i have a 2005 Cadillac escalade, and i checked the Oil a couple days ago and it was low so i added some Oil. The dip sick was hard to get back in. Today i checked it again, but nothing is registering I on the dip stick. But i just added al a quart of Oil a couple days ago. The dip stick is really loose. A friend told me that the dip stick came out of the engine. Is it ok if i drive it like this ? Is it ok to drive home about 10 miles?
Vanessa , please edit your post so it is readable. All I can understand is that you have no idea if the oil level is correct . I say don’t drive until someone who actually knows some thing looks at your vehicle.
Sorry about that. For some reason my phone is really blurry so it’s hard to see what I’m typing. Thank you
Do you have a Dip Stick and if you do check the oil . If you don’t have one see if a parts store has one the will work because you don’t want to drive at all without the proper amount of oil.
Yes i have a dip stick but its not registering any oil. I just clombed under the truck and i can see that the thing the dip stick goes into, the tube, it is not in the engine. It is sitting rite above the hole it should be in. I can see where it should go but it’s not attached. Would the oil leak out that hole? Or would i be ok to drive home?
Try to shove the dip stick tube back into the hole.
The engine will leak a lot of oil without the dip stick tube installed.
Tester
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Its kind of hard to get to, but i just noticed the dip stick was sitting much higher because ours so loose, so i pushed it back to where it should go and the dip stick now goes I with no hesitation. I’m going to climb beck under and see if I’m able to get it back in the hole now that it is positioned corrextly… Thank you so much!! I’m scared to drive to the gas station to get oil now. Dammit! 
thanks again.
Is there anything that holds the dip stick tube into the hole? So if i do get it to go back in, will it stay or is there a missing piece now? WWheni was younger i used to try to fix my cars, but my bf who is not around for a while now, woulda have feathery have paid people to fix car problems, so I’m not to knowledgeable when it cones to fixing vehicles. Although it’s strait to hey nice outside and there’s no better time to start learning than now.
The dip stick tube has a bracket with a hole so it can be secured to the side of the engine.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=10115680&cc=1431692&jsn=468&jsn=468
Is the bolt missing?
Tester
I guess I’m not really sure. Where i thought the tube should have went was not the correct pace when i looked with a flash light. I think i see where it should go, but I’m not positive. The tube is attached to the side of the engine, it is just really fricking loose. I don’t have a pliers or anything to tighten it at the moment. But I’m going to try again to get it back in the hole after by piggie charges a second so i can use the magnifier abd flashlight to make sure I’m putting it where it should go.
Let’s clarify a little more
Is the dipstick loose . . . or rather the dipstick tube?
The dipstick itself probably has an o-ring on the handle end of it . . . it might be flat or missing, which would cause it to be loose in the tube
As for the dipstick tube, it should be bolted to the engine, probably near the exhaust manifold. If the bolt is missing, or the tube’s bracket is broken, it will definitely be loose
In my opinion, adding one quart wasn’t enough. You should add another 1/2 quart, then check again. Keep adding oil and checking until the engine oil level is between the empty and full marks on the dipstick
As to why your engine oil level was so low, I can’t say because I’m not there and know nothing about your car’s history or condition
If the dipstick isn’t missing it’s o-ring, it might be hard to reinstall if the o-ring is dry. Apply some fresh engine oil or some silicone grease to the o-ring, it should be a lot easier to reinstall in the tube
Vanessa , do you not have a friend you can call who can help you ?
If you can’t get someone to help you don’t drive this car unless you know how much oil is in the engine. Either find a mobile mechanic on Craigslist or have your car towed to a shop.
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First thing to check is your owners manual to see if it has a low oil warning. This could be a light in the instrument cluster or it could be in the form of a message when you start the vehicle that appears in the odometer. If it is a light, you can see it by turning the key to the run position but not going all the way to start. This will light all the warning lights on the cluster.
If it is a light, it will be a yellow oil can with two wavy lines under it. It looks like the oil pressure warning light except the oil pressure light does not have the wavy lines and it is red. If you have a low oil warning of one kind or the other, start the engine and if you don’t get the warning, your oil level is OK. If the red oil light comes on, shut the engine down immediately. The red oil light may come on for a second or two after start and that is OK as long as it goes right out, but after say two seconds, shut down and do not drive.
Now as for the dipstick and dipstick tube. If the bolt that holds the dipstick in place is missing, you can pull the whole tube out when pulling on the dipstick. The rubber seal at the top of the dipstick can really grip the tube sometimes. If the dipstick tube is not properly secured in the right hole, you will never get an accurate oil level reading. Also with it out of place, oil can leak out of the engine, but it shouldn’t run the engine dry. It is above the static oil level of the oil pan, so you would lose a little oil when hitting a bump in the road or something and only when the pan is full or near full.
Did you just buy this vehicle? I only ask because I would be concerned as to why the dipstick tube was not secured. That would make me think that there was major engine work done and someone forgot to secure the dipstick tube and then I’d wonder what else they forgot to do.
If the dipstick tube came loose from where it is supposed to seat in the engine, good chance a lot of oil has been lost. You need to find a way get this problem fixed before starting or running the engine. Otherwise very expensive to repair engine damage may occur.
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you could drain out the oil and measure it. if you need 5qts. throw in a jug. now you can drive it. for a bit
No. The dipstick tube entrance is above the oil pan, the oil level does not rise up to the tube entrance (seat). It would be like a toddler with a sippy cup walking across the room. The odds of liquid coming out the opening are directly proportional to the amount of liquid in the cup and the value of the rug.
Seems to be a difference of opinion on whether a broken dipstick tube will result in significant oil loss. It seems like it definitely would if the engine has much blow-by. Which is it? Is a broken dipstick tube a cause for oil-loss concern?
It is a concern for oil loss, but it isn’t going to drain the engine. The hole is above the oil level. The oil loss will be greater with a full pan and become less as the level drops. The way the vehicle is driven and the terrain will also factor in.