Oh-ho, not a dumb question. Many of us are concerned about that. The only way I know to confirm top-end oiling is to pull a valve cover while it's idling. If you get a mess, you're fine. The misting spray can travel a couple feet, good for engine, bad for the outside world.
A good reason to want clear valve covers. An excellent future project...
A good reason to want clear valve covers. An excellent future project...