i am a mechanic.
and what exactly do you mean by "oil sump is oil sump. the upper portion of the engine needs oil for lubrication"? i hope you are not suggesting that i do not know what i wrote. or is it the other way around, that you did not understand what was written?
yup...ill have to agree with yebo...could be excess blow-by...mine is like that too...upper portions of the dip stick is also wet with oil although you can still see the reading on the max and min marking. This started when i started seeing blow by signs like vapor coming out of the dip tube (parang takure), been like that for the past year or so but no oil consumption so im still happy.![]()
i am not saying that you are wrong sir... yes you can get the reading when it is on... but is it accurate? i would say the best and accurate time to get the reading is when the engine is off...
i am not a mechanic but i diy stuff myself. i read manuals, the internet, ask help from mechanics. i already have opened a mitsubishi diesel engine on my big generator set with the help of a mechanic. i have worked on V6 and V8 engines mechanically staying away from anything electronics on my USDM vehicles. if its complicated, i bring my vehicle to the dealership pointing to them that this is the problem. so i think i can say that i am also inclined mechanically.
anyway here's my explanation courtesy of the internet:
Oil is the life-blood of the engine. An engine running without oil will last about as long as a human without blood. Oil is pumped under pressure to all the moving parts of the engine by an oil pump. The oil pump is mounted at the bottom of the engine in the oil pan and is connected by a gear to either the crankshaft or the camshaft. This way, when the engine is turning, the oil pump is pumping. The two main parts needing oil are the pistons (so they can slide easily in their cylinders) and any bearings that allow things like the crankshaft and camshafts to rotate freely. That is, oil is sucked out of the oil pan by the oil pump, run through the oil filter to remove any grit, and then squirted under high pressure onto bearings and the cylinder walls. The oil then trickles down into the sump, where it is collected again and the cycle repeats.
thanks guys, im sure all your inputs are correct. but im still worried about the dipstick being completely covered in oil. i have checked the oil level of my car many times already while the engine is on, and im sure the dipstick was never covered with that much oil. should i have this checked na?