dsmith

On my 2000 Outback, when the cabin heater is set to FEET, there is not much air flow, and the flow there is blows right on top of your right foot. This leaves your left foot and the left side of the driver pretty cool. Has anyone else noticed this, and do you have any suggestions? Temperatures in this part of Canada often in minus 30 C (minus 20 F) thanks dsmith

Again, many thanks for all the engine oil level input. I am now happy, and hope that setright has recovered. My system now is to park on level ground at the filling station, pull the dipstick and leave it out while the car is being filled. In my 2000OBW, it takes about 4 minutes for the oil to run down. I then insert the dipstick just until the O ring contacts, then pull it and take the reading. The reason I am happy is that with 175K kilometers on it, it neither burns nor leaks oil. I am fairly sure most of the miles (108,000) are highway, but would be interested to hear how far some of these 2000 engines go without major repairs. Incidentally, my oil obsession comes from having grown up with flat head Fords in the 40s-great burners of oil... Great website. regards, D. Smith.

Hi Setright: It could be that the 1990 is different. I have checked , and mine is not overfull. On the 2000, the tube hits the outside of the oilpan below the normal oil level.The blow in the tube may still be the best test. I gather you are in Denmark. I was there last month, and your excellent brews would certainly wash the oil taste out of your mouth. Thanks again for response. Dave smith

Hi oil fans:Setright asked if I were sure that the tube penetrates the oil level. It does on my 2000 Outback. This can be checked by blowing into the top of the tube so you can hear the oil bubbling. Perhaps oil is not your favourite flavour, so you could also use a short piece of hose or pipe. Penetration can also be verified by measuring the dip stick and the outside of the tube. Best regards. D. Smith

Engine oil levels Firstly, thank you to all the oil level obsessive Subaru owners who responded to my question. It inspired me to look into the problem in some detail, including some bench tests. Anyway, it appears there are several sources of the problem of getting good oil level readings on my 2000 Outback. The dipstick goes into the oil at about a 30degree angle instead of 90 degrees. This means that a change of ¼ inch in real oil level shows on the dipstick as almost ½ inch. This means that any change is exaggerated. The dipstick contacts the oil level at the extreme left side of the oil pan which means that if the car is off level, the reading will vary more than if the dip stick were closer to the center of the pan. Because of the 30 degree angle, surface tension pulls the oil down on the top side of the dip stick and up on the underside. This can result in a ½ inch difference between the two sides of the stick. You can verify all of these things by sticking a knife blade into a glass of water. Then, there is the problem that the dipstick tube goes below the oil level which means the bottom on the tube is always full of oil. This results in uneven surface tension effects inside the tube, complicated by the surface tension on the dipstick. This would not be so much of a problem if the tube were not also sealed at the top by the Oring on the dipstick This means that there is a trapped column of air inside the tube. So, when the engine is shut off, the air in the tube begins to cool and draws oil up into the tube. On the Outback, this pulls the oil up the dipstick by about 2 inches overnight, and you can’t get a reading on the first try in the morning. Also, when you push the dipstick fully into the tube, the O ring works like a piston and compresses the air enough to push the oil level down by up to ½ inch. But, the real problem is that when you pull the dipstick out, the piston effect pulls the oil level up, resulting in too high a reading which varies with how fast the dipstick is pulled. So, what can the oil level obsessed driver do? My own solution was to drill a small hole through the plastic handle on the dipstick to below the O ring. This prevents the air being trapped, and you can get a good reading after the car has sat overnight. The car must still always be more level than most cars because the changes are exaggerated as noted above. I do not necessarily recommend this because you also have to put a filter over the drilled hole to prevent dust being drawn into the oil. Another approach would be to pull the dip stick out for a few minutes to let the oil drain out of the tube, then check the oil by pushing the dip stick down just until the O ring contacts. As, noted above, pushing it right down can push or pull the oil level in the tube. Sorry for the long explanation, but I think all of these things contribute. Thanks again for your replies. D. Smith

2000 outback just bought. inconsistent and hard to read engine oil levels. any suggestions?