The 'E' Type Forum

Checked the engine oil level and it was right down. I was surprised as I knew they used oil but not that much after say 500 miles.

Topped the level up and went for a drive. Oil started spaying around the dip stick aperture and dip stick kept spring back out about half an inch.

Was passing Mr Storey's house and called in as he was working on his car. Within 2 minutes the problem was solved. I had bent the dip stick putting in back in the car. Christopher advised draining off the excess oil before I blew the rear oil seal. When I got home and drained it. I had over filled it by nearly 4 pints. One lives and learns and it is only the experience of other that solves what looks like serious problems. That's the second time he has pulled me out of the Poo Poo, so it is now official the man is a genius.

Thanks Christopher, I though I had disaster on my hands.

Tony : I'm glad it was such an easy solution . It is something which happens so easily : the hole in the horizontal baffle plate is really rather small, and it is very easy to bend the dipstick. I suppose that the moral is, if you meet any resistance when inserting the stick , stop and reposition it before trying again

Tony

I concur - Christopher has a huge amount of knowledge based on personal experience. If I get stuck it will be to Christopher, Angus or Pete C I will turn!

Hi,
Whilst 99% of posts are of great help and interest some set alarm bells
ringing for no reason. (If you are a novice like me, 15 months e-type ownership)
Good points. Front windscreen fitted by Autoglass first time.
Bad Points. Still too scared to check the tappets.
You can see why I have such admiration for you guys that whip your XKs
out and fit new shells etc.

OK so now I am worrying about my oil seals and dip-stick.
Having changed my oil a couple of times and slightly over-filled the last time.
No I can't go back and check how much I put in now.

How can you bend your dip-stick?
How can you do that and not see it?
How can the dip-stick be re-inserted into a narrow channel if it is bent?
How does a small bend equate to several pints of oil?
Mine has a bend but after the stop. Could someone look at the photo
and say that is OK?
Thanks,
Nick.

Nick

The dip stick looks OK to me - as long as it is straight from the stop downwards it will register correctly. Don't worry too much about over filling as my car ran consistently that way for about 20,000 miles. The car had a Tony Law manifold fitted which meant the standard dip stick would not fit so a new one was constructed out of spring steel except the "ace" mechanic brazed the stop on in the wrong place Only found out when I installed a Classic Fabs manifold and put back the standard stick. :?

Nick,

It is not a problem once you know about it, but if you are not careful you miss the small hole in the baffle plate it has to go through. When missing the hole the stick slides side way across the top of the baffle plate and not through it. The result is you do not get a reading on the stick and start adding oil until it reaching a level above the baffle plate and gives you a false reading on the stick. Basically when you draw the stick out it springs back only slight bend but enough to keep missing the hole.
I only know this now Christopher pointed it out to me.

Maybe the forum should have a list of basic,"to watch out tips" for new E type owners. I can offer a couple for a starter:-

1. Another one I learnt from Christopher was, do not pull yourself out of the car using the steering wheel, They are quite flimsy.

2. Do not open the bonnet when nose onto the kerb.

3. Do not press the boot shut, give it a slight slam as I believe you can put a dint into them.


I am sure their are many other basic tips for beginners

I think you can add:

Do not overfill the boot and press it closed - it will bend
Always tip the seats forward when lowering the roof on 4.2's or you will damage the seat leather
Check the wiper arms are correctly seated on the splines and the retaining clip is fully in the groove otherwise they will drop off at speed.

Thanks for the tips.
With reference to the dip-stick not sure what the baffle plate is.
Have I something missing?

My Dip stick hole appears to go directly into the engine block.

on2wheels wrote:Thanks for the tips.
With reference to the dip-stick not sure what the baffle plate is.
Have I something missing?

My Dip stick hole appears to go directly into the engine block.

As long as the dip stick slides into the hole without forcing, it should be fine. BTW Tony, surely you would have had to force the dipstip in in order to bend it? (Or am I missing something)?

Nick : the baffle plate is a horizontal plate within the sump about half way up, there for the purpose of resisting oil splash/surge. It has a hole in it to accommodate the lower part of the dipstick but it is quite easy to miss this hole and hit the baffle plate. If you then force the stick down, you will bend it, and get wholly misleading (under)readings

I understand Chris.

Angus,

I do not remember using any particular force to insert the stick. All I notice was, it would not sit right and sprang back out about half an inch.

Now I know, it is not a problem but it was easily done.