Quick checking your oil

[louis bolieu]

The manual says check your oil with every fillup. So you unload all the stuff you've been carrying in the luggage compartment, open the tailgate, raise the carpet and metal engine cover with one hand, pull out the dipstick. Meanwhile, the guy behind you is turning purple and honking his horn.
No more. Get an ACE #40289 Duplex Strainer-$6. Strip the attachments. Open the tailgate. Measure twice--or 5 times--and cut a hole through the carpet and metal engine cover with a 2 inch hole saw, directly over the dipstick. Remove the crosspieces at the bottom of the strainer. Install the strainer through the carpet, using only the big metal nut to secure the strainer.

Drill a hole in the fat end of the dipstick for an appropriate-sized stainless sheet metal screw. This will give you more leverage when you remove the dipstick. Replace the carpet. The strainer is now protruding through the engine cover. Push the white rubber stopper into the strainer. You're done.

Now you want to check your oil. Open the tailgate and pull out the rubber stopper. Voila! There's the dipstick. Remove it, wipe it, replace it,remove it, and there's your reading. Replace the rubber stopper. A 20-second oil check. Now speed away before that big ugly truck driver reaches your car door.

As lagniappe, you now have a great conversation piece. What the heck is that white rubber stopper in the floor of your luggage compartment , your friends want to know. Why that's where southern engineering trumps german engineers, you say.

I'm sure to get an award for this, and a few brickbats. It works for my passion.

[GHammerly]

I checked my oil at home every 300 miles for the first 900 miles and noticed no oil consumption, then checked again at 2000 and no oil consumption, then one more time at 5000 for my first oil change and still no oil consumption.
No need to be that picky unless you have high oil consumption.

[jwight]

Noticed the same thing - these cars do not seem to use much, if any, oil.

[The Rigger]

Originally Posted by louis bolieu

I'm sure to get an award for this, and a few brickbats. It works for my passion.

Errrrrrrrr, now you have to pull the dipstick every time you remove the engine cover, no?

[cablvr]

Originally Posted by louis bolieu

I'm sure to get an award for this, and a few brickbats. It works for my passion.

Pictures please!!!

[Duckhunter]

I just drained my oil and now I know it is empty without removing that pesky cover.

[forestacademy]

Ill start worrying about how much is in there on a regular basis when I get closer to 60-100K. Then I will look into this mod.

For now, Can you please post pics for details. Thanks.

As far as we are concerned, the biggest problem with opening and closing the engine cover is the little Key that holds it shut. It can be a real pain to close again.

[mendo]

Originally Posted by The Rigger

Errrrrrrrr, now you have to pull the dipstick every time you remove the engine cover, no?

No, the dipstick is just under the strainer, not attached to it.

The way that the motor moves around with the stock mounts I wouldn't attach it directly to the strainer.

[GHammerly]

Originally Posted by forestacademy

As far as we are concerned, the biggest problem with opening and closing the engine cover is the little Key that holds it shut. It can be a real pain to close again.

I found out that the camlock works well every time as long as the cover is properly aligned. The key to getting the cover properly aligned is fitting the front end of the cover properly under the front tabs before lowering the back end of the cover.
About the dipstick, some cars have elctronic oil level sensors built in to oil pan.

[2micro4u]

I don't feel its needed on a car that burns so little oil. Maybe every 5K but I don't even check it that often. Now when I get the new Smart force turbo I will keep a closer eye on it but till then im not going to loose any sleep over it.

Thanks for the tip for I now some people may be interested in this mod.