Quote:
Originally Posted by Davisca455
For my car, it has always shown a different level between city driving and highway driving, and this behavior has been very consistent throughout my ownership.
Once the car is warm, in the city, I'll check the level from the stalk and it will show completely full.
Once I'm a few miles down the highway, I'll check it again from the stalk, and it will have dropped to 1/2.
Once I get back into town and drive around for a little while at low revs and stop and go, I'll check it from the stalk again and the level shows full again.
My theory is that when on the highway, with the engine at a sustained 3000-3500rpm, the oil in the reservoir is being suctioned out by the oil pump at a slightly faster rate than the oil can return to the reservoir, to be sensed by the level sensor.
Then once in town with the revs slowed, the oil pump is now suctioning oil at a slower rate, more closely to the rate it returns to the reservoir, and therefore shows an increased level.
I think this would also occur if the car had a dipstick, it's just that we would never check the dipstick while driving.
Just a theory.
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Interesting. This was highway driving so I assumed the engine finally started to consume oil. After 300 miles one way the meter sunk one step. Level stayed there during the couple of days visis, while driving shorter trips. Half way on our way back home, meter sunk again now to half. Once back home, after an hour stop, the meter (+Carly) is back on full. This was Saturday, still full Sunday.
Weird, never seen but seems alright.