I know what the tyre pressures should be for my Peugeot 205 1.6 GTI when cold. But when I turn up at the garage the tyres are at normal running temp. Any idea what the running pressures should be.
I have also found that topping up with oil is difficult on the forecourt because the car is designed to be checked when cold.
I have a system where I check the tyres cold on the driveway. I also have a tyre pump that I use when the tyres are still cold. I check the oil before the engine is started - from experience I know that it takes 1 litre to fill from bottom to top mark. I do not overfill because it can give problems with seals and gaskets.I also know the rate of use of oil and its never that much even on a long run of several hundred miles for the level to become dangerously low. But the point you make is a fair one - topping up oil when the engine is warm and shortly after it has been switched off can lead to an overfill.
Don't know about tyre pressures - I would guess that 30psi when cold may translate to 32psi when warm - but it is just a guess. Important thing is not to have a flat tyre. Common sense will tell you to leave well alone if it around the recommended pressure. Adjust when the tyre is cold.
If you don't live too far from your garage try the method I used to use. Add a few psi to the tyres when hot, drive home and let the tyres cool down. With luck when you measure them cold, you should find you have to let some air out to reach the correct reading.
You should see the people who use my filling station. They typically come in, raise the bonnet, check the oil, fill up, then leave. Over in no time. I bet they are all overfilled.
If you get yourself a tyre pressure gauge you will never have to trust a garage one again and you will also be able to check your pressures cold at home and then again at the garage so that you will know how much the preesure has increased on the way there.
Wouldnt it lead to an underfill? Hot oil is less dense, fills more space, takes up more room and heigh on the dipstick? Thats how mine works anyways - seems to make up to 1/8 of a max-min on mine.
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