R56 oil dipstick
#27
08-26-2013 | 08:03 AM
5th Gear
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 781
Likes: 3
From: Omaha, NE
Most of the time it displays false readings of actual level, there are many posts about it.
Issues is with top bulge on the OEM sticks reader.
Borrowed this pic from one of the threads.
Typical method is to check oil when engine is HOT. Some folks are checking when cold, not sure that is accurate way IMO. Anyways....
Remove stick, wipe it down, insert and remove it, and that bulb at the top drags on the inside of the dip stick tube grabing the oil residue dragged up from the first removal. Folks pull it out, see shiny oil at the top bulb and assume "it's full"....
As far as the OEM one for the 1st Generation goes, it is made of thin fiberglass and they will ALL eventually snap off about 3-4 inches down from the bottom of the grip, lower half ends up falling down into the pan, rendering it un-retrievable ( 99.9% of the time ) absent dropping the front sub-frame and then removing the oil pan....
This obstruction also prevents a new stick from being inserted.....
Most clubs have group buys for the Craven sticks. Ours had one, they were $60.00 ea and Craven included free shipping to club's shipping address.
These are quality parts specific to one model line ( MINI ) which required R&D by folks earning a pay check using equipment and computer software, and distributed by employees with health insurances paid to move the product to you from a building/business......not a drop shipper with basically zero overhead, a paypal account and an iPAD.....
Issues is with top bulge on the OEM sticks reader.
Borrowed this pic from one of the threads.
Typical method is to check oil when engine is HOT. Some folks are checking when cold, not sure that is accurate way IMO. Anyways....
Remove stick, wipe it down, insert and remove it, and that bulb at the top drags on the inside of the dip stick tube grabing the oil residue dragged up from the first removal. Folks pull it out, see shiny oil at the top bulb and assume "it's full"....
As far as the OEM one for the 1st Generation goes, it is made of thin fiberglass and they will ALL eventually snap off about 3-4 inches down from the bottom of the grip, lower half ends up falling down into the pan, rendering it un-retrievable ( 99.9% of the time ) absent dropping the front sub-frame and then removing the oil pan....
This obstruction also prevents a new stick from being inserted.....Most clubs have group buys for the Craven sticks. Ours had one, they were $60.00 ea and Craven included free shipping to club's shipping address.
These are quality parts specific to one model line ( MINI ) which required R&D by folks earning a pay check using equipment and computer software, and distributed by employees with health insurances paid to move the product to you from a building/business......not a drop shipper with basically zero overhead, a paypal account and an iPAD.....
I've also heard that sanding or grinding down the top bulb that you have pictured cures the readability issue.
Being that mine doesn't drag oil down the dipstick, and it's not the plastic/composite type, I'm not worried at all :P
#29
08-26-2013 | 08:30 AM
3rd Gear
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 173
Likes: 21
From: Seattle
I, to,o fabricated a dipstick using a stainless windshield wiper spline (.030" thk X .095" wide) but I can't get it to fully insert in the tube because it has to bend in more than one plane. This is for a Gen R53. All it seems to do is to start scraping the dipstick tube before it just stops going in. Can someone explain how they got this fix to work on theirs? I've tried inserting it at different orientations to find an insertion "sweet spot" but have had no luck.
George
George
#30
08-26-2013 | 09:02 AM
Folks...
Just get the cravenspeed one....
Just like grayraven, I got mine in a group by (same one actually) and it is great.
Sure kinda $$, but to put it in perspective, the cost of a mini oil change is $60-120 (unless you diy).....so spending 60-75$ on a dipstick is not out of line IMO....stuff for the mini is $$...small market, small numbers...and parent company like BMW, need I say more?!
I urge you folks not to be foolish in trying to save $75, the need to spend $5000-7500 on a motor.... Kinda crazy!! Get a reliable, easy to read stick...then use it!!
The fact you even tried to use the OEM one, I give you points....you looked...but remember, oil levels are not really exact.... Will drive you ocd types crazy...check it, great!!
But just get the level Somewhere on the stick...in the normal range.
Try this out...check you oil level in the am...drive...look after you park, engine off for 5 minutes....drive home...check it again....
