Just bought a saxo, few q's :)

1. markos1980 Newbie Joined: Mar 2013 Posts: 2

   #1 14th March 2013, 12:20

   Hey Guys, recently picked up a saxo, got a few issues so thought i'd try this site for help :-)
   
   The car is a 1999 West Coast 1.4
   It's only this morning i've had a good look around it, and checked the oil and was amazed to see nothing on the dipstick, not even a dribble o.O no oil lights coming on the dash, and the engine sounds fine, so i thought i'd pop some in there anyways just to make sure, i put a litre in, waited a bit, and hey presto, nothing on the dip stick again! i mean even if it was very low, adding a litre should show something shouldn't it? Anyways i phoned a guy and he says maybe the dipstick is either the wrong one, or maybe it's snapped? So i guess what i need to know is, how can i tell if its the right one? and it doesnt really look snapped at the end, so if anyone has the same model / size, any chance u could maybe measure urs and let me know how long its supposed to be? The one i have is bent and twisted, im assuming it supposed to be like this?
   
   Anyways hope someone can help
   tia
2. user_39461 Super Moderator Joined: Nov 2009 Cambridge(ish), UK. Posts: 10581 BMW 5x M50d.

   #2 14th March 2013, 12:25

   yes they are twisted. That's normal.
   
   You should have a high and low notch (or graded area) on the dipstick - if yours has got those, it's the right length.
3. markos1980 Newbie Joined: Mar 2013 Posts: 2

   #3 14th March 2013, 12:49

   Hi thx for the response, just checked and it has the two notches, unfortunately though that still doesnt tell me if it's the correct one for this engine, i guess i could really use a length measurement just to be sure, rather than over filling it or start trawling through scrap yards looking for one
4. Gandi699 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182

   #4 14th March 2013, 12:56

   Easy way - Drain the oil out into something clean and decant into 2l pop bottles (cleaned) to see how much you've got. 3.5l or there abouts is right.
   Dipstick wise get on ebay, think most of the ones that fit the earlier engines are more or less the same its only the 3 plugs are different where the dipstick tube goes between the exhaust manifold branches?
5. user_39461 Super Moderator Joined: Nov 2009 Cambridge(ish), UK. Posts: 10581 BMW 5x M50d.

   #5 14th March 2013, 13:21

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by Gandi699 Easy way - Drain the oil out into something clean and decant into 2l pop bottles (cleaned) to see how much you've got. 3.5l or there abouts is right. Dipstick wise get on ebay, think most of the ones that fit the earlier engines are more or less the same its only the 3 plugs are different where the dipstick tube goes between the exhaust manifold branches?

   Yep this. The later (3 plug) cars have a different dipstick iirc.