Technical TA dip stick tip.

[The Panda Nut]

I decided to clean the dipstick with carb cleaner. Two things noted. First it changes colour which helps seeing the oil. Second the oil sticks to the cleaned dipstick and can be read. I have been thrashing Noop around a bit and towing weight as well. OIl level well down so 250ml needed to restore the level. After just 5000 miles the oil is badly discoloured and looks like a change is already required. Its due at the end of the month.

 

[Marcus Daly]

What mileage are you on?

 

[Mike1alike]

250 ml of oil in 5000 miles, or you've previously restored the level? It's not the worst, it could be better.
The dipstick of course you clean it. It was among the first things I did on my Punto, after I bought it. The dipstick was all black and gooey then.

 

[The Panda Nut]

What mileage are you on?

26k It has been going rather fast recently. Above 90mph it sups oil gently. At normal speeds it uses none.

 

[Mike1alike]

@The Panda Nut, at your next oil change you can do a cleaning job to the engine's lubrication system. The dip stick sits down in the oil pan and if it got dirty like that it means its surroundings did as well. I cleaned the system on my Punto, multiple times. I always use disel for it, I add 750 ml - 1 l of diesel into the oil, run the engine ~10 mins then proceed to the oil changing. Of course, there are commercial products for this job, you can choose whatever you like, I'm very satisfied with using diesel. First time I did it the oil coming out was very dark black, but the most notable thing was what came out of the oil filter I've replaced, the oil was very very thick, tar-like. So I recommend doing this, it does good to the engine to clean all the sludge residing on the oil pump pick-up and oil passages.