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BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - ccx

Hi again,

Another probably basic question but when checking engine OIL can I use kitchen roll tissue to wipe the dipstick?

Basically is it not a concern to the engine if by a small chance part of the tissue had broken off onto the dipstick and back into the engine (if I hadn't of noticed)?

Thanks.

Edited by ccx on 08/01/2020 at 16:53

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - Andrew-T

Another probably basic question but when checking engine OIL can I use kitchen roll tissue to wipe the dipstick?

I don't think it should matter. But if it worries you, use a bit of rag instead of paper.

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - ccx

ok thanks

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - focussed

Paper fragments will be destroyed by the hot oil, fluff from rags will not, paper is better.

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - ccx

Good point which I never thought about. I think I will use paper and just be careful with it.

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - Andrew-T

Paper fragments will be destroyed by the hot oil, fluff from rags will not, paper is better.

I'm not convinced there is anything in that - paper and rag are similar materials but paper comes apart more easily. I can't see either of them doing any damage in a hot metal engine anyway, especially if they are caught in the filter.

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - edlithgow

Over time the fibres would buid up in the filter and give you extra depth filtration, which would be a good thing.

If I could be bothered I'd try and deliberately engineer it.

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - sammy1

Sorry, but I cannot take this seriously.

Rodney! is that you? You dipstick!

Cheers

Del Boy

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - John F

Serious or not, here's a tip. I tie an old sock around a convenient underbonnet site and wipe it on that. Any minute particles will be dealt with by the oil filter.

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - Andrew-T

I tie an old sock around a convenient underbonnet site and wipe it on that. Any minute particles will be dealt with by the oil filter.

That's why owners are advised to change the filter every few years, John .... :-)

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - focussed

I have seen rag fragments stuck to the oil strainer gauze on one or two customer's engines I have stripped years ago. Also I found the oil strainer 75% blocked with dog hairs on a stripped engine from a boat on which the owner had a large hairy dog. Dog hairs on rags used to wipe the dipstick over many years etc

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - ccx

Thanks all, hoping I can check the oil now without feeling paranoid about causing issues...

So in short, we can safely say that using a paper tissue is fine for a dipstick and even if part of the paper somehow ended up in the sump, it would get filtered out anyway by the oil filter which would then be replaced yearly during a service?

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - gordonbennet

At worse you would talking about a few barely visible fibres, if a section of cloth or paper was stripped off after getting caught in the cut outs of some dipsticks only a lunatic would stuff anything so obvious back down the dipstick hole.

The more interesting issue about correct oil level checking is when it should be carried out, on both our Japanese cars it's recommended to check the level with the engine at normal operating temp some 5 mins after stopping the engine...lots of people do not know when is the right time to check their level, worth reading the manual.

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - Andrew-T

So in short, we can safely say that using a paper tissue is fine for a dipstick and even if part of the paper somehow ended up in the sump, it would get filtered out anyway by the oil filter which would then be replaced yearly during a service?

Things dropped down the dip-tube end up in the sump oil (which the dipstick measures). Oil in the sump is strained for large objects before being pumped through the filter, It's clearly not clever to drop anything solid down, but even then no damage should result.

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - HGV ~ P Valentine

I have used both paper towels they have in petrol stations and clothes, both in a car and a truck and had no issues at all. So I found this interesting and informative.

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - John F

I occasionally use my finger, and transfer the residue to the bonnet locking mechanism.

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - Big John

I occasionally use my finger, and transfer the residue to the bonnet locking mechanism.

Old engine oil can be carcinogenic - probably OK with drip or two though

BMW - Wiping engine oil dipstick? - Andrew-T

I occasionally use my finger, and transfer the residue to the bonnet locking mechanism.

Old engine oil can be carcinogenic - probably OK with drip or two though.

Yes it can, if you work with the stuff for years and don't take precautions.