Oil dip stick

[Leyland]

Hi all
I have recently purchased a dip stick for a 948 engine from one of our well known suppliers.
I was told it was for a 803/948 type.
However, the one sent is identical to one I have for a 1098 with tube.
Am I right in thinking the earlier stick was a straight rod with no washer fitted.
The one sent has the metal washer and rubber seal for later type.
Could someone please confirm before I go back to supplier and moan!
Thanks Ty

[philthehill]

The 803/948 dip stick (Pt No: 2A294/12A110) has no washer - is straight and drops right through the dip stick hole with a nice clunk on the bottom of the sump.
The 1098cc dip stick (Pt No: 12G175) has the washer and does not rest on the bottom of the sump but on the dip stick tube.
Phil

[Leyland]

Thanks Phil, that is a great help. Ty

[liammonty]

The 803/948 dip stick (Pt No: 2A294/12A110) has no washer - is straight and drops right through the dip stick hole with a nice clunk on the bottom of the sump.
The 1098cc dip stick (Pt No: 12G175) has the washer and does not rest on the bottom of the sump but on the dip stick tube.
Phil

They aren't all straight Phil - some have a double 'kink' in them so the top part is further away from the block.

[philthehill]

liammonty
Straight or double kinked - the point being made is that the 803cc/948cc dip stick does not have the washer and drops straight down through the dip stick hole and the bottom of the dip stick rests on the bottom of the sump - hence the clunk when the dip stick hits the bottom of the sump.
The 1098cc dip stick is suspended by the washer and tube above the bottom of the sump - so no clunk when pushed home.
Phil

[liammonty]

Phil - I didn't disagree with that, did I?

[Leyland]

Thanks for all the info.
I have now received what is, I hope, the correct one for a 948 engine.
It is 19.25 inches total length has a dog leg or double kink and no washer.
Interestingly the level markings are quite different to the 1098 one.
The min level is higher up the stick, and the gap between max & min
Is much closer together than on the later stick.
I assume I now have the correct one for 948. Thanks for all the help.
Ty

[amgrave]

I can see why the high/low level marks are higher up the stick but surprised the marks are closer together on the 948 one. I thought the two engine blocks were roughly the same size overall so similar quantity of oil.

[liammonty]

Thanks for all the info.
I have now received what is, I hope, the correct one for a 948 engine.
It is 19.25 inches total length has a dog leg or double kink and no washer.
Interestingly the level markings are quite different to the 1098 one.
The min level is higher up the stick, and the gap between max & min
Is much closer together than on the later stick.
I assume I now have the correct one for 948. Thanks for all the help.
Ty

Sounds like a result to me! The fact that the max level is higher sounds promising (and indeed correct), as like Phil said, that style of dipstick rests on the bottom of the sump as opposed to be held up by a sleeve as it is on 1098 engines, which means the dipstick sits lower in the block.

[oliver90owner]

Oil pan cross sectional area will determine the refill quantity between low and high for any same depth-change on the dipstick.

Maybe refill quantity between max and min was relaxed on later engines. Maybe the oil pump pickup was positioned slightly differently? Maximum oil level would have been determined to avoid crank splash and pump starvation at maximum climb or descent - unlikely to have been on critical volume, for such a low specific horse powered engine.

So several if, buts and maybes involved. The design engineers of the day knew what they were doing, I expect, and allowed a bit of leeway for those that did not quite get their oil levels spot on (or check frequently enough!).

A mini I bought two weeks ago had sufficient oil to safely drive home a few miles, but insufficient for any competition use! It was way down below the minimum on the dipstick. It was clean oil so they had refilled with too little, just before sale. I changed the oils and the filter as a first task, so I know it has the correct grades and a fresh filter.

On most cars it is simple enough to change the engine oil (and filter) and refill with the correct volume of oil, then check the dipstick reading with the car on a level surface if there is any doubt as to the dipstick fitted.