Broken Dipstick

[Guest Bobster]

Hi,

 

I was doing the weekly checks on my wife's C3 (2003 1.4i SX) and pulled out the dipstick as normal but only the top of the yellow plastic section was attached, the rest had somehow broken off! I know you see the oil level electronically at startup but I like to see not only the levels but also the colour of the oil. I can get a new dipstick but is there any risk of damage from the broken off end laying in the oil? I guess the oil pump intake is protected by some sort of mesh but would appreciate an educated opinion.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bob H.

[tonyuk03]

Hi,

 

I was doing the weekly checks on my wife's C3 (2003 1.4i SX) and pulled out the dipstick as normal but only the top of the yellow plastic section was attached, the rest had somehow broken off! I know you see the oil level electronically at startup but I like to see not only the levels but also the colour of the oil. I can get a new dipstick but is there any risk of damage from the broken off end laying in the oil? I guess the oil pump intake is protected by some sort of mesh but would appreciate an educated opinion.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bob H.

join the club, had same thing happen and with the broken off piece still in the engine tube you will NOT be able to insert new dipstick but I had a stroke of luck took car to local dealership and they could carry out remedial to the cost of £200, took car to local independant garage,£120 to £150 which I accepted booked car in and few hours later got the call to say car was ready and that they manage to remove the broken bottom part of dipstick by catching hold from the top of the engine, cost £30, now thats what i call a result!!!

[kfk]

Alternatively......if you had tried the dipstick in the hole you might have found it stuck out by about 5mm........so you go get a pair of side cutters and trim 6mm off the bottom of the new one......hey presto you can now top your oil to the maximum level.

 

 

As for the bit you cut off.........well if your checking your oil and its in the last 6mm it would need topping up anyway!

 

 

 

With regars to plastic ends on dipsticks, no there not going to do any damage.....on some vehicles they get stuck in the dipstick tube and wont fall out, on others they just fall into the sump and are stopped going anywhere by the oil pump pickup filter

[snapper]

Bit of blue tack on the end of the dipstick might recover the end. Otherwise just remove the dipstck tube, knock out the bit and replace tube.

[paul.h]

I do not think bluetack would work, the oil would prevent it sticking. For the 1.4 75hp petrol engine, the dip stick tube has the same part number but the dipstick part number changes after car RPO 09687 - presumably it will be a different length, so if buying one care needs to be taken to get the right part no. - initially 117475 then 117482.