No dipstick??? WTF

[recycled sixtie]

I don't think it would be that hard to drill a hole in the engine(make sure there are no filings going into the engine), get some parts from the wreckers and have your own home made dipstick. Would have to do that when the warranty is over! Cars without a dipstick or spare tire are simply inappropriate for this modern world.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by svandamme

I have an M97 as well, but I don't have to wait 5 minutes for an oil level reading.
I can get a time out after the engine ran, then i have to wait for it to drain and settle to the sump, That wait can be much longer then 5 minutes.

My experience has been that it's based on whether the car is fully up to temp. If the car is not quite up to temp, then it will have you wait longer. If it is completely warm, then I have to wait a minimum of 5 mins.

[BlueWing]

The wifes MB SLK350 has a dipstick but no realtime guages on the dash. You have to go thru multiple pages using the steering wheel to get to them and is intended only for a quick view. Drive me nuts not seeing what the car is doing.

I take it the dealer gets a lot of income from it. The only time a warning happens is when there is an issue. The dainty SLK owners probably stop the car call the dealer have it towed and get the oil topped off.

An oil change is another, suction tube only. I get a kick out of a dealer oil change. The dealer I use has a repair bay camera to watch. Do a walk around with the service rep., sign off of condition. Tech drives car into service bay (no lift) pops the hood, removes/replaces oil filter, sucks oil out, dials in fresh amount fills it up, plug in the OBDII clears the service and out comes the car. Costs IIRC about 125.00.

The oil suction on it is necessary as there is an indent on the pan for the suction tube to get it all out. The drain plug leaves about a quart in there.

NO SPARE TIRE! There is a 800 number on the glove box door to call to fix a flat free. Not sure how they do it but if I were 300 miles from home and it is 2:00 in the morning hows that gonna work?

But it is the car she wanted for me to get a free Porsche (kind of).

Terry

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by masraum

My experience has been that it's based on whether the car is fully up to temp. If the car is not quite up to temp, then it will have you wait longer. If it is completely warm, then I have to wait a minimum of 5 mins.

IF the engine ran, the compute decides you have to wait xx time before you can have a reliable reading.

The warmer the engine is, the less time because the computer assumes cold engine oil takes longer to drain to the sump.

It does make sense if you think about it, and most people never gave that much tought back in the old dip stick days.. They would just shut down the engine, and check the dipstick right away.

So the dipstick could in those cases ,show a slightly lower reading.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by svandamme

IF the engine ran, the compute decides you have to wait xx time before you can have a reliable reading.

The warmer the engine is, the less time because the computer assumes cold engine oil takes longer to drain to the sump.

It does make sense if you think about it, and most people never gave that much tought back in the old dip stick days.. They would just shut down the engine, and check the dipstick right away.

So the dipstick could in those cases would show a slightly lower reading.

It absolutely makes sense. Especially for vehicles with greater oil volumes. Oil expands as it gets hot, that's why the level is supposed to be checked hot. I've read some posts on the 'Net where guys were complaining that the level on the dash was all over the map because if they checked it cold, it would read one way, warm would read another way and hot would read some other way.

My old '88 911 was the same. If the car was fully up to temp on a hot day, the reading was very different than it was partially up to temp on a very cool day because of oil expansion. The oil level gauge on my old '88 was absolutely reliable as long as you understood the effect of temperature and time idling on the oil level.

[Stutzdriver]

Originally Posted by Geronimo '74

First time i hear about it, where did you hear this?

I used to sell Audi’s a couple of years ago. I was at a meeting hosted by 2 German factory engineers. The no access specification is for any completely new (clean sheet ) design done after 2014 or 2015 model year. Any redesign or updated design does not fall in this catagory.

Something to look forward to....

[scottmandue]

My 2015 Nissan Versa has CVT that needs the fluid changed every 60K miles. The transmission has no drain plug. A $260 service at the dealership

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by Stutzdriver

I used to sell Audi’s a couple of years ago. I was at a meeting hosted by 2 German factory engineers. The no access specification is for any completely new (clean sheet ) design done after 2014 or 2015 model year. Any redesign or updated design does not fall in this catagory.

Something to look forward to....

I find it hard to believe that the EU Regs would impose anything and not have anything online about it.
EU looks at safety, emissions, and free access to repair information.
So far i've see nothing from the EU that would mandate no acces to oil changes.

[sugarwood]

No carburetor??? WTF

[DanielDudley]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

If you want to find the dipstick, just look over in PARF. Lots of them, just everywhere all the time.

Maybe, but do you have a single engine you can't verify the oil level on ? I have heard tales of electric oil pumps on gas engines as well. Doesn't sound smart.

[enzo1]

What about 10-15 yrs down the road? Are those owners going to the dealerships to get there oil changed? I also have reservations if a previous owner will change the oil at all. Guess there would be records but still, not good!

[Scott R]

Been this way on my Range Rovers for a while. I use this guy so I can accurately see how much comes out. Also need this because the drain plugs are obstructed by large heavy bash shields.