button:  tire pressure in each tire.   Dip stick:  not much change from my 1940 Dodge.  Easier on my Dodge because oil got dirty very quickly and was then easy to read.  Now, it is clear as a bell after many thousand miles.   Maybe that adds to the difficulty. 

Maybe there is and we just don't know about it?

Paul

Dave:   You are not missing anything...the dipsticks are a pain to get into the hole and double pain to read.  I wish I had a good suggestion but I do not...dimmer light seems to show the line up better.  I have yet to have a V-10 use a drop of oil so to be honest I have resolved myself to kind of say the heck with it and run it!

but you would think there would be a better way given the technology that exists today.  Push a button:  tire pressure in each tire.   Dip stick:  not much change from my 1940 Dodge. 

Yep, I agree... really a very very long dipStick.  But yes, the V10 ford doesn't use oil, so I just do not pay much attention to it.  Meaning, I don't check the oil lever often, certainly not at every gas fillup.

However, with todays technology, we should deserve a better method of checking oil levels.

Just saying,

Denny 

BMW eliminated dip sticks years ago and all those owners who actually check the oil level screamed. Those owners are a tiny minority though, so oil level can only be checked electronically after the engine warms up. That means that if the oil is overfilled, you can't tell until the damage is done.

I surely understand the difficulty and frustration in getting a clean accurate reading.  I learned to do it a certain way which has helped me a lot.  Try it and see if it works for you.

Remove the dip stick, wipe it clean, and then Wait One Minute Or Longer before inserting & withdrawing the dip stick the second time to get your reading.  This allows oil that got up inside the tube when removing the dip stick the first time, to flow back down to create a cleaner tube for the withdraw the second time for a cleaner reading.

Of coarse when inserting the clean dip stick to get the reading, make absolutely sure it is completely inserted, push hard so the yellow rubber boot is seated all the way in and proper.  Say "one one-thousand", then withdraw the stick to get your reading.  Always hold the dip stick tip-down prior to and during your reading so the wet line does not move.

After following Ron's steps, lay the dipstick on a clean paper towel. The oil transfers to the paper and you can see the difference between wet and dry zones even with clean oil.

Thanks. Ron .  I tried your method and it worked much better.  It's still hard to read but it's possible now.

Thanks. Ron .  I tried your method and it worked much better.  It's still hard to read but it's possible now.

I am glad it improved for you.  Like you say, it works much better, enough to get a reading but is still not ideal.

Here's an alternative way to read a dipstick.

Point the dipstick upwards and watch the oil carefully.  It will pause for a split second where the oil level is.