Inconsistent oil pattern on dipstick?
 

Hey everyone, I changed my oil in my 98 xj a few weeks back. I used 5 quarts valvoline maxlife and a quart of lucas oil stabilizer. When I changed the oil I ran it for a bit and the next morning I found the oil a little too high, nothing unusual. So i drained some so it would read right in the middle of the safe zone. I have been checking the oil the past week or so and have inconsistent patterns on the dipstick. What I mean by this is some areas on the dipstick are dry while other parts have oil on it. This starts to happen at the full mark and continues almost all the way up the dipstick. What is going on here? It has been a little colder than normal lately and this is the first time ive used lucas oil stabilizer. How can I fix this so I can check my oil level? Thanks.

Can you smell gasoline in the oil on the dipstick?

Does the oil on the dipstick look milky?

You're dripping oil into the dipstick tube as you're pulling it in and out.

Unless your Jeep is a known oil user, you should be OK.

I wouldn't have drained any new oil out.

Very important questions to answer.

Otherwise if it's cold where you are then that Lucas snake oil (snake molasses?) is likely the culprit. You saw how thick it was going in, how thick do you think it is sitting in the oil sump all night?

Why did you add the Lucas? Is there a problem you're trying to cover?

Excerpt from the Factory Service Manual about checking oil level.

CRANKCASE OIL LEVEL INSPECTION

CAUTION: Do not overfill crankcase with engine oil,
oil foaming and oil pressure loss can result.

Inspect engine oil level approximately every 800 kilometers (500 miles). Unless the engine has exhibited loss of oil pressure, run the engine for about five minutes before checking oil level. Checking engine oil level on a cold engine is not accurate.

To ensure proper lubrication of an engine, the engine oil must be maintained at an acceptable level. The acceptable levels are indicated between the ADD and SAFE marks on the engine oil dipstick.

(1) Position vehicle on level surface.
(2) With engine OFF, allow approximately ten minutes for oil to settle to bottom of crankcase, remove engine oil dipstick.
(3) Wipe dipstick clean.
(4) Install dipstick and verify it is seated in the tube.
(5) Remove dipstick, with handle held above the
tip, take oil level reading.
(6) Add oil only if level is below the ADD mark on dipstick.

The areas where the oil does not go completely across the dipstick were not submerged and therefore do not indicate your oil level. As stated above, they are areas where oil was picked up off the side of the dipstick tube. The level where the oil begins to go completely across a previously wiped clean dipstick should indicate your oil level.

I think I can smell oil on the dipstick but it is very slight and i have to be very close to it. As far as I can tell it doesn't look milky. What does this mean?

how can I clean the dipstick tube then for the next time I need to check it.. or should I just not touch it for a certain amount of time to let it settle back down into the engine?

I added Lucas because I saw it was supposed to increase mpg, slow down engine wear, etc. I also had just a very slight tick, but I was more curious than anything.

Sounds like you are over thinking the whole process. If its in the crosshatch or even slightly above you are good as long as it isn't looking like chocolate milk. Run it!!!

Interesting. The "engine wear" thing has been around for a long time, really with the 4.0 find a quality oil that it likes (whether that be Valvoline Max Life, Shell Rotella, Mobil1, whatever) and then use a GOOD filter. Some people have luck with additives like MMO to take care of sticky lifters or blast some other buildup out. Thickening your lubricant (either by going up in grades like 20W50 or adding in honey like Lucas) actually reduces fuel economy because the engine has a lot more resistance to deal with, and reduces noise by inhibiting motion (the opposite of what a lubricant is supposed to do).

Rotella T 15w40 and a mopar oil filter works best for me. Always make shure you get a good oil filter and not some garbage because its on sale.

so should my dipstick smell slightly like gas? How can I fix this?? its driving me crazy...

It depends on how long the oil's been in there for. If your rings are really worn then raw fuel will pass by on the compression stroke, straight into the oil and dilute it. The old school method would be to put some of the oil on your fingers, if it runs and gets into your fingerprints and all of the lines in your skin it's probably really gassy. The less carcinogenic way would be to send a sample off to a lab to get tested. Performing a compression test is a good idea however and you can extrapolate from the results.

Smelling like "two-stroke exhaust" happens, it's a result of blowby from worn rings. My 99 4.0 with 336,000 KM's oil smells like it after a few hundred K as well as my friend's 2004 Honda Civic that he BABIES with only like 200,000 KM. If this is the case I wouldn't be concerned.

I replaced the injectors with new ones with a bigger spray pattern, me being a stupid 16 year old tried replacing them myself, had trouble with a few, dad helped and used lubricant (which i didnt use for putting into the fuel rail, which im 99% sure that side isnt leaking) and used lubricant for the install into the cylinder ports. Should I take the injectors out of the cylinder ports, and turn the key to on and see if they leak??