In Between an Oil Change

The best thing you can do in between your oil change is to make sure that your lubricant levels stay where they need to be. This is important both because you have to be sure that you have enough fluid, but also that the quality is still hanging strong. Checking this is actually much easier than many people realize and it's just a quick thing you can do whenever you're getting gas or other to make sure that you don't have any leaks.

If you don't know what your vehicle's dipstick is, watch the next time you get an oil change. It's pretty obvious what it is, because it's sticking right into the engine itself. From there, it's really easy to figure out if you have enough lubricant and if the lubricant you have is still in proper working order so that it can do what it needs to.

When you're checking your levels in between each oil change, you have to first be certain your car is on level ground. If it isn't, you're just not going to get an accurate idea of how much is in there, but also, the lubricant may be sloshed all too the back- so you may have much more than the dipstick indicates. The dipstick's going to be a very long rod that will be easy for you to get to, and it will typically have an orange handle that says "oil" on it. Parking your vehicle in a well-lit area, you will be able to find the dipstick with ease. Once you have parked, give your vehicle a few moments to allow the lubricant to settle. Even if you don't have time to do this, you may still be able to gauge accurately how much you have, but this is generally the best way to do it.

Make sure that the hood of your car is safely propped up before you begin. Once it is, simply pull the dipstick out of the hole and wipe the end of it with a clean rag or a towel. Then you need to replace it, and make sure that it is completely back into the engine where it belongs- all the way down. Pull it out again, but never turn it upside down. If you do this, the lubricant will run down the side of the rod and you won't be able to know how much you've got in there. Most dipsticks have holes going up them or lines that will tell you the levels- if you have it between the two marks that begin with the end of the oily part and ends with the dry part, you should be fine. If it's below that very bottom line or marking, you should probably add about a quart of lubricant. It is always best to only add a quart at a time and then re-take the level to be sure because if you overfill the engine, you will have a mess on your hands.