Dipstick broken?

[dgeesaman]

I picked up an 08 and just this past week I realized that my dipstick should have a plastic thing with level marks at the end. Mine is just a plain piece of wire, no plastic or markings. It's also pretty difficult to insert and remove.

Anyone know what's up here?

Dave

[choctaw]

Someone wasn 't thinking with thier dipstick............

[ZeroOne]

The end of the dipstick does not have that grey plastic thing with the markings??? My first question would be.... where is it!? In the engine??

When you check the oil with this thing, does it even touch any oil? If so, how far up the wire does it go?

[dgeesaman]

Exactly. My best guess would be in the oil pan or stuck in the dipstick tube. (If it were in the tube that would explain why it's hard to insert/remove).

I did an oil change and poured in exactly 15 qts. So my oil level should be about right, but I only see a speck of oil on the end of the wire.

In my mind this is covered by warranty. I can't imagine how it would be "wear and tear" or construed as my fault. No other part of the dipstick looked damaged.

Dave

[ZeroOne]

If the plastic thing broke off right where it meets the dipstick wire, that would explain why you see a spec of oil on the end. Your "full" will be the very bottom of the dipstick for now, until you get it straightened out. I'm not sure how you'd know where that piece went though. That would bother me quite a bit. Not to make you paranoid or anything. If it actually IS in the tube itself... and the dealer just replaces the dipstick... they it may end up pushign that piece into the pan. Ideally, they would take off the dipstick tube and check it out, off of the truck, in my opinion.

I don't see why they wouldn't cover this under warranty.

[dc4]

I dont know why but after the 6 oil changes I have given my truck its full after 14 qts, sometimes 14 and a quarter but at 15 my oil level is too high

Originally Posted by dgeesaman

Exactly. My best guess would be in the oil pan or stuck in the dipstick tube. (If it were in the tube that would explain why it's hard to insert/remove).

I did an oil change and poured in exactly 15 qts. So my oil level should be about right, but I only see a speck of oil on the end of the wire.

In my mind this is covered by warranty. I can't imagine how it would be "wear and tear" or construed as my fault. No other part of the dipstick looked damaged.

Dave

[ZeroOne]

Originally Posted by dc4

I dont know why but after the 6 oil changes I have given my truck its full after 14 qts, sometimes 14 and a quarter but at 15 my oil level is too high

You're not changing the oil filter after you drain the oil, are you? That can leave a quart behind, if you don't open the oil filter housing first, before draining.

[dc4]

Actually I take out the old filter first, then drain the oil, then I pour a quart of new oil in the filter canister to flush out any dirty oil that's left in the canister and pan. Not sure why I only need 14 qts but that's where it comes out.

Originally Posted by ZeroOne

You're not changing the oil filter after you drain the oil, are you? That can leave a quart behind, if you don't open the oil filter housing first, before draining.

[rodo]

Originally Posted by dc4

Actually I take out the old filter first, then drain the oil, then I pour a quart of new oil in the filter canister to flush out any dirty oil that's left in the canister and pan. Not sure why I only need 14 qts but that's where it comes out.

14 1/2 quarts for me also... I do the same process and let it drain for at least 30 minutes.