Just having a slight slope of a driveway, the oil up in the passages, etc all cause variations in readings....
The important thing is you look....don't ever worry about adding less than maybe a half quart....
IMO....add when you need a half or a whole....trying to add less than that is so inexact, you will go crazy!!
Rant over....
Now check your oil!!
Just get the cravenspeed one....
Just like grayraven, I got mine in a group by (same one actually) and it is great.
Sure kinda $$, but to put it in perspective, the cost of a mini oil change is $60-120 (unless you diy).....so spending 60-75$ on a dipstick is not out of line IMO....stuff for the mini is $$...small market, small numbers...and parent company like BMW, need I say more?!
I urge you folks not to be foolish in trying to save $75, the need to spend $5000-7500 on a motor.... Kinda crazy!! Get a reliable, easy to read stick...then use it!!
The fact you even tried to use the OEM one, I give you points....you looked...but remember, oil levels are not really exact.... Will drive you ocd types crazy...check it, great!!
But just get the level Somewhere on the stick...in the normal range.
Try this out...check you oil level in the am...drive...look after you park, engine off for 5 minutes....drive home...check it again....
Just having a slight slope of a driveway, the oil up in the passages, etc all cause variations in readings....
The important thing is you look....don't ever worry about adding less than maybe a half quart....
IMO....add when you need a half or a whole....trying to add less than that is so inexact, you will go crazy!!
Rant over....
Now check your oil!!
#33
08-26-2013 | 01:26 PM
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,894
Likes: 6
From: Philly PA
#34
08-26-2013 | 06:31 PM
3rd Gear
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio
Now this is the part that gets me. I have he same dipstick. It's all metal and flexible, same as that Craven one. It has 2 bulbs on it to represent high and low levels, just like yours. And as you said, it's not hard to read at all. I get a simple reading every single time. Why are you thinking of changing it out? There's nothing flawed about this particular dipstick.
DIY
I measured the OEM dip stick 3 times from the stop on the handle to the high and low level points at the bottom on that stupid thing you can't read.
I did that sometime ago before it broke.
*Note* the last step is trimming the stainless steel spine.
Do not cut the stick to length yet
Disclaimer here, these are the measurements I arrived at and used, your results may be different.
Stop to high oil level = 55mm
Stop to low oil level = 57mm
The metal for the stick is the stainless steel spine from a 26" windshield wiper blade. I was all set to buy a new one but lucked out when I got to the auto parts store. I found what I was looking for sitting right there in front of the store in their trash can, they replace wiper blades for customers right in front of the store, score!
Anyway, cut off whats left of the stick from the handle, then drill or Dremel the handle out enough to just go past the two O rings. Test fit stainless steel spine into hole often, you don't want it to big. Well there isn't much there to work with anyway.
Now cut some notches in the end of the spine. I used JB Weld, two part epoxy to bond the spine into the handle.
Let it sit and harden up per JB Weld instructions.
Now you can measure 3 times and cut once at about 59mm.
I used metal number and letter stamps to mark high (55mm) and low (57mm) level lines and filled in between those lines with IIXXXXXXII> stamp to give the oil something to cling to.
On the end of the stick you want to shape it like a spear point and polish it up so it will slip by that step you can feel when inserting the dip stick.
That's about it.
I measured the OEM dip stick 3 times from the stop on the handle to the high and low level points at the bottom on that stupid thing you can't read.
I did that sometime ago before it broke.
*Note* the last step is trimming the stainless steel spine.
Do not cut the stick to length yet
Disclaimer here, these are the measurements I arrived at and used, your results may be different.
Stop to high oil level = 55mm
Stop to low oil level = 57mm
The metal for the stick is the stainless steel spine from a 26" windshield wiper blade. I was all set to buy a new one but lucked out when I got to the auto parts store. I found what I was looking for sitting right there in front of the store in their trash can, they replace wiper blades for customers right in front of the store, score!
Anyway, cut off whats left of the stick from the handle, then drill or Dremel the handle out enough to just go past the two O rings. Test fit stainless steel spine into hole often, you don't want it to big. Well there isn't much there to work with anyway.
