Engine Oil Dipstick Level

[marcus]

Have recently replaced oil and filter and put in 10.7 lts engine oil as per workshop manual.

The oil level appears to be way above any of the markings on the dipstick. It was like this before I changed the oil.

Do I have the correct dipstick? Thanks.

[Geoff Green]

Your dipstick looks correct. My measurements are from the seal holder where the dipstick enters the block. 8" to the top of the hash XXX, 3/4" length of the hash, 1 1/8" from bottom of hash to end of dipstick.

Fill amount in the book for an empty engine is for oil in the sump, filter, passage ways, head cam spring cavity, pump, bypass, crank passage ways, camshaft feed pipe, etc. You never get all the oil out of an engine and if you fill the filter before fitting (I do on vertical filters, not an E-Type) you must remove this from the total.

[johnney]

You have overfilled it, 8.5 Litres is the correct amount.

[MarekH]

A number of things spring to mind.

Firstly, dipstick length
There are two factors to consider here:-
1/ dipstick length,
2/ dipstick tube length.

If the tube which the dipstick sits in were to be too short, then the dipstick will sit too far down in the sump and you'd tend to underfill the engine.

If you have the right amount of oil in the engine, then you shouldn't worry it.

The dipstick is 70cms long and extends 14.5cms beyond the end of the tube that it sits in. (The neck of the tube sits 3.8cms into the block. The end of the dipstick will be 18.2cms below where it enters the block.) Normally this'd only be an issue if you have coverted an xjs engine to etype spec, as xjs spec is different.

Secondly, I'd run the engine and see where it settles. You may have had some sort of air pocket which meant not all of the oil got drained. The amount indicated puts it above the level of the sump and you are sure to see it leak out soon if this were to be the case.

Thirdly, you may have inadvertantly twisted the dipstick and somehow got it to read from the baffle, not the sump.

10.7 litres is correct, despite what Johnny thinks.

kind regards
Marek

[JagWaugh]

I have twice seen the nub on the dipstick (which stops the dipstick against the tube) broken, allowing the dipstick to fall right down into the pan. Check this.

[malcolm]

Is your car on a level surface? Makes a massive difference to where the oil comes to on the dipstick
By the way, 8.5 litres is right for the 4.2 engine, but I'm assuming yours is the V12

[PeterCrespin]

I have twice seen the nub on the dipstick (which stops the dipstick against the tube) broken, allowing the dipstick to fall right down into the pan. Check this.

OP's car is a V12 as stated in signature. This rule doesn't apply.

[johnney]

10.7 litres is correct, despite what Johnny thinks.

kind regards
Marek

Johnney misread the signature and thought it was a S1
just as Marek misread mine and thought my name is spelt without an e !

[marcus]

Thank you for all suggestions.
Problem now solved. Thanks Peter and Marek for all your diagrams and photos.

It appears that the top of the dipstick tube sits approx 2" lower or further into the engine bay than it should do. Thereby allowing the dipstick to protrude into the sump further than it should, causing a higher reading.

Part number C34427 which attaches to the end of the tube before it goes into the sump, may not have been fitted during the PO restoration. Can't tell until I remove heat shields and panels. This particular part looks to be approx 2" in length judging by the parts manual.

Pics attached.