Demystified Hot vs. Cold Engine Oil Checks

You want to run the car, warm it up (driving it for 10-15 mins is fine you want some temp in oil too). Park it on level ground. Let it cool 10 mins, then check ... Either cold or hot, anytime is better than not at all. When evaluating for oil consumption, the dealer will let it sit on a level surface for 10 minutes ... The general consensus has been if you are checking the oil cold then the equivalent hot full level would be about halfway between the high and ... Hey all, The old rule on this used to be warm engine, turn off, let sit for 10 minutes, then check dipstick level. Normally you check it cold - or at least wait a few minutes after running the engine so the oil has chance to drain back to the sump. Otherwise you might ... I think warm, when the oil has had a chance to drain back (10-15 minutes), & sitting on level ground gives the best reading. Overnight cold does ... Since the engine was "hot" at the start of the oil change, now we run the engine a few minutes- we are supposed to check the oil with the engine ... Is this normal for most of CLKs? Many people check oil level in the early morning, but I've also seen other experts recommend bringing engine to ... The Best Time to Check Engine Oil. The ideal engine temperature for an oil check is when the engine is warm and at normal operating temperature. Check it hot. Get the engine to operating temperature, turn off the motor, wait 2-3 minutes, then check the oil.