Help: Low Oil Level Reading On Dipstick, After New Oil Change On Rb26

[goingforadds]

Hey everyone,

Changed my oil on my r32 gtr, filled it up with 4.6L as recommened, checked the dipstick level and it read only half full?

Decided to run the oil in, came back and the level was just making the 'low level" on the dip stick!?

Left the car to sit and settle for a couple of hours, again, the same reading?

Obviously there's oil lol, the gtr runs fine underload/ boost and there's no signs of oil leaks, loss of power or anything disturbing

I just can't understand why the dipstick gives me such a low oil reading?

Has anyone else had this issue with an rb26 motor? is it a sign of something worst? or is it something rather simple?

thanks

meta

[Hadouken]

Ummm... put more oil in it

The dipstick will read lower if you check it straight afyer turning it off.

So go put the other 400ml in and then drive, and let it stand until cold. Then check oil level

[StevenCJR31]

is the correct dipstick in the motor?

[goingforadds]

yeah, i should of put that in the post earlier lol, I've poured in about a litre more, however, it's still not going past half-way, so i'm a little frustrated as you can imagine lol

[goingforadds]

correct dipstick? lol, i'm assuming so, however, is there a way to check if i have the right one for an rb26?

[Hadouken]

then you will have to check

sump plug

oil filter

have let it cool down and sit on a level surface before you checked it?

[goingforadds]

yes, i have, no oil leaks, as mentioned in the first post, everything is fine, just the reading is low

[StevenCJR31]

correct dipstick? lol, i'm assuming so, however, is there a way to check if i have the right one for an rb26?

dont assume, know anyone else who has a 26?

[mad082]

did you tip the oil in then check it straight away? cause you have to give the oil al ittle bit of time to drain down. from empty of the dipstick to full should be about 1L

and when you initially filled the oil, if you didn't run the engine before checking the level then it would be lower once you have run it and filled the oil filter with oil. as long as the car doesn't continue to lose oil then there isn't that much to worry about.

[Missileman]

The dip stick only reads correctly when the engine is cold.

...just in case

[BuuBox]

Is it sitting flat?

I found even a relatively small incline can throw out the reading by a fair bit.

[goingforadds]

thanks for the advice guys, but i have tried for the obvious, the car still reads the same now that it is cold, which is low

Initially it read half, and then reduced down to very low on the dipstick, I then refilled an extra litre, after running it in, so it should be reading higher now with 5.6L, however, it doesn't.

the car sits on a level ground, there is no incline.

Oil pressure readings from the oil gauge in the car read fine and are normal.

It seems odd that the rb26 wouldn't register 5.6L of oil on a dipstick higher than low?

Again, there's no mechanical issues, loss of power or any obvious reasons why it'd be running through this much oil

[89CAL]

Does it have an oil cooler?

The initial problem (if you changed the filter as well) would have been the filter filled with oil and this lowered the oil level a bit.

If it has no leaks and you think that to much oil has been put in then it has to be going.somewhere. its not spewing out the breathers or anything?

[GTR_JOEY]

Also check to make sure your dip stick tube is in all the way and secure....

i had a problem about a month ago where i was checking the oil and it read low ( i was thinking WTF!! the engine is burning oil :S) after checking it for a second time the tube came out with the dipstick wich meant the tube wasnt in all the way..

i re-installed the tube and then it fine

[Hadouken]

In a different post you said you have a built motor.

Do you have a sump extension?

If you dont have any leaks and you dont have anything taking up the oil, then there must be something you are missing.

[GTR_NUTZ]

I put in 6L. I recommend the same.

6L brings the oil level above the markings to the top kink on the dipstick.

Or other option is to get a longer dipstick :-p

[Victory]

If it is a "built" motor I would be checking the sump for sump extensions as this is one of the first things that are done to RB26's to improve oil management.

[DVS JEZ]

If it reads low dont go and drive it to see if its gonna read different. Top it up so it reads full before driving

[89CAL]

If it reads low dont go and drive it to see if its gonna read different. Top it up so it reads full before driving

This

Better off being over-full if the dipstick is wrong then under-full if the dipstick is right

[Reese69]

i had a simlar issue with my rb25 i did a change and a few days later i started it up and sounded funny so i chack everything and dip stick was almost empy, no spills or anything is shed and i emptied about 5lt in there, so i went and got another and put in approx 3lt it then it was just over full -

then i had it on the dyno almost blow the sump out - emptied 3 lt out to get it down now is fine.. never happend since or before

i couldnt belive it i thought something wrong couldnt work out why it was empty but never was - your not the only one this has happend to.

i checked oil level a few time and was always low before i over filled it, to this day i havnt worked out what the problem was