Gruber
Senior Member
- First Name
- Mark
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2018
- Threads
- 2
- Messages
- 2,309
- Reaction score
- 1,521
- Location
- TN
- Vehicle(s)
- 2018 Honda Civic Sport Touring; 2009 Honda CR-V EX-L
I really don't feel the pain of those who have issues reading the dipstick. Just to help others I tried to sandpaper my dipstick and this made it a bit easier to read, because the contrast between wet and dry increased, but the boundary between wet and dry tended to become more diffuse with time because of too good wetting causing the oil to creep up. Of course it's great for normal, quick reading. I'll try painting this dipstick with some paint I will select, to make it even better.
So then I too bought a fresh new OEM dipstick ($10 or so at the dealer parts dept.). I can read the OEM dipstick with a precision to a fraction of a mm every time. What seems to be the problem? Maybe too weak glasses? The reading is so accurate, you can tell the difference between the sides of the dipstick, because it doesn't hit the surface of the oil at exactly right angle. So for maximum precision ( e.g. to see a difference one drive made) it's best to read always the same side of the dipstick, and if it's curved (which it is, slightly), it need's to be put in the same way each time. Then you can read it to 0.2 mm if you wish...way too accurate for everyday layperson dipsticking needs, but useful for Advanced Studies of the Dynamics of Oil Dilution.
Who cares about the color of the plastic or the color of oil? I look at the dry-wet contrast. I can read the level of white, colorless kerosene on this dipstick just as well as new or used oil. Admittedly though, not everyone is a professional experimentalist like me.... Actors, musicians and poets also own cars....and I understand they might have problems.
This is my current dipstick. It's at -5.0 mm (below the center of the "full" mark). The distance between the two markers is about 17 mm.
If I make either a typical 20 -30 miles daily driving or if I don't drive at all, the day-to day reading will be exactly the same.
So then I too bought a fresh new OEM dipstick ($10 or so at the dealer parts dept.). I can read the OEM dipstick with a precision to a fraction of a mm every time. What seems to be the problem? Maybe too weak glasses? The reading is so accurate, you can tell the difference between the sides of the dipstick, because it doesn't hit the surface of the oil at exactly right angle. So for maximum precision ( e.g. to see a difference one drive made) it's best to read always the same side of the dipstick, and if it's curved (which it is, slightly), it need's to be put in the same way each time. Then you can read it to 0.2 mm if you wish...way too accurate for everyday layperson dipsticking needs, but useful for Advanced Studies of the Dynamics of Oil Dilution.
Who cares about the color of the plastic or the color of oil? I look at the dry-wet contrast. I can read the level of white, colorless kerosene on this dipstick just as well as new or used oil. Admittedly though, not everyone is a professional experimentalist like me.... Actors, musicians and poets also own cars....and I understand they might have problems.
This is my current dipstick. It's at -5.0 mm (below the center of the "full" mark). The distance between the two markers is about 17 mm.
If I make either a typical 20 -30 miles daily driving or if I don't drive at all, the day-to day reading will be exactly the same.
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