Maintain a normal oil level to protect your engine

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For car users who would like to conduct a primary assessment on their car in regard to oil level, it can be observed by yourself at home. Simply following these easy steps

1.    Warm up the engine and turn it off.

2.   Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the oil to flow back into the oil pan. Dont forget to make sure that the car is parked in a horizontal plane, not sloping. Then pull out the dipstick and wipe it until it is clean.

3.    Insert the dipstick back into its tube all the way back in and pull it out again to measure the oil level on the rod. There will be a mark or hole to indicate the high - low level of the engine oil. It may contain letters to specify, such as Full / F / MAX for full level and Low / L / MIN for low level. When adding engine oil, it is recommended to only fill to the F mark level or not exceed the upper sign (F / MAX).

 

The level of oil that can be checked are as follows:

1. Engine oil level is below the L mark due to the abnormally high depletion rate

This may be from the malfunction or deteriorated parts making the engine oil more contaminated in the combustion chamber or the leak of the oil resulting in the lack of lubrication in the engine which can cause severe damage on engine parts. It is advisable to check for leaks or may have the engine overhauled to repair the damaged parts.

 

2. Engine oil level significantly exceeds the F mark

If the oil level significantly exceeds the F mark, this may be because of an overfilling during the oil change or being contaminated by the fuel. It will result in the leak into the combustion chamber through the PCV valve and intake manifold causing an unnecessary loss, white smoke and risk of oil stirring from foaming caused by the crankshaft. The occurrence of bubbles in the oil is the cause of oil pressure drop. This will lead to poor lubrication, difficulty in engine cooling, engine damage as well as heat build-up.

 

3. Normal engine oil level with considerable sludges

If engine oil is at normal level but there is a large amount of mud, sludge, dirt when observing. This indicates degradation of the oil. It is recommended to change the engine oil at the specified interval and dont forget to use a proper quality one.

 

4. Oil level is relatively low, close to the lower sign (L / MIN)

If the engine oil has dropped close to the lower sign (L / MIN) or is relatively low level, this indicates that the engine oil has a significant depletion rate. It is advisable to fill it as soon as possible and try to check the oil level more often. Further suggestion is adjusting oil viscosity for an example from SAE 0W-20 to SAE 0W-30 during the next oil changing schedule to reduce the oil depletion rate and also help protect the deterioration of the engine more effectively. However, if the oil level has dropped dramatically, have the car checked for external leaks and replace the broken parts immediately.

 

5. Oil level between lower and upper sign

If the engine oil level is between the lower and upper sign and is leaning towards the upper one, it is considered normal.

 

It is recommended to check engine oil level every 1 to 2 weeks or at least once a month. Also, dont forget to observe the color of the oil as well, so that we can know whether the engine oil still works properly or if there is a leak in any part of the engine. In order to prevent the possible damage to the engine in the future.