How to check oil level - without the foam

I got concerned after seeing all these threads about cars burning oil (430s more so than 360s) and having the foamy Shell oil making it tough to read how much oil you really have. So I devised my own contraption with stuff laying around the house. I took some old plastic pipe (3/8" I think and ~10 inches long) and drilled some holes in the bottom (to let the oil in and not the foam) and one in the top (tied some fishing line to pull it back up).

No to measure the oil, unscrew the cap, insert the plastic pipe and then put the dip stick down the center of the pipe. Take your measurement then pull the pipe back up via the string.
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No, I just tap the tube on the sides of the oil resevoir, pull it straight up and put the rag underneath it.

No different, then pulling the dipstick really.

 

That's good, others have had some foam. One member mentioned it is difficult to measue the oil level of Shell Helix because is foams or bubbles and switched to Mobile. Maybe it has to do with how you warm up the engine (let idle or rev RPM to warm up engine).

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=206764&highlight=froth+oil