I was happily driving a 1.6 TDCi Mk4 of 2012 but got hit in the rear and insurance declared it total loss. So I now bought a 3-year old / 27.000 km 1.5 TDCi Mk5.

I had a maintenance done by a Ford dealer before starting to drive it. After two weeks I opened the hood in order to check on levels, and I found the oil level as if it was overfilled (see photo). Then this was checked by draining the oil. Volume drained was 3.975 l, while dealer says oil volume to be filled should be 3.85 l, so indeed 125 ml of excessive filling. This should however not be a problem and to my opinion also not result in such an excess on the dipstick. Anyway, there was 3.85 l of oil returned into the engine, and the level on the oil dipstick still shows too high (oil level still above all yellow plastic on the dipstick) . Following the dealer, the dipstick measurement is not correct. I am puzzled here. I always thought that the level read on an oil dipstick was thrustworthy. Anyone else had a similar experience?

Note : oil level testing was always done on a level floor and the engine had not run for several up to even 24 hours.

Sure that I will next time change the oil myself, measure 3.8 l (which is actually what the manual says if oil filter is also replaced), and verify where I end up on the dipstick.

You shouldn't really measure how much you're putting in going off the manual. You'll always have a lot of oil left in the engine that doesn't get drained out when you drop the oil filter and sump plug.

Like my focus takes 6.something litres of oil, however only needed to put in around 5 litres to make it reach the top of the dipstick.

The dipstick is the best way to check your oil level provided it is done correctly. Some need to be done with a warm engine, others cold. 

I agree with you and hence disagree with the Ford dealer.

When I do oil replacements myself, I start draining when the motor is still warm (not hot) in order to drain properly because of a lower viscosity. I think that in this case both the initial oil change and the check afterwards (after I found the level to be too high) were performed on a cold engine, hence higher viscosity, hence more oil being left behind in the engine.

I also allow to drip the oil during a couple of hours (which is never done in a garage).

When I then enter the volume of oil as described in the specs, I end up at the max on the dipstick. But as this car is new to me, this is experience from previous cars of different brands.

Therefore I will do the next oil change myself and I will be surprised if I then end up above the max on the dipstick. Will keep posted in a year or so. 😉

In my experience it makes negligible difference whether you drain it on a hot or cold engine. Theres pros and cons to both but either way you get as much as you can possibly get out of the engine.

On 12/25/2019 at 11:51 AM, Bruno1961 said:

I also allow to drip the oil during a couple of hours (which is never done in a garage).

Meh not really worth it. Out of the 3 Litres you have drained, an extra 10ml you'll drain by leaving it for a few hours isn't worth it. You wont get much more than 10ml out after the initial 10 mins it takes to drain 3L lol. Your car will be scrapped long before your engine fails because you only changed 3L of the oil instead of 3.01L of oil every year 😂.

A dipstick in my Mondeo 2014 MK4 1.6 Duratorq TDCi is identical to the one in the photo in first post. I'm in doubt if it is original to my engine as user manual shows a bit different dipstick for my engine 😕

As I am a second owner of it I am unsure if I can rely on oil level shown by this dipstick.

May someone clarify this?

The pictures in the Ford owners handbook can not be relied upon to be correct.