WillyBWright
Fleet Admiral
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2003
- Messages
- 8,200
Re: oil thread
Marine dipsticks seal at the top. Remove the dipstick and wipe it off. Give it a few seconds and check the level. The dipstick tube can act like a thermometer/barometer when it's sealed at the top. Readings taken when the stick is initially pulled out can't be relied on. You probably already know this, but I thought I should bring it up.
It's rarely talked about, but marine dipstics are different than automotive dipsticks in two ways. They have an o-ring that seals the very top of the tube. Automotive dipsticks probabaly do too if they have emissions controls, but old ones don't. The big difference is that marine dipstick tubes go to the bottom of the oil pan wheras automotive tubes either end at the block or extend a little into the pan, but still above the oil. The long sealed tube allows oil to be pulled into or pushed out of it with varying temperature and barometric pressure.
Marine dipsticks seal at the top. Remove the dipstick and wipe it off. Give it a few seconds and check the level. The dipstick tube can act like a thermometer/barometer when it's sealed at the top. Readings taken when the stick is initially pulled out can't be relied on. You probably already know this, but I thought I should bring it up.
It's rarely talked about, but marine dipstics are different than automotive dipsticks in two ways. They have an o-ring that seals the very top of the tube. Automotive dipsticks probabaly do too if they have emissions controls, but old ones don't. The big difference is that marine dipstick tubes go to the bottom of the oil pan wheras automotive tubes either end at the block or extend a little into the pan, but still above the oil. The long sealed tube allows oil to be pulled into or pushed out of it with varying temperature and barometric pressure.