I changed the oil in my 2008 Mini Cooper myself for the first time. It’s got the metal tipped dipstick. For anyone who knows Mini Coopers, how can read it with new clean oil? When the oil gets dark, it’s easy to read but with new clean oil, I just can’t see where the oil level is. The capacity is supposed to be 4.4 quarts. I’ve put in about 4 quarts from a 5 quart jug. Are there any tricks to see where the oil level is?
Mini cooper dipstick. How to read?
- Thread starter lokijoker
- Start date
Easy wipe the dip stick dry then insert then remove a read...the part that is wet will be the oil...
The dipstick is like a coiled metal… the oil can be hard to read as it soaks into the coils.
What I do is have a clean paper towel - pull the dipstick, clean off the end, reinsert and then place it against the clean part of the towel. It will show you where the level is when it soaks onto the paper towel.
What I do is have a clean paper towel - pull the dipstick, clean off the end, reinsert and then place it against the clean part of the towel. It will show you where the level is when it soaks onto the paper towel.
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Thanks! I will try that. Yeah, it’s like a long, skinny spring. When the oil is dirty, it’s not too hard to read but you just can’t see where the oil is when it’s new. I’ve always had the dealer do oil changes because they always had deals but those days are over. This has always been a problem reading the stick but I trusted that they filled the oil with the correct amount. But doing it myself, I don’t want to overfill it.
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(Peugeot designed) N12/N14/N16/N18 Mini engines came with the worst
dipstick ever. Aftermarket options? Yes, they exist, but just marginally better.
The cause/root is the S shaped dipstick tube. A Cravenspeed dipstick can't
change that bloody tube.
No news! No need to reinvent the wheel:
(Peugeot designed) N12/N14/N16/N18 Mini engines came with the worst
dipstick ever. Aftermarket options? Yes, they exist, but just marginally better.
The cause/root is the S shaped dipstick tube. A Cravenspeed dipstick can't
change that bloody tube.
No news! No need to reinvent the wheel:
Dipstick design - no, hear me out!
My new-to-me Mini came with the worst dipstick I have ever encountered. I've seen some beauties that made reading the level difficult with clean oil, usually because of shallow hatch marks. Mini's dipstick is engineered to smear the measuring section whenever you remove the dipstick. It looks...
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laughs in VW No but seriously, the VWs I've seen all have the crappiest dipsticks. Not only are they really hard to read, but the oil will smear on the dipstick as you pull it out of the tube.
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Oil level on dipstick after a couple of days?
Sorry for what may be an obvious answer - I thought I overfilled my oil because the dipstick was wet above the MAX level. The car sat for a couple of days and I just went and checked the dipstick and the oil level is exactly where it should be. Since the engine has not been run is this an...
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Every time I change the oil on my '96 Maxima (or top it off) I'm reminded what an awful location the dipstick is in. Nissan cast a slot into the cylinder head in which the dipstick sits, which leads right down an oil drain hole in the head/block that eventually goes to the oil pan. Convenient...
bobistheoilguy.com
Dipstick design - no, hear me out!
My new-to-me Mini came with the worst dipstick I have ever encountered. I've seen some beauties that made reading the level difficult with clean oil, usually because of shallow hatch marks. Mini's dipstick is engineered to smear the measuring section whenever you remove the dipstick. It looks...
bobistheoilguy.com
Dipstick design - no, hear me out!
My new-to-me Mini came with the worst dipstick I have ever encountered. I've seen some beauties that made reading the level difficult with clean oil, usually because of shallow hatch marks. Mini's dipstick is engineered to smear the measuring section whenever you remove the dipstick. It looks...
bobistheoilguy.com
I Want a Darker-colored Oil
Add liquli moly additive. this or... https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=engine+oil+dye&_sop=12
bobistheoilguy.com
Reading a Dipstick
laughs in VW No but seriously, the VWs I've seen all have the crappiest dipsticks. Not only are they really hard to read, but the oil will smear on the dipstick as you pull it out of the tube.
bobistheoilguy.com
Liqui Moly MoS2 Leichtlauf 10W-40
What are you going to use this for? Mercedes M119 engine
bobistheoilguy.com
Oil Change - Hot or Cold and Oil Level Check - Hot or Cold?
4 pages on how to pull a dipstick? Well done! Check your oil hot or cold. If it is low add a little. Otherwise close the hood and drive on. I hardly ever check my oil because it tells me I overfilled the crankcase. I already knew that.
bobistheoilguy.com
Dipstick design - no, hear me out!
Nothing much to see. 5k-mile old oil. :ROFLMAO: Oil level looks good and I see your using the new Castrol 0Worangepaint weight oil!
bobistheoilguy.com
Or play a light source over the tip in a manner which reflects the light.....much as you'd do if sighting down the length of a car looking for bad body work.
There's a company that makes dye for petroleum products called Rekhaoil. Wonder if it might be easier to add a drop or two of dye into the crankcase so it shows up easier when the oil is new
Drill two holes 1/16" holes in it at the low and high marks. Oil fills the holes for level.
The problem is, the coil dipstick is shiny so it’s hard to differentiate shiny oil from shiny spring.
That might work. Once the oil darkens, it’s easier to read.
That would be very difficult to do because it’s round, not flat and it’s like a spring.
There are some YT vids showing how to read Mini dipsticks.
I have a visibility issue with the 5W-20 synthetic oil when I try to read the dipstick on my Generac 20kw standby.
I have read about fixes including scuffing the shiny surface with file/paper, making small notches in the dipstick edges, checking level in bright light, and adding a dye.
As vpr5703 indicates there is a company REKHOIL that makes an oil soluble dye for oil...$8.00 incl S/H!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/255647544443?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20220405142716%26meid%3D3310f806420747b78674191fcd57d1e9%26pid%3D101506%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D262871741734%26itm%3D255647544443%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D4481478%26algv%3DDefaultOrganicWebWithV11WebTrimmedV3VisualRankerWithKnnV3AndUltBRecall&_trksid=p4481478.c101506.m1851
I ordered the minimum 0.25 oz which REKHOIL rep indicates that quantity will dye 37 GALLONS of oil.
When queried about quantity to dye 2 quarts in my generator they indicated 1 SMALL DROP to attain bright red.
I have read about fixes including scuffing the shiny surface with file/paper, making small notches in the dipstick edges, checking level in bright light, and adding a dye.
As vpr5703 indicates there is a company REKHOIL that makes an oil soluble dye for oil...$8.00 incl S/H!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/255647544443?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20220405142716%26meid%3D3310f806420747b78674191fcd57d1e9%26pid%3D101506%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D10%26sd%3D262871741734%26itm%3D255647544443%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D4481478%26algv%3DDefaultOrganicWebWithV11WebTrimmedV3VisualRankerWithKnnV3AndUltBRecall&_trksid=p4481478.c101506.m1851
I ordered the minimum 0.25 oz which REKHOIL rep indicates that quantity will dye 37 GALLONS of oil.
When queried about quantity to dye 2 quarts in my generator they indicated 1 SMALL DROP to attain bright red.
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