Kari,
You're not doing anything wrong. I think it is due to the design of the dip
stick guide tube that oil hangs up in there, and that creates the smear that
makes accurate reading of the oil level difficult to impossible if the
engine is running or has been running recently. The best time to get an
accurate reading is in the morning before the engine has been started. That
gives the oil time to drain down out of the dip stick guide tube. Even then
you will notice that the bottom of the stick and the top of the stick will
have different levels... I just average the two.
Good Luck
Bill
90 Westy Syncro
-----Original Message-----
From: Kari Williams <Karibel@AOL.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Thursday, April 01, 1999 10:02 PM
Subject: checking oil on '90 vanagon gl

>when i try to check the oil level, i pull the dip stick thing out, wipe it
>off, shove it back in and pull it back out and... the oil smears all over
the
>whole length of the stick and i have no idea how much oil i have. i also
own
>a jetta III and when i check the oil on that car, it is really obvious how
>much oil i have. what am i doing wrong with the vanagon? the gas station
>attendant couldn't do it, either.
>~kari
>