zzopit

OK, I had the car three weeks, bear with me...

84 Carrera, dipstick should be under the oil filler-cap right? I have a ~3/8" tube in there, no dipstick in the tube.

Maybe PPI mechanic (or prior owner) left it out or am I missing something?

-zzopit


<img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />

H. D. Smith

you got it right...that's where it should be.

jlkline

Sounds like a missing dipstick to me, which needs to be replaced.

I have found my oil level gauge in the dash pretty reliable, although there may be a few out there to flame me on that.....

As a new owner, remember that oil level is checked with the car stationary,on level ground, engine idling for at least 30 seconds and warmed up to "normal" operating temp. (about 180F)

If you check it cold or not running, it will appear to be very low, resulting in overfilling the tank if you try to top it off.

real550A

Maybe PPI mechanic (or prior owner) left it out or am I missing something?
Maybe I'm missing something...shouldn't a missing dipstick show up on a PPI list? Seems pretty important. Mike

Stephen Masraum

It's probably in the oil tank. Many people have found multiple dipsticks in their oil tanks upon removal, I guess they fall down there easily if you miss that 3/8" tube.

I use the dipstick to check my oil, but my gauge is also accurate. With the oil thoroughly warmed up and idling for a few secs it will register the same as the dipstick, but before you trust your gauge you would need to verify it against the dipstick at least once.

zzopit

OK perhaps it fell into the tank. I suppose one could bend up an old coathander and hook-around for it in the filler tube?

I am reasonably sure it was in there when I checked out the car and had the PPI a few weeks ago. 4-5 other people looked at it after me, perhaps we have a culprit.

-zzopit
84 Carrera, dipless

<img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />

Carlos Artal

Some 4-5 months ago there was a huge discussion thread on lost dipsticks.

Being aluminum, they cannot be rescued with a magnet. Because of the tube to the deposit bend, they seem impossible to recover with a coathanger or similar.

Good news is that they don´t hurt anything either. Just get a new one.

By the by, there were plenty of alternatives proposed for saving future dipsticks

Elephant Chuck

Don't go in with a coat hanger. You may damage the sending unit.

Best bet is to forget the dipstick is in there and buy a new one. You don't really know it is in there (but it probably is).

Check this thread on the topic

<a href="http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6640&highlight=ounce" target="_blank">http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6640&highlight=ounce</a>

Good entertainment value if nothing else.

jlkline

A couple other alternatives if its really making you crazy.....

At you next oil change with the tank empty, you might try an uncoated coathanger with a small 90 degree bend or hook on the end, and see if you can fish it thru the drain plug.(assumes it is actually in there, of course) Per Chuck's reply, careful of the sender. If you don't know what the sender looks like, find a picture to understand how it orients in there.

You could also remove the sending unit on the side of the tank which would provide a 2"D fishing hole, It is mounted with a few small nuts and a gasket, but make sure that everything is as clean as possible before removing it, or dirt may fall into your oil tank.

Chris Bennet

Turn the car upside down and shake it gently, the dipstick will fall right out...

zzopit

To come to closure.....

I got the prior owner to admit that it was down there, balled out the PPI mechanic and bought a new one from our good friends at Pelican.

- New dipstick cost $10.75
- Hearing that the old one in the tank will not damage the engine, PRICELESS

Most impressive thread in the archives (noted in above messages.

-Jason
84 Carrera
200,290 miles and counting...

Chris Blum

I would not rely on the oil level guage on the dash for anything other than spotting a oil level catastrophe. They are just not reliable.