Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
There is.
Audi and BMW have an electronic sensor in the oil pan that tells you the level on the screen in the dash.
I prefer the dipstick method myself.
Ive always wondered why all cars do not have an oil pan/ oil level gauge, seems like this would be pretty easy and probably save a lot of engines.
Of course, it would only be accurate right at start up, but thats enough to inform the driver if there is sufficient oil. I know many many people who dont even check their dipsticks and would run their car dry.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,330 posts, read 54,400,252 times
Reputation: 40736
I've read (and never felt the need for) that you can clean the end of the dipstick and apply Wite-Out to it which will make the oil level much easier to read. I know WiteOut's tenacious stuff but have never tried it on a dipstick.
I've had over 200K on an engine with only a dipstick, that worked okay too.
My wife's car had over 200,000 on it before I started needing to add oil between changes. My pickup has 147,000 on it, and easily goes 7500 miles between oil changes without adding oil.
If an engine is so old and worn that it needs an oil top-off, it's unlikely that an electronic sensor would still be working.
I’ve seen a lot of malfunctioning fuel gauges, but at least if you run out of gas it won’t ruin the engine.
Temp gauge, well there’s pretty much no other choice, other than watching for steam.
Do you expect your car to burn oil? If black smoke isn’t pouring out the back and there’s no puddle under the car, and you keep up with scheduler maintenance, why would you suddenly suspect oil leakage?
Ive always wondered why all cars do not have an oil pan/ oil level gauge, seems like this would be pretty easy and probably save a lot of engines.
Of course, it would only be accurate right at start up, but thats enough to inform the driver if there is sufficient oil. I know many many people who dont even check their dipsticks and would run their car dry.
Honestly I haven’t checked my oil in years. My oldest car has 40k miles on it and I take it in to get the oil changed when the change light comes on. If it’s low on oil and the engine blows up, either the dealership owes me a new engine or the manufacturer.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,330 posts, read 54,400,252 times
Reputation: 40736
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ziggy100
Honestly I haven’t checked my oil in years. My oldest car has 40k miles on it and I take it in to get the oil changed when the change light comes on. If it’s low on oil and the engine blows up, either the dealership owes me a new engine or the manufacturer.
Why? Does the change light do double duty as a level monitor?
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,330 posts, read 54,400,252 times
Reputation: 40736
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ziggy100
Do you expect your car to burn oil? If black smoke isn’t pouring out the back and there’s no puddle under the car, and you keep up with scheduler maintenance, why would you suddenly suspect oil leakage?
Sad to say, I would trust the sensor long before I would trust 90% of the motoring public to check the dipstick EVER.
Don in Austin
I agree. In all to many cases it's a "dipstick" checking the oil.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
