dipstick on 1983 300D for a dumbstick
 

Hi. I don't have a manual with my car. How do you read a dipstick from a 1983 300D? Does anyone have a picture? Thanks:eek:

There should be 2 marks(high + Low). You want the oil level to be just under the top mark.

Park on level ground. Pull dip stick. Wipe it off from handle to tip. Insert back into dipstick tube until handle bottoms out on top of tube. Remove dipstick and look at the end. If the oil level is lower than the lower line it means you are low on oil. The lower line is the low oil limit. The higher line is the high oil limit. If the oil is right inbetween the two lines you are good to go.

Get some new oil and smell it. When you check the oil in the car, take a wiff- if it smells burned something is not good, as it idicates that the oil has gotten too hot.

Wipe the dipstick off with your fingers. If you feel grit in it you might have other issues. Are there bubbles on the dipstick? If so, remember oil and water do not mix, so where are the bubbles coming from? Coolant maybe?

I've found that if I fill up to the top line the car will consume the oil faster than if I fill to the middle

Okay then, now what kind of oil is best to use? Maybe someone should start a thread on that.

The oil needs to be checked with the engine at operating temperature and 10 minutes after stopping the engine.

Ideally, the level should be half way between the two marks. They are not "empty" and "full" marks.

pic of dipstick
 

maybe this car has a different dipstick. Here is a pic. I don't see any kind of lines here.

The notches are the marks. You have a normal dipstick.