Makeshift Engine Oil Dipstick.

[drone]

My old 220 cdi has the oil level readout on the dash, at times I find this a right PITA.
I guess a lot of other folks do also as I've seen several forums agonising about it, so I decided to buy one. Not cheap but I noticed that the part number for the dipstick for the 220 cdi is the same as the part number for the 350 slk which I also own t'was the work of a moment to gather up a 2 foot steel rule and measure the distance from the stop at the top to the max and minimum levels, 510mm and 535mm respectively on my clk dipstick.
I had recently bought a dipstick from e-bay for the transmission oil level and a quick felt pen mark at the appropriate place and a piece of 10mm inside diameter clear pvc tube that I had laying around was quickly cut to length and slid easily over the dipstick and bob's your uncle. The image is self explanatory.
My display says the oil level is ok, the dipstick says it's about 1/4 the way up from the lower mark. I used the 20 centigrade mark as the minimum level btw.
The pvc tube stops the dipstick from entering too far, I'm feeling rather smug.
And the proof of the Pudding!

 

[ajlsl600]

Wel done.. A 50k car and no £1 f dipstick. F/nuts why? What is simpler.? Why reinvent the wheel?

 

[DREAMER NO2]

Well they dont come with a dipstick, so i know just where drone is coming from,, i would want one as well .The electronic read outs are a very poor idea as some off us know . The way out is to cobble one up .Well done .

 

[Jim2]

My old 220 cdi has the oil level readout on the dash, at times I find this a right PITA.
I guess a lot of other folks do also as I've seen several forums agonising about it, so I decided to buy one. Not cheap but I noticed that the part number for the dipstick for the 220 cdi is the same as the part number for the 350 slk which I also own t'was the work of a moment to gather up a 2 foot steel rule and measure the distance from the stop at the top to the max and minimum levels, 510mm and 535mm respectively on my clk dipstick.
I had recently bought a dipstick from e-bay for the transmission oil level and a quick felt pen mark at the appropriate place and a piece of 10mm inside diameter clear pvc tube that I had laying around was quickly cut to length and slid easily over the dipstick and bob's your uncle. The image is self explanatory.
My display says the oil level is ok, the dipstick says it's about 1/4 the way up from the lower mark. I used the 20 centigrade mark as the minimum level btw.
The pvc tube stops the dipstick from entering too far, I'm feeling rather smug. View attachment 77639
And the proof of the Pudding!
View attachment 77640

What I did with mine was a bit simpler, where the black measuring tip meets the chrome part, there's a " Black Diamond " shape in the plastic, This is the stop point for the dipstick, the tube is shaped to block the stick entering the sump any further passed this point, so no matter how much of an overhang you will have with the Ebay (or other) dipstick the black tip will always be correct. So I pushed a lock screw and a rubber grommet on to the dipstick, and inserted it into the tube. When it reached bottom, I just locked the screw in place behind the grommet, and job done. No more fiddling around.

 

[drone]

Jim, if I'd had a grommet I'd probably have done that but I had a bit of tube and so I used that. Variety is the spice of life, eh?

 

[Jim2]

Jim, if I'd had a grommet I'd probably have done that but I had a bit of tube and so I used that. Variety is the spice of life, eh?

Sure. Before I got the grommet, I used a black marker pen, and that worked too, just the grommet made it easier. Because the flexible dipstick I got first was waaay too long.