Checking your oil levels

Oil is essential to a car’s engine. It has three main jobs, 1) To help all the engine components work together smoothly 2) to help draw heat away from the combustion chambers, that can get very hot and 3) to prevent carbon and varnishes to build up in the engine.

Your oil should be checked on a regular basis and changed during a major service if not before. It is relatively easy to check the oil levels in most cars and below is a basic guide on how to do it.

  • Make sure that the engine is cold and that the car is parked on a flat surface
  • Locate and remove the dip stick from the oil.
  • Wipe off any excess oil from the stick using a clean, dry cloth
  • Put the stick back in to the hole in which you removed it and leave it about 5-10 seconds
  • Remove the dip stick again and check the oil level mark against the advised markings on the stick.
  • If the oil level is too low, add a bit of oil in to the main oil tank and then repeat the checking process after 30 seconds or so.