Oil Dipstick Darkening

Ian Beale · Jun 28, 2015

Call it old age perhaps but I'm having some trouble seeing oil levels on some dipsticks.

Shiny steel ones work ok with diesel engine oil as it blackens, but transmission oil on shiny ones not so good, particularly the transmission one in a FA 10 dozer

So can I use gun blue to darken these dipsticks without issues? The type I have uses selenium oxide to do the blueing.

TIA

Eric in IL · Jun 28, 2015

I use the oxy-acetylene torch to turn them blue.

todd hamilton · Jun 28, 2015

I like dipsticks with little holes in them to help mark the fluid. Fresh synthetic oil is difficult to see. However I have not drilled a hole in a dipstick but what could it hurt?

dlbuck · Jun 28, 2015

I use a black magic marker to darken the area on the dipstick. You have to put it on each time you check the oil, but you can definitely see the level

john *.?-!.* cub owner · Jun 28, 2015

How about resting it against the side of your finger and note where the oil line is on your finger.

ss55 · Jun 28, 2015

With brand new oil sometimes I have to carry the dipstick into sunshine to see how high the oil reflects on the stick. A small bright LED flashlight works too.

notjustair · Jun 28, 2015

Grandpa used to rub it in the dirt to see where the oil line was. No lie. It makes me cringe just to think about it.

JD Seller · Jun 28, 2015

I just keep a small bottle of baby powder in my tool box. If I am having trouble seeing the oil line just sprinkle some baby power on the stick. You can see the oil line easily this way.

Jim in Sask · Jun 29, 2015

I find on some of mine the oil shows up better on the back plain side of the dipstick than it does on the marked side.

Hendrik · Jun 29, 2015

My finger has no calibrated markings...
(Sorry, could not resist.)

Traditional Farmer · Jun 29, 2015

Just take a grinder and touch a slight notch in them at the key levels

Ian Beale · Jun 29, 2015

Thanks for the comments.

I've done some reading and apparently there is a trace of selenium in diesel - and I presume lube oil. So I presume no extra nasties.

So I tried the process on the diesel tank dipstick. Using Birchwood Casey product. I put one coat on and aged overnight. Sure is easier to read and we'll see for how long.

Allan in NE · Jun 29, 2015

Cataracs. See you eye doctor.

Allan

Mike M · Jun 29, 2015

Wifes new car has a bright orange dipstick made of plastic. I sure cannot tell where it is by looking ! Will be better as oil ages. I held it against a paper towel to see where it left a wet spot.

Dave in GA · Jun 29, 2015

I'm finding it harder with age, too. There are large-print books for older folks. Car manufacturers need to install "large-print" dipsticks too, about 3 times the width of today's skinny ones and with large words. When you really think about it, dipsticks are one of the most crude, old fashioned, and ancient pieces of an engine. You'd think that modern technology would have replaced them all with sensors by now, doing away with the stick. I always thought a sight glass would be useful myself. A rebellious kid I went to high school with thought it was stupid to keep pulling out a dipstick and checking the oil. He'd say that he just runs an engine until it starts to make a lot of noise, then he'd pour a few quarts of oil into the engine. Needless to say, his cars didn't last long.

Oil Dipstick Darkening

Ian Beale

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Eric in IL

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todd hamilton

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dlbuck

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john .?-!. cub owner

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ss55

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notjustair

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JD Seller

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Jim in Sask

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Hendrik

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Traditional Farmer

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Ian Beale

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Allan in NE

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Mike M

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Dave in GA

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