Merry Xmas all,

Love nearly everything about my Scout, especially now that I have it fitted with Nokian WR G2 winter tyres!!! One of the few quibbles I have with the car is that it is a diesel with a black dip stick:thumbdown:. Is there an alternative dip stick available that I can actually see the oil levelB)? I was thinking of just getting some silver spray paint, is there a downside to this, ie paint contaminating the oil???

Many thanks.

Fin

Hi

I wouldn't paint the end of the dipstick - the paint would contaminate your oil.

My VRS CR has a grey end on the dipstick - if you can find someone near you with a different skoda model, you could try a different dipstick in your car to see if it fits and is exactly the same length as your one.

Maybe the dealer can advise if certain models have the same dipstick or they may be able to get a grey one fo you. You may even be able to get one from a scrapyard.

Cheers

Dave

Black plastic covered in oil does look different to the same plastic without oil on it.

Agreed, a lighter colour would have made more sense but I've never had a problem reading the levels on my Scout...

First time pulling it out is the best way to check it. Reinserting it again and out, is very hard to see.

Could some light colored heat shrink do the job?

Could some light colored heat shrink do the job?

If the job is putting bits of heat shrink into the sump, yes

If the job is putting bits of heat shrink into the sump, yes

Seriously, just check your oil in good light and the level is easy to see

Hi,

I personally wouldnt put heat shrink or paint on the end of deepstick in brighter colour. Heat shrink may come off eventually and stick to oilpump screen filter. Painting the end of deepstick is not as bad as heat shrink, but i wouldnt suggest. Just check oil level on good light and you will see the oil level. Dont forget when oil is clean its harder to see level on deepstick, so dirtier oil =easy see oil level.

regards

I've posted several times on this subject. The dipstick is a PITA to use. It curves sharply and drags oil back up the tube.

One solution is to buy a spare dipstick and abrade and paint the end of that a light colour and only use it to check the oil when cold so no risk of contamination of the oil with paint

Many thanks for all the responses. In a nutshell, I just have to put up with it!! As posted earlier, as I pile the miles on and the engine oil gets dirtier, it should be more noticeable.

Fin

Many thanks for all the responses. In a nutshell, I just have to put up with it!! As posted earlier, as I pile the miles on and the engine oil gets dirtier, it should be more noticeable.

Fin

That is definitely so. Very quickly the oil will become an easily seen dark "blob" , leaving the higher (uncovered) part of the flat engraved dipstick area clear.

When the oil is new it is lighter and more transparent so you can see the etched marks through it, but when it has had some use it looks quite different.

Can you get replacement dipsticks that fit the Octavia which are flat rather than the two ball kind (ooh err)?