So I was checking my oil and forgot to turn my engine off, figured it wouldn't be an issue.. took the oil dip stick out and my engine started buckling.. put it back in, it stopped.. did it again and it started and stopped as soon as I put the dip stick back in. Is this normal?

 

Your engine is designed to pull a vacuum when the system is operating correctly. When you introduce an air leak you cause a change in the entire system which typically results in a rough idle.

 

From what I understand, it is normal. One of my uncles had a couple of BMWs that did the same thing. It's something to do with the removal of the dipstick disturbing the engine vacuum and causing either a rough idle or a stall out. I've never tried it with my car since I just assumed it would also shut off if I pulled the dipstick.

 

That is what should happen and it can set a check engine light code too.

 

My question would be: Why are you exiting the cabin and leaving an un attended motor vehicle running. It is not unheard of for really bad things to happen with nobody at the controls. Also, with the engine running, you are not going to get an accurate measure of the oil level so what's the point in the first place?

 

As if it was easy to get a good reading the normal way.

 

Back in the day when I pumped gas one of my coworkers was checking under the hood for a customer with the engine running and he leaned in with a rag around his hand and somehow got it caught in the fan and it pulled his hand into the fan. He got a lot of stitches and from then on we were not allowed to check under the hood with the engine running. Bad things really can happen doing that.

 

Eggzakly!

 

That is the wonderful world we live in. Whole systems with sensors monitoring the crankcase ventilation and ensuring we get no drops of oil from the car which will run off into a stream and impact the life a a small aquatic animal. 80% of the electronics on the car are just regulatory in nature and add zero to the driving experience.

 

LOL smartasses :-P
I work overnight, 13 hours.. I was exhausted and wasn't thinking clearly but glad to think the cause of my stupidity was somewhat normal!

 

Stupidity is normal, else some of us smartasses wouldn't have done some of the stupid things we've done giving us the latitude to get to act like smartasses in the first place. Pretty soon you'll start to enjoy and join in with the smartass crowd a little more.

Just don't join the 'Hey y'all, hold m' beer and watch this' stupid crowd.