Crossflow Dipstick

[Mark Bagnall]

This should be good for a laugh.  I have just bought a running Phaeton (Pictures and description to follow soon) but I could do with some suggestions.

There does not seem to be a dipstick!  I have seen crossflows where the dipstick is out of the front cover on the exhaust side - but no sign of a hole or blanking piece there.

The nearest I can see is a short blanked piece of hose under the carbs - is the dipstick sometimes their?

Any suggestions welcome - luckily I am not easily offended!

[28ullkq4hau58]

thats it only the early crossflow =mk2 cortina, and the pre crossflow had the dipstick in the timing cover especialy front bowl sumps.

the later ones had it at the rear right side of the bolc with a rubber flexy, coming up to a mounting tab on the inlet manifold

[1midz0wwbl268]

Yes that short piece of hose is where you would normally find the dip stick  on the later crossflows

If you want to find the dip stick on a Pheaton , you need to look a bit further back, and you need a mirror,  sit yourself in the drivers seat, hold the mirror in front of you, congratulations, you have just found the dipstick. 

[1midz0wwbl268]

shut up Dipstick  :)))))))))))

Actually i'm disapointed if that was the best you can come up with,  i was expecting something like , its the reflection of the  melos owner behind you 

[1midz0wwbl268]

Spent Money, ?? have you looked in your workshop recently? . you might find something missing,  lol 

[Mark Bagnall]

In the middle of the picture is a bolt which blanks a hose that must be where the dipstick tube should be.

Does anyone have a spare dipstick tube and dipstick I can buy?  I think the tube I have may be too short, it seems around 150mm long - it is well below the manifold level though obviously the manifold is different from the original as I have twin 40s on it.

[Mark Bagnall]

Yes Graham, it is a 711 block.  I'm a bit reluctant to run until I can sort out some way of checking the oil level.  The seller said he changed the oil a week ago but it is pushing out a fair amount into a (leaky) catch tank - I know I have oil pressure and haven't noticed a light on round bends but I can't just keep hoping there is enough.  Come to think of it the excess being pushed out could mean it's overfilled.

[Dave Taylor]

You can get away with a length of welding wire, or even a coat hanger straightened out. The oil level should be just below the depth of the bowl. You'll need a length of rubber hose long enough to reach the top of the inlet manifold otherwise you'll get oil spraying out from the short pipe.

Or see this from Burton Power http://www.burtonpower.com/dipstick-x-flow-fp651.html

[1midz0wwbl268]

Dave not sure if  that one will  fit,  its the flexible one thats needed   the top of the tube is bolted to a bracket on the inlet manifold and the stick has to be able to flex so that it goes into the sump through the hole in the baffle  the dipstick on mine has to bend like an S shape to go fully in

[Mark Bagnall]

Dave, I had seen the Burton one but I do have a hose rather than a short pipe.  I might try with some brazing wire - It would be nice to know what the depth f oil should be though - maybe I can combine with Adrian's idea and refill first.

Martin, it's a good point - I am unsure when I put a wire down the hole just where it will end up!  There is no bracket at the end of the tube, its waving about in the breeze, I guess it was changed when the 40s went in.

I could try to fit a longer tube up between the barrels - I can always blank it when I'm not fiddling with a bit of wire (or custom dipstick!)

[1midz0wwbl268]

my dip stick guide bolts onto the  inlet manifold at the second too last bolt hole nearest the bulkhead, so if yours is coming up towards the middle, re route it further back, then see how far it comes up, thats assuming mine is correct of course but as it recorded full when i re filled exactly the right amount via the jug,  i guess mines ok.

[Dave Adams]

when one of my engines had no dip stick i drained the oil and refilled with fresh using the manufacturers capacity. Then i made a dip stick with an old wire coat hanger and filed a mark at the indicated level, then i marked it about 3/4"  lower...bingo a dip stick

[Adrian Southgate]

Mark, run it until warm and then drain into a clean catch tray, refill using the same oil to the capacity indicated for your engine without oil filter change... see if you have any left or if you need to add more... At least you will know you have oil in.

The Dipstick on the legerra engine is snapped, 40,000 miles of topping up 2 litres at the first twitch of the oil light.

It has had a replacement engine but the other one had been run too hot too many times. Mine has an RS ally sump... seen the price of dipsticks for those ...