I tried to check my engine oil levels in my MCS this past weekend and when I pulled out the stick, it was really hard to see if there was oil! Either the synthetic is very clear when new or I don't have enough oil. It didn't help that the dip stick was made of metal that made it hard to see things. I wiped the stick with a paper towel and there was definitely oil on the stick. Does anyone know of a good method to check the oil?

 

The oil level on the earlier cars is hard to see on the dipstick as well. What I did before the oil started to darken was remove the dipstick, wipe it off with a lint-free cloth, re-insert it and remove it, and then fold a paper towel around the tip, being very careful not to slide the towel up or down on the tip.
Carefully unfold the towel to expose the tip, and you should be able to see the oil level on the towel.

 

Hey, thats a good problem to have!
I have that problem when checking the oil right after changing it (ok, on my Jeep). I find that looking at the stick from the side, like reading a thermometer, helps. The surface tension of the oil keeps it together long enough to get a reading.

 

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to try that tonight, the paper towel thing.