I've been told so many things on as to when it is the proper time to check your engine oil. Some have said while it's cold and others have said while it's hot. I would like to know the truth or does it even matter? My car is a 1998 Audi A4 2.8 Quattro
2007-01-27 14:25:28 · 9 answers · asked by daango26 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Car Makes ➔ Audi
it does not matter, just make sure you shut it off at least 3 mins before you check it so the oil can flow from the head down to the pan, and if you check it when it has been running you need to pull the dip stick out, wipe it off, then stick it back in and check it.
2007-01-29 11:33:46 · answer #1 · answered by yfz450chuck 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have and Audi and most shops do not understand how work on that car. I could list 5 examples for me and another 10 for friends who own Audis. I bet your air dam cowling is not fastened correctly or missing bolts. And EVERY SINGLE TIME the mechanic gets indignant that you are questioning their 20 years of experience. I only go to a few shops that I know specialize in German cars. If you don't see other Audis, BMWs or Mercedes in the lot, keep looking. Also when any light comes on, treat it seriously. It is not a bulb malfunction. Right there, I know those guys are clueless. And there is no way you can be 100% sure an oil change place can figure out what is happening. You don't say if you have turbos or not, or the mileage on the car. If you put regular oil in a turbo engine, I think that is a big problem. At $35 there is no way they put in full synthetic oil. And the after market filters are about 1/2 the size of the OEM filter. A real oil filter costs $13 on blauparts web site. My shop charges $19 for the filter, $40 for the 6 quarts of oil and $40 labor. You probably need to bite the bullet and get the car to a dealer for diagnositic and oil change. a>
2016-03-29 05:45:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When checking engine oil (on any car) it doesn't matter if the engine is hot or cold as long as the car is sitting level and not running. Engine temperature would only affect the level readings of power steering and automatic transmission fluid.
If you want to put my information to the test, check the oil when the engine is cold then warm it up, turn off the engine, wait a couple of minutes for the oil to drain back down to the oil pan and check the level again. You will get the same reading when hot or cold... proving what I've explained to you.
2007-01-27 14:37:05 · answer #3 · answered by cqsteves 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It doesn't make much difference regarding engine oil. Colder oil is more dense so the level will be slightly lower than at operating temperature. Note it is only slightly. Hot oil will run off the dipstick more quickly making it slightly more difficult to read. That's about it for engine oil. Other fluids follow different rules. If you have the manual that came with the vehicle, check it. Just be sure that that engine is not running when you check the oil level.
The old advice was to check it at the gas station after fueling the vehicle.
2007-01-27 14:35:39 · answer #4 · answered by Jack 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
MOST (not all) vehicle manufacturers say to check when warm, with the engine off. About 5 minutes after starting your car or after a SHORT drive.
2007-01-27 14:39:03 · answer #5 · answered by cko5 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check it when it's cold so the oil is in it's normal state. If it's hot, it has a tendency to expand which might not give you the correct measure.
2007-01-27 16:10:44 · answer #6 · answered by Car freak 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definetly when it is cold. Check your haynes manuel you should see it stated in there. It tends to give slightly higher reading if you check it shortly after use.
2007-01-29 00:35:39 · answer #7 · answered by lukeogh 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it dosen't matter but my suggestion is do it when the car is off and try to make it not right after you drive it and bbe careful
2007-01-28 04:21:41 · answer #8 · answered by Ryan A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Always at normal conditions.
2007-01-27 14:32:49 · answer #9 · answered by fkd1015 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