How To Inspect The Oil In Your Vehicle

You should remember that you can harm your engine's internal parts if you keep low engine oil. Your car can even break down if the engine is not oiled properly. As a practice, you should keep a check on your engine oil and look it up every two weeks. Your engine needs oil for smooth functioning, and you should ensure that your engine gets enough oil so that it stays in healthy shape. 

The oil is a lubricant for the inside of the engine and helps keep the engine clean, prevent dirt buildup, and stop the engine from overheating. 

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Ensure your engine is cool.

You should always check your engine oil when it is cold. Let your engine cool down if it is hot, and wait before moving on to the next steps. Refer to the car manual as some car manufacturers do not suggest checking your engine oil on a cold engine. 

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Keep your car level, parked, and pop the hood.

Park your car where the ground is level. Parking your vehicle on a slant or tilted deck will show incorrect engine oil levels. Once you are on plain ground, pop the hood for further inspection. Ensure that you have turned off your car before you start checking your engine oil. 

Check the yellow dipstick in your engine.

Once you open the bonnet, you will see a yellow-colored dipstick that would be in the center of the engine. You should pull it out and wipe it with a clean cloth. 

Once you clean it, put it back in, and then pull it out after a couple of seconds. You will notice the oil mark and understand the oil level. The ideal oil mark should be between the minimum and maximum marking. The dipstick almost always has a low, high, or min/max reading on it.

Needless to say, if the oil is low, then top it up as soon as possible. Remember to use the same engine oil and do not change the grade of the oil. Also, remember not to top up more than the recommended level. 

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The Oil Filler Cap 

You can top it up using the oil filler cap that you will find near the dipstick. Remember to be careful and try not to spill the oil on any other engine parts. Give it a few seconds before rechecking the oil levels. 

Check your oil every couple of weeks and if your oil is dirty, change it. If it is low, then be sure to top it up to the optimum level. A normal level doesn't require you to do anything.