checking oil levels

[skodanut]

Has anyone on here come to the conclusion that it is a bit of a pain trying to accurately check the oil level on a superb greenline? Ok the oil is slightly black, but it would be so much easier to check the oil on a flat steel dipstick than the black plastic bulbous markings that the greenline presently has. Even when engine is cold, it's still a pain to get a proper reading, as one doesnt know if the oil is collecting on the dipstick when pushed in prior to it being pulled out, hence giving a false reading !!

Is it possible to get an upgraded dipstick??, or am i being one myself lol?? I did come to a possible conclusion that it might have been overfilled, but the engine isnt having any problems whatsoever. Any help would be great thanks

[benjamino]

I have a 2008 Octavia and I also have the same problem as you. It's not the easiest!!

[BilboBaggins]

Agree tht it is impossible to read properly, especially in a new vehicle with clear oil- hope it will get better as the oil changes colour to black. I ended up having to lay the dipstick on a piece of kitchen roll and look for the stain to see how far the oil came up the diptstick- not the best method I am sure :wonder:

[skodanut]

Well as you know its a very thin dipstick with min / max marks on it, dammed if i can get a clear reading from it, had a job to actually read the min/max marks, but still in my opinion not very good design considering the dipstick is all black except for the pull up handle. A white plastic tip might have been better implemented or a plain steel blade with the oil marks present.

As for the kitchen roll maybe the oil being thin would spread into the roll and again give a false reading, especially if it spread upwards maybe lay the dipstick on some grease proof paper with the markings already replicated prior to dipstick being fed into the tube. Still a palava to check though.

[Supurbia]

Well as you know its a very thin dipstick with min / max marks on it, dammed if i can get a clear reading from it, had a job to actually read the min/max marks, but still in my opinion not very good design considering the dipstick is all black except for the pull up handle. A white plastic tip might have been better implemented or a plain steel blade with the oil marks present.

As for the kitchen roll maybe the oil being thin would spread into the roll and again give a false reading, especially if it spread upwards maybe lay the dipstick on some grease proof paper with the markings already replicated prior to dipstick being fed into the tube. Still a palava to check though.

Pull the stick, wipe it, dip it, leave it for 30 seconds and pull it again, if there is oil on the top ball and none one the thin middle add 0.5 L of oil, the only thing to look for is a coating on the thin middle piece, nothing on there and you are low on oil, hth.

[skodanut]

Trouble is supurbia, is that all of the stick is black apart from the orange top piece...and the markings from low to high is basically in my opinion less than an inch.Now if the oil is black and the stick is black it is very difficult to get an accurate reading as the two plastic lumps are too close together and what with the tube being thin as well. you can almost feel the dipstick collecting residue oil on the way down and on the way up. So even if it did show a mark on the dipstick, by the time you withdraw it more oil has been added to it, thus getting an incorrect reading.

It is a poor design really, and in my opinion changed for a different type of blade so that when you push it in and withdraw it the reading can be made instantly. Thats my 2pence worth.

[Tankdave]

Don't the engines have a low oil-level warning lamp?

[Supurbia]

Don't the engines have a low oil-level warning lamp?

Yes but you shouldn't rely on it, you are running the engine low on lube if you do, my Passat burns a lot of oil, and I know when it's getting low as the engine sound is louder.

@ Andy, I agree, but I think the top one that gets wet and then there's nothing on the slim part indicates the top only got wet as you pulled the stick out, leaving the stick dipped longer than normal gives the oil a chance to climg to the stick, and if the slim section is dry you need a top up, anything from 0.5 to 1L of oil required, but as you say it's the most stupid system known to man, a dipstick invented by one.

[sk8tergirl]

Don't the engines have a low oil-level warning lamp?

Hi Tankdave,

Yes I believe every car has an oil warning light but as Supurbia states you are then running it low on lube. I would go on to say VERY low on lube. Its a few years ago now but a freind had a SEAT Toledo 1.8 16v GTI & he was just plain lazy! the oil light came on & it needed about 3 litres of oil... so only about 1ltr (approx) was left in the engine.

Well for being lazy & I'm amazed he got away with it, he had the first new engine block at about 5000km, the 2nd at about 15000km & the third... hard to say he drove around for about 3 months without the speedo working! SEAT paid everything... ok it had a few more issues... Radiator leaking (oops not reconnected properly after 1st engine replacement) electric windows not working - makes getting into a multi-story car park quite difficult once the cable on the accelerator came off when joining a motorway (well Autobahn) & well what do you do... Stop I guess but on the slip road its not a good idea with cars accelerating up behind you.

You get the picture nice car but it had a few small assembly problems compounded by an owner who didn't really care... other than wanting it to go fast.

So back to the point Oil light... I reckon when you get that low & wait for the light & the beep, then you've goto expect the engine to be suffering.... BADLY! But I think our cars here get a little more TLC. But I agree with the naf dip stick but please keep checking... better safe then sorry... if in doubt I'm sure any Skoda dealer will check it for you if concerned.

Stef

Edited 3 May, 2011 by sk8tergirl

[Supurbia]

You have 3 - 3.5 L of oil left in a PD when the oil light comes on, work on it being closer to 3L though, still bad news though, I'd rather risk the CAT than the engine, and I think you'd need 5L to start putting the CAT at risk myself, I work to 0.5L per 2k in mine, totaslly unacceptable but VW have said it's acceptable at lower levels, something really not right with the 2.0 PD, it's a smokey lump as well when you thump it.,