Best place for towel to check if I have a motor oil leak? Also question about low oil

[btan219]

Wondering where the best spot under a car to put a towel would be to check if I have an oil leak. Would it be right under the oil drain area? Gonna leave towels over night or a day to check.


I did my oil change on june 2018 with about 5.5 qt. Since then I've driven about 4.4k miles. I drove 25min yesterday so the engine was hot, parked and turned off car on a flat surface. Cleaned the dipstick, stuck it back in and one side was well above the top dot and the other side was well below the lower dot. Did this twice.


I know the brz dip sticks are finicky, but from what I've read online is to always go by which side is lowest, and going by that it would mean i pretty much have no oil left. This is difficult to believe since I do not drive hard, rarely pass 4k rpm. I can probably count all the times I've gone red line since my last oil change with two hands. Would it be weird for it to be drained that much with less than 5k miles unless I had a leak?

[EndlessAzure]

Manual calls for 5.7 quarts when doing oil with new filter. Manual says to check oil after waiting 5 minutes.

Try sanding the oil dipstick lightly between the two fill marks. It will help with oil adhesion.

You read the oil where there is a distinct level (not necessarily where you see any sign of oil, since it can splatter and be up the dip stick holder), usually it looks like a slight diagonal on the stick: o----\|||||o

The amount of oil from the low to full mark is 1L (or 1.1 qt)


Also, the manual states that maximum oil consumption before you should go to the dealer is 1.1qt/600 mi

[humfrz]

If your engine does have an oil leak, it most likely be from the timing chain cover or the crankcase drain plug.

However, I suspect you are just reading the dip stick funny.


humfrz

[Tcoat]

Did you wait more than five minutes after shutting off the car to check?

[Mr.ac]

Sounds like your car is totaled.
If you keep it longer it's going to explode a piston. Unfortunately when they do come flying out it's going through the drivers side and hit you square in the nuts.

Lucky for you I'll be willing to buy that death trap. How does $500 sound? I'll even pick it up.

[ermax]

Originally Posted by btan219

Wondering where the best spot under a car to put a towel would be to check if I have an oil leak. Would it be right under the oil drain area? Gonna leave towels over night or a day to check.


I did my oil change on june 2018 with about 5.5 qt. Since then I've driven about 4.4k miles. I drove 25min yesterday so the engine was hot, parked and turned off car on a flat surface. Cleaned the dipstick, stuck it back in and one side was well above the top dot and the other side was well below the lower dot. Did this twice.


I know the brz dip sticks are finicky, but from what I've read online is to always go by which side is lowest, and going by that it would mean i pretty much have no oil left. This is difficult to believe since I do not drive hard, rarely pass 4k rpm. I can probably count all the times I've gone red line since my last oil change with two hands. Would it be weird for it to be drained that much with less than 5k miles unless I had a leak?

As humfrz already pointed out, check that you properly tighten the drain bolt (and preferably replaced the crush washer). This could leak oil fast. The other common leaks are insignificant other than the mess they make. If you are curious about the timing cover leak it's at the bottom front on the drivers side. Another common leak if you have a MT is on that triangle shaped plate on the back passenger side.

Also as others have pointed out you need to wait 5mins and note that the top dot is full and the bottom dot is 1qt low. If it's dry on one side then it's sort of a mystery what is left in there. Wait the 5 mins and check it, then add a little oil and recheck to see how much it comes up and repeat. My guess is you just aren't getting a good reading.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ermax

As humfrz already pointed out, check that you properly tighten the drain bolt (and preferably replaced the crush washer). This could leak oil fast. The other common leaks are insignificant other than the mess they make. If you are curious about the timing cover leak it's at the bottom front on the drivers side. Another common leak if you have a MT is on that triangle shaped plate on the back passenger side.

Also as others have pointed out you need to wait 5mins and note that the top dot is full and the bottom dot is 1qt low. If it's dry on one side then it's sort of a mystery what is left in there. Wait the 5 mins and check it, then add a little oil and recheck to see how much it comes up and repeat. My guess is you just aren't getting a good reading.

Here is the TSB for the most common leaks. http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1413834741


As Er says they are messy but don't usually mean a large or rapid loss.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Mr.ac

Sounds like your car is totaled.
.

Well, at least you didn't try to sell one of your civics to him -


humfrz

[highway7]

I found no point in checking the oil even after 5 minutes, there is too much oil in the dip stick tube that will make reading the dipstick hard. Check first thing in the morning before startup for an easier reading.



A rigid piece of cardboard works best for checking oil. Just put it underneath the engine.

[Silverz]

Put a new oil drain plug crush washer on each time you change out the oil.

[Mr.ac]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Well, at least you didn't try to sell one of your civics to him -


humfrz

[joke=haha] I wouldn't sell a car to someone that can't read a dipstick. [\joke=haha]

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by highway7

I found no point in checking the oil even after 5 minutes, there is too much oil in the dip stick tube that will make reading the dipstick hard. Check first thing in the morning before startup for an easier reading.



A rigid piece of cardboard works best for checking oil. Just put it underneath the engine.

Checking it cold will give you a false high reading. There is a reason why the manual tells you to do it a certain way.

[highway7]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Checking it cold will give you a false high reading. There is a reason why the manual tells you to do it a certain way.

Not for me. I drain exactly 5.4L (~100mL less due to spillage) as the manual states every time I do an oil change. When I check the oil in the morning it is right at the max dot. Engine doesn't burn or leak anything, never top off oil even with a 10k oil change interval.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by highway7

Not for me. I drain exactly 5.4L (~100mL less due to spillage) as the manual states every time I do an oil change. When I check the oil in the morning it is right at the max dot. Engine doesn't burn or leak anything, never top off oil even with a 10k oil change interval.

I have never had to add a drop either.
Just brought up the proper way so that the ones that don't know are not fooled into thinking they are fine with the level halfway between the dots when the engine is cold. Checking cold is fine when you know that it is full but could be a disaster if it isn't but you think it is.