Trouble reading a oil dip stick

Let the oil settle for a few minutes after pulling out the dip stick, then reinsert and read again.

Best way to read the level, is to park on a level surface and check it after the car has sat unused for some time (or overnight).

 

go with the lowest reading. the rest is just a streak

 

Crummy dipsticks.

 

Yes let it sit overnight as it takes a long time for all the oil to drain back.
The Prius g2 motor takes 3.6 quarts of oil with a new oil filter.

I check my cars oil every sat morning. Unless it’s a high mileage Prius if so odds are good it eats oil so I would Check it every few days till you get an exact handle on how much oil it eats. If it’s a little oil eating monster move up to a 40 weight oil like 5-40. Keep it at the full line always.

As far as the different level of oil on the dipstick I always use the high level.
As the true reading.

 

If it's similar to gen 3, when you pull the dipstick out the first time it tends to draw oil up the tube. If you immediately reinsert and pull out the dipstick, it's going to have that drawn-up oil clinging well up the dipstick, making it hard to read the true level.

The work around is to pull the dipstick, then wait about 5 minutes before the reinsert and pullout for the check. If at a gas station filling up, just pull the dipstick first, and then start pumping the gas. This 5 minute or so wait will give the oil in the tube time to mostly drain down. Also, check both sides; one side is usually clearer, less smeared.

 

I defer to Ed

He is the Fox after all

 

Lol...its not that much difference on the stick maybe less than an 1/8 of an inch between the high and low. But it is weird.

Ed the Fox was my beloved Fox Terrier who's no longer with us. It's amazing I've been on this site 12 years come July. Thats alot of 12 volt battery questions lol.....

 

It's a shitty dipstick. Deal with it.