I'm curious; if the engine runs out of oil, will it shut off automatically?

You'ld think, and I'm not sure why, but without that 5 minute hiatus it's always smeared, no matter how long it's sat.

Try both methods.

 

When I change the oil on my cars I just leave the dipstick out for a few minutes before checking it again. Helps to allow the oil on the dipstick tube to drain

 

Do you mean if you add oil? When I check mine in the morning before starting the car it is not smeared.

 

I find if I pull, immediately replace and pull the dipstick again, for a check, there's oil smeared a long way up the edges, any scenario.

I do just that, and manage to decipher it, but a 5 minute wait before the second insert dispels most if not all of the smearing.

 

Yeah, I usually check it in the morning before heading out. As long as I can see it, everything is good. It's never low.

Never had any sludge trouble (that I know of) with the 2005 Camry. Drove it for 11 hears, zero problems. Never burned oil. Wish I had kept that car a little longer.

 

I think Mendel mentioned that the Gen4 dipstick is shaped different?

 

Check it first thing in the am after its sat all night all the oil stored up in the vvt vane system will have drained back and the dipstick will be nice and clean.

 

You would think..... Agreed, and sounds easy, but I always have the "mystery smeared dipstick."

 

Yeah just occurred to me, @Skibob 's second gen, I'm third, and @Starship16 's fourth: maybe second gen dipstick is less problematic. Third and fourth gen engines are more-or-less interchangeable (per @Ragingfit), but second gen is different displacement, for starters.

 

I gotta laugh at this. Never had an issue in the past with any other dipstick. Just a Prius. And the dipstick is perfectly straight, but it must turn or twist in there somewhere.

The car has been parked all night and all morning. Just did a first-pull check of the dipstick. The oil is smeared about 1.5 inch above the full mark. Wiped, waited 5 minutes, re-inserted. Pulled it out, and.... Not quite as bad, but still spotty and smeared.

My Toyota manual says to check oil when engine is warm. Wait 5 minutes after shutting off power, and check.

 

I'd suspect it doesn't make much difference; try and see.

 

I did.

It didn't.