Oil doesn’t show on the dipstick until second pull.

I pull the dipstick out for the oil and nothing shows the first time. I put it back and pull out for a second time and it shows full.

My car has 94000 miles.

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. What could be happening is the dipstick is binding up on the oil pan in the dipstick tube. Check the dipstick tube and make sure that it is not bent or have a kink in it. Also, when checking the oil, make sure that the dipstick is going all the way down into the engine oil pan and stopping on the lock to the dipstick. Replace the dipstick tubing if its bent or damaged. If you need further assistance with your dipstick not registering oil for the first time and then again it register good, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :

Sometimes there are holes instead of marks. If the oil doesn`t reach inside the markings or holes on the dipstick, you need to add at least one quart of oil. If the dipstick is not showing an oil level, you need to add oil immediately.
After adding some oil, wait about one minute for it to fully settle, then check your dipstick. If the level is still low, add the rest of your quart.
Once you pull out the dipstick, this is how you can identify the oil level: Sufficient oil in a car: Oil level would be between the lower and higher mark. Low oil in a car: Oil level would be on or below the lower mark.
Insert the dipstick into the tube slowly and push it all the way down. Now withdraw it and look closely at the tip, which should have oil on it. If the level of the oil is between the two lines, your vehicle has enough oil. If it`s at the low mark or below, it`s time to add a quart.
If coolant is leaking into your motor oil, it will turn the oil tan or milky on the dipstick or underneath the oil cap. Leaky coolant can build up underneath the oil cap, too, so check that monthly.
There will be two marks on the dipstick to show the optimum level that your oil should be at. Your oil level should be somewhere between the two. If your oil level is below the bottom line, or if there isn`t any oil on the dipstick at all, you should immediately top up your engine oil.
Oil Level Is Too Low

The oil level dropping below the minimum dipstick line is one of the most common causes of low oil pressure. This can happen at any time, even if you`ve recently had an oil change. Over time, engines burn oil more quickly. This is due to piston rings wearing, seals leaking, and so on.

Oil Level Is Too Low

The oil level dropping below the minimum dipstick line is one of the most common causes of low oil pressure. This can happen at any time, even if you`ve recently had an oil change. Over time, engines burn oil more quickly. This is due to piston rings wearing, seals leaking, and so on.

If your oil light is on but you recently got your oil changed, you might have a leak. To check for oil leaks, leave your car parked on a level surface for a few hours and inspect the ground underneath it for puddles.
If you don`t take care to insert the stick fully, you introduce an error. And, sometimes oil clinging to the dipstick tube will cause an erroneous reading.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Oil doesn’t show on the dipstick until second pull.
ANSWER : Hi there. What could be happening is the dipstick is binding up on the oil pan in the dipstick tube. Check the dipstick tube and make sure that it is not bent or have a kink in it. Also, when checking the oil, make sure that the dipstick is going all the way down into the engine oil pan and stopping on the lock to the dipstick. Replace the dipstick tubing if its bent or damaged. If you need further assistance with your dipstick not registering oil for the first time and then again it register good, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

lost all oil pressure, replaced the oil pump, low oil sensor, oil pressure sensor, oil pan gasket,
ANSWER : The fuel pump will not stay on if you loose oil pressure. This is why it is shutting off. The loss of oil pressure may be from bad crankshaft bearings or camshaft bearings. The engine oil pan should be removed and the oil pump needs to be checked to ensure that you put in the pick up tube seal to the pump and connected the pump to the block. Then remove at least one main bearing cap and inspect the bearings for excessive wear and crankshaft damage. If you need some help with this, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can help diagnose the issue with your oil pressure firsthand and help you fix it accordingly.

No oil on dipstick and slightly lower oil pressure
ANSWER : Hello. If you are checking the oil at the dipstick and it is being added to the correct area then you more than likely have a serious internal sludge issue. If there is a lot of sludge then the oil cannot properly return to the oil pan. I typically remove the valve covers to inspect for this as there should be no other reasons why the oil would not return to the oil pan. If you need to have this problem checked out, consider having a technician from YourMechanic come to your home or office to diagnose the low oil level and make the necessary repairs.

No oil on the dipstick
ANSWER : My first recommendation is to NOT START this engine until there is sufficient oil showing on the dipstick. Even if there was excessive sludge in the area of the valve covers, after an hour or two, most of the oil should drain back into the crankcase. A bad oil pump would not prevent the oil from coming to the correct level on the dipstick. Be sure to check to see how far down the dipstick goes into the motor. Sometimes new and fresh oil can be tough to see registering on the dipstick as well. If you need help having this addressed, a qualified professional from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to inspect the oil problem and resolve the issue.

oil level not showing correctly on the dipstick
ANSWER : Hello. It sounds like you may have an issue with oil sludge. If there is sludge build up then that will cause this. Any sludge build up will keep the oil from draining into the oil pan and can affect oil pressure. I usually remove the cylinder head cover and check for sludge. If there is sludge then the engine may need to be flushed. If there is no sludge then there may be a restriction in the block itself.

Just noticed a huge oil leak trailing my car. It seems to be coming from below the engine. I recently had my oil changed a month
ANSWER : You might have a problem with the oil filter leaking when you rev the engine and increase the oil pressure. This can be from a collapsed oil filter media or excessive oil pressure from the engine. I recommend having the oil and filter replaced using a good quality filter and have the oil leak verified to be from the filter. Make sure to not run the engine low on oil. If you are finding you do not want to drive with the leak, a mobile technician from YourMechanic can come to your home or office, and replace both your filter, and oil.

Oil consumption. Burning oil. Oil light turns up on idle.
ANSWER : Hi there, thanks for writing in. The valve stem seals are the most common cause of this on your engine. When they fail, it requires that the cylinder heads be removed and rebuilt to fix it. The piston rings can also cause this but they are not as common. Unfortunately there is not anything, not even heavier oil that will fix this. You will need to have the heads rebuilt.

i just changed oil and i drove less than 200 miles and the dip stik show low oil levels and there is no oil leak My car has 135000
ANSWER : Hi there. How much oil did you put in during the oil change? What is the specification? How do you know that there is no oil leak? The engine may have a leak that simply has not dripped and provided visual evidence. I suggest having an inspection performed to be sure there aren’t any underlying problems. Your Mechanic has several available technicians that can assist you with an oil leak inspection.