How to accurately see if car is level?

[casper]

I realize that the easiest way to do this would be to start with a level floor and ensure floor jacks are set to the same height setting…

HOWEVER, what if you’re using a combination of ramps and floor jacks, for instance? What part of the vehicle do you use to check if it is “level”?

I know this isn’t a big deal with engine oil changes, but I’m thinking for things like a MTF change where the fill check bolt requires the vehicle to be reasonably level in order to fill correctly. Any thoughts?

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[CMarks]

i guess since your using ramps and jack stands you could just eyeball it being level by looking at the side skirt. i plan on doing my transmission fluid soon and i have 2 jack stands was going to drop it back down to fill. but now that im thinking about it i will probably use some cylinder blocks to jack up the back and keep it level. but eyeballing it should work fine if you want you could even put a level on the side skirt lol.

 

[LBP]

I use a specialized precision tool.

 

[sLing]

Place a digital protractor at the rear-mid floor.

 

[xXoVrKiLLXx]

I use a torpedo level on one of the ribs on the tranny.

 

[casper]

i guess since your using ramps and jack stands you could just eyeball it being level by looking at the side skirt. i plan on doing my transmission fluid soon and i have 2 jack stands was going to drop it back down to fill. but now that im thinking about it i will probably use some cylinder blocks to jack up the back and keep it level. but eyeballing it should work fine if you want you could even put a level on the side skirt lol.

I guess I was surprised that there isn’t a “standard level measurement spot” anywhere under the car to confirm with accuracy. Also wasn’t sure if the frame reading level means that the engine and transaxle are therefore level since there could be “sag” in the mounts.

I’m assuming there’s a decent margin of error here, but I guess it would also be good to know if there are any “bad spots” to check the level that would give you a reading beyond that margin of error.

 

[LBP]

You’re overthinking it.

 

[CMarks]

Yeah liquid is self leveling anyway so for there to be any issue it would have to be like a 45 degree angle. Even if the car was on jack stands just in the front you can fill it till the check hole drips then drop the car back down and it would drip alittle more out.

 

[fjrman]

Use a yardstick and measure the height of the fender well above the centerline of the front and rear wheels before you raise the car.

Compare the front and rear measurements and subtract for the difference.

When you raise the car adjust the front and rear heights to obtain the same difference between front and rear.

If it was level before it should be level now in the raised position.

 

[dt10g]

Suggestion:

https://www.skil.com/power-tools/lasers-levels/

Note, only one of their Green laser models includes the hash marks.
They also sell red and green ones that just shoot lines with no hashes, so caveat emptor.

Combine that with a decent enough tripod, which aren't terribly expensive these days

The tripod has a small level built in, adjustable feet, legs etc.

The Skil laser can either be locked (switch on the side) and you have to level it yourself using whatever method you see fit. But it can also be unlocked and then the internal laser will float up to 4 degrees from horizontal. Beyond 4 degrees the laser will flash to let you know it could not compensate. I figure by levelling the tripod within reason and then using the Skil unlocked that this should be sufficiently precise. It's not scientific atomic clock level accurate but...

Now the next thing is what to measure on the car: Assuming the frame is not twisted, and the front and rear bumpers are suitably mounted, then you can see if the green line is level across the bumper. That's still going to be an eyeball, but hopefully you can pick symmetrical points on each side to compare to. e.g. parking sensor holes, etc. Add stickers or tape as needed if you need better references. On the sides, you could probably use a reference point on the tires/rims, or the lower skirt. If you doubted the bumpers were attached properly you could pull them and then measure something else - crash bar?

Or...

You can also just use your iPhone, either the Level app or there must be apps that can measure angles between reference point. The trick with any kind of surface level is finding a surface in or on the car that is itself supposed to be level. There's even an RV levelling device on Amazon that could be used... IF you can find such a spot (vertical) that is good for it

 

[casper]

Suggestion:

https://www.skil.com/power-tools/lasers-levels/

Note, only one of their Green laser models includes the hash marks.
They also sell red and green ones that just shoot lines with no hashes, so caveat emptor.

Combine that with a decent enough tripod, which aren't terribly expensive these days

The tripod has a small level built in, adjustable feet, legs etc.

The Skil laser can either be locked (switch on the side) and you have to level it yourself using whatever method you see fit. But it can also be unlocked and then the internal laser will float up to 4 degrees from horizontal. Beyond 4 degrees the laser will flash to let you know it could not compensate. I figure by levelling the tripod within reason and then using the Skil unlocked that this should be sufficiently precise. It's not scientific atomic clock level accurate but...

Now the next thing is what to measure on the car: Assuming the frame is not twisted, and the front and rear bumpers are suitably mounted, then you can see if the green line is level across the bumper. That's still going to be an eyeball, but hopefully you can pick symmetrical points on each side to compare to. e.g. parking sensor holes, etc. Add stickers or tape as needed if you need better references. On the sides, you could probably use a reference point on the tires/rims, or the lower skirt. If you doubted the bumpers were attached properly you could pull them and then measure something else - crash bar?

Or...

You can also just use your iPhone, either the Level app or there must be apps that can measure angles between reference point. The trick with any kind of surface level is finding a surface in or on the car that is itself supposed to be level. There's even an RV levelling device on Amazon that could be used... IF you can find such a spot (vertical) that is good for it

Thanks for your in-depth suggestions. I think a really good point that you made (and is kinda why I had this question to begin with) is finding the things that are supposed to be level, when the car is truly level. I know how to use a level stick and my phone’s level app works pretty nicely, but if I try to use it on something that would “trick” me into thinking the car was level when it actually wasn’t, then it’s useless.

That’s why I was wondering if such a “reference” even existed - where if that one thing was level, I knew I’d be good to go.

 

[Benster]

drain the transmission and put the drain bolt back on as well as your underside cover. Then put the car back on the ground and fill your transmission till it leaks out. unless you're in an angled driveway or at more than 10 degrees you won't hurt the transmission by adding less than 1/4 quart more if anything.

Even if you leave the front on ramps and the rear on the ground then you will add quite a bit more fluid(prob half a quart) but even then I doubt it'll be detrimental to the transmission.

 

[casper]

drain the transmission and put the drain bolt back on as well as your underside cover. Then put the car back on the ground and fill your transmission till it leaks out. unless you're in an angled driveway or at more than 10 degrees you won't hurt the transmission by adding less than 1/4 quart more if anything.

Even if you leave the front on ramps and the rear on the ground then you will add quite a bit more fluid(prob half a quart) but even then I doubt it'll be detrimental to the transmission.

good to know there’s a reasonable margin of error

 

[Dario1101]

When I do my transmission oil changes I just eyeball it. Ramps on the front wheels, jack stands on the rear tire lift points, floor jack on the trunk lift point. Raise the car until I can see the side skirts parallel with the ground. Drain bolt drained easily with no worries. No need to get too fancy with it lol.

 

[BrandonSmith]

I use a combo of ramps in the front and jack stands on the side skirt jack points in the rear (using the rear jack point under the trunk to lift the vehicle). My garage (like most) has a 2-degree slope toward the overhead door, which is insignificant. I just measured from floor to the jack point at each corner (the jack points under along the side skirts). I only ever measured once, because once I did that, I knew that the second locking point on the jack stands is equal to the height of the ramps.

I've changed my CVT fluid 4 times and have over 170,000 miles on my 2016. I'd say it's good enough.

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