Now cut some notches in the end of the spine. I used JB Weld, two part epoxy to bond the spine into the handle.
Let it sit and harden up per JB Weld instructions.
Now you can measure 3 times and cut once at about 59mm.
I used metal number and letter stamps to mark high (55mm) and low (57mm) level lines and filled in between those lines with IIXXXXXXII> stamp to give the oil something to cling to.
On the end of the stick you want to shape it like a spear point and polish it up so it will slip by that step you can feel when inserting the dip stick.
That's about it.
Quoting me on this wasn't really neccessary as that's not the dipstick I have at all or was talking about. I understand that's the evil POS dipstick that doesn't let you get a good reading. Mine is all metal, flexible, and has metal bulbs that do not cause that readability issue.
I've also heard that sanding or grinding down the top bulb that you have pictured cures the readability issue.
Being that mine doesn't drag oil down the dipstick, and it's not the plastic/composite type, I'm not worried at all :P
I've also heard that sanding or grinding down the top bulb that you have pictured cures the readability issue.
Being that mine doesn't drag oil down the dipstick, and it's not the plastic/composite type, I'm not worried at all :P
yep, that's mine as well. Is this the one that people have broken/ have trouble reading? I hate coming in after the fact...
#35
08-26-2013 | 07:07 PM
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,894
Likes: 6
From: Philly PA
that looks like a dream to read.
The crappy current OE one is this style.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-oil-line.jpeg
#36
08-26-2013 | 08:58 PM
Thread Starter
|
5th Gear
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 893
Likes: 2
No,
that looks like a dream to read.
The crappy current OE one is this style.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-oil-line.jpeg
that looks like a dream to read.
The crappy current OE one is this style.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-oil-line.jpeg
#37
08-26-2013 | 09:56 PM
5th Gear
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 881
Likes: 104
From: Lodi,CA
r56 dipstick
I had an '08 and it had that dipstick, easy to read. Concerning my new '12, the dipstick is almost impossible to read. The dealer gives a ******** method using paper to read the dipstick. Bottom line the B.S. dipstick will read overfilled if you used the Manual directions for reading the dipstick.
I am not a fan of the legal profession in general, but someone could make a boatload on this one.
I am not a fan of the legal profession in general, but someone could make a boatload on this one.
#38
08-26-2013 | 10:02 PM
5th Gear
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 781
Likes: 3
From: Omaha, NE
Sand.....the..... top.....bulb.....
Though I agree, there should NOT be a BS excuse and justification in place of a functioning dipstick, it CAN be bypassed somewhat simply from what I'm seeing online. I guess in the world of basic fixes Vs. the sue happy culture we live in, I just take the 5 minute fix and not raise my blood pressure getting worked up about things that small? I certainly don't shell out $75 in lieu of a 5 minute DIY fix lol.
Though I agree, there should NOT be a BS excuse and justification in place of a functioning dipstick, it CAN be bypassed somewhat simply from what I'm seeing online. I guess in the world of basic fixes Vs. the sue happy culture we live in, I just take the 5 minute fix and not raise my blood pressure getting worked up about things that small? I certainly don't shell out $75 in lieu of a 5 minute DIY fix lol.
#39
08-26-2013 | 11:31 PM
3rd Gear
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio
No,
that looks like a dream to read.
The crappy current OE one is this style.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-oil-line.jpeg
that looks like a dream to read.
The crappy current OE one is this style.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-oil-line.jpeg
#40
08-27-2013 | 05:45 AM
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,894
Likes: 6
From: Philly PA
I wouldn't find it crappy to read cause you can easily see the difference cause the dry surface is matte and It gets shiny where the oil is, so that gives the idea of the oil level, where as in the 1st stock dipstick, its always shiny even in the oily surface, making it pretty hard to figure it out.
The problem with it is after the first pull-to wipe after the engine has been running... The bulbs smear oil up and down the dipstick tube.. Making further readings useless.
And yes, it's too smooth which makes clean oil impossible to see.
I found filing the bulbs worked fine to fix this ( and gave the stick more texture).
#43
08-28-2013 | 04:05 AM
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,894
Likes: 6
From: Philly PA
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