Dear all, I bought a used car with fresh checkup (120.000 km), the test drive and trip to the registration office were unproblematic, the car starts wonderfully and behaves appropriately for the 70kW.

Now I’ve just checked the oil, cleaned the dipstick as usual, then threaded it in, pulled it out and pressed it against a handkerchief. But there’s hardly any oil on it.

There was frost that night. Could this be a reason for the oil collecting at the bottom and I should just drive 10 km and then measure again? Or is the engine dry? Or is the oil so clean that I can’t see it?

I actually want to drive 200 km today, and of course no garage will give me an appointment for a proper oil change today. But I could of course buy oil and fill it up myself.

Thanks for your quick answers!

  • richbiatches@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    I once bought a nice car and everything was fine until about a week later. It seems the previous owner had done some engine work and not tightened up the pan bolts enough. So about 100 miles into my 200 mile trip all the oil blew out and the engine was ruined.

    • Dr_Bolle@alien.topOPBEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Yeah always have it checked, that’s what I learnt. Maybe he reused the screw for the oil after letting it out. You should always use a new one because of the sealing