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254 Posts
Went out the other day to check oil before a trip and I couldn't budge the damn dipstick! It was like it was glued in place. I squirted a little PB Blaster into the top of the tube and waited a few minutes until I was able to twist it but still couln't pull it out. The FJ was loaded down for a weekend trip and started to wonder if I was going to make it. I didn't want to yank on the plastic ring and possibly break it off. I kept messing with it for about 5 minutes and finally got it free. It's possible the salt and crap from the roads here caused the spot of corrosion inside the top edge of the tube.
I brushed the inside of the tube with a copper bore brush (.30 cal) and some clean oil. I had checked the oil a couple weeks ago and I remember I did add a little oil which seemed strange to me since I've never had to add oil between regular service.
Hmnn... I pushed the dipstick in and out several times and checked the level each time. It was slightly over the full mark. I guess the dipstick didn't seat completely the last time I checked oil so I added a few ounces when I'm guessing it was fine, it was the shallow seating of the dipstick that got me.
When I finished checking a few weeks ago I probably did push it down all the way to seat it but when checking I pushed it down till I felt it stop then pulled it out not realizing it hadn't seated all the way in! Thus the incorrect level reading.
I'll be more careful from now on. I did pull the drain plug for a few seconds (what a mess) to drain some out and rechecked the level to be sure. The level dropped below the top indicator hole in the dipstick. I let it go at that, better a bit low that too high. I didn't put many miles on it an no high speed extended running while it was above the top hole mark maybe a quarter inch. Kind of hard to tell with these things.
I brushed the inside of the tube with a copper bore brush (.30 cal) and some clean oil. I had checked the oil a couple weeks ago and I remember I did add a little oil which seemed strange to me since I've never had to add oil between regular service.
Hmnn... I pushed the dipstick in and out several times and checked the level each time. It was slightly over the full mark. I guess the dipstick didn't seat completely the last time I checked oil so I added a few ounces when I'm guessing it was fine, it was the shallow seating of the dipstick that got me.
When I finished checking a few weeks ago I probably did push it down all the way to seat it but when checking I pushed it down till I felt it stop then pulled it out not realizing it hadn't seated all the way in! Thus the incorrect level reading.
I'll be more careful from now on. I did pull the drain plug for a few seconds (what a mess) to drain some out and rechecked the level to be sure. The level dropped below the top indicator hole in the dipstick. I let it go at that, better a bit low that too high. I didn't put many miles on it an no high speed extended running while it was above the top hole mark maybe a quarter inch. Kind of hard to tell with these things.
