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ekrossi Samba Member
Joined: March 16, 2008 Posts: 181 Location: outside Jonesborough, TN
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Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 6:27 am Post subject: Dipstick reading |
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After filling my crankcase with the required 2.5 quarts of oil, the dipstick reads consistently between the 1st & 2nd marks. Is that a proper reading or is it possible my dipstick is incorrect for my engine? It has a replacement Mexican made crankcase. |
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79SuperVert Samba Member
Joined: May 31, 2002 Posts: 9758 Location: Elizabeth, NJ & La Isla Del Encanto
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Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 6:51 am Post subject: |
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Pretty sure that's where the oil should read. Between the two marks. If it's below the lower mark then you need to add oil. _________________ Central Jersey VW Society
Wanted: Art Collins VW (Savannah, Georgia) items - license plate surrounds and other items. Also ivory "AM", "FM" and "SW" buttons for a US Blaupunkt Frankfurt. |
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Harris Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2004 Posts: 1317 Location: Texas
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Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 7:03 am Post subject: Dipstick Reading |
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Borrowed from the Gallery. Do you have a 40hp, 1600 or other. I put 2 3/4 quarts in my 40 which brings me up to full on the dipstick..
far left standard 36 hp
second left 1960 only 36 hp
third left believe to be 40 hp but not certain
far right standard 1500 from my 65 bus |
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gt1953 Samba Member
Joined: May 08, 2002 Posts: 13848 Location: White Mountains Arizona
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Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 7:06 am Post subject: |
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If when you do an oil change and add the proper amount. Start engine let is run for a few minutes. Stop engine let the car sit on level ground for say 10 minutes then check the dipstick. I think that is the full reading for your engine reguardless of the style of dipstick. _________________ Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.
72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold}) |
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747frieghtdog Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2007 Posts: 215 Location: JAX, FL
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Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:06 am Post subject: |
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gt1953 wrote: |
If when you do an oil change and add the proper amount. Start engine let is run for a few minutes. Stop engine let the car sit on level ground for say 10 minutes then check the dipstick. I think that is the full reading for your engine reguardless of the style of dipstick. |
Profound sir.
And I'm being serious, simple and to the point.
I would have added make a mark on the dip stick. _________________ 55 Oval |
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KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 34013 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:22 am Post subject: |
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The stated fill volume is 5.3 pints, which is a little more than 2.5 quarts. The difference is betrween 1/2 and 3/4 cup. Try adding this amount and see if that brings you to the full mark. I bet it's close. |
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drs1023 Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2011 Posts: 1682 Location: Georgia, USA
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Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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I recently changed out a '70 case for a universal type case with the Type III block-off. The dipstick tubes are different lengths (universal case tube is .310" shorter) so I had to mark the stick higher up by about .310" to make up the difference. Both sticks I had were like the one above on the far left and far right. The far right one (big ringed one) came out of my 1200 engine from the dealer. |
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wayne1230cars Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2010 Posts: 2685 Location: Canada
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Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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KTPhil wrote: |
The stated fill volume is 5.3 pints, which is a little more than 2.5 quarts. The difference is betrween 1/2 and 3/4 cup. Try adding this amount and see if that brings you to the full mark. I bet it's close. |
Agree. Capacity charts show oil capacity in at least 3 different ways.
1). 2.5 litres - Oil is sold in litres in Canada so this is the amount I use in both my stock 1600 dp and 36 hp and it brings the oil exactly up to the full mark on both dipsticks.
2). 4.4 imperial pints which is 2.2 imperial quarts.
3). 5.3 US pints which is 2.65 US quarts.
In the "BugMe Videos" they say to add 2 3/4 US quarts and keep the rest for the oil bath air cleaner. _________________ 1960 beetle
1970 beetle convertible |
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Kiptere Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2013 Posts: 419 Location: Houston
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Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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You really don't want to fill it all they way up to the top (full) mark. Especially if it's an older engine. I wrecked an engine in the middle of the Texas desert doing this. Too much oil pressure. _________________ 62 Bug
70 Bug
68 Bug
70 Bug Vert |
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KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 34013 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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Kiptere wrote: |
You really don't want to fill it all they way up to the top (full) mark. Especially if it's an older engine. I wrecked an engine in the middle of the Texas desert doing this. Too much oil pressure. |
How did filling it to the top mark cause high oil pressure? |
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Kiptere Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2013 Posts: 419 Location: Houston
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Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2013 8:21 am Post subject: |
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I don't know really. I blew a ring about 10 minutes after I did it. _________________ 62 Bug
70 Bug
68 Bug
70 Bug Vert |
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AlteWagen Troll
Joined: February 23, 2007 Posts: 8503 Location: PNW
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Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2013 9:44 am Post subject: |
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ring? |
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KTPhil Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006 Posts: 34013 Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2013 9:48 am Post subject: |
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I have read that the usual failure from too much oil is oil starvation, oddly enough. The oil foams from the splashing of rods in the oil bath, which leads to bubbles getting sucked up the pump intake, leading to spotty pressure and poor oil circulation. |
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Jon Schmid Samba Member
Joined: May 29, 2012 Posts: 2038 Location: Southern California
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Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2013 10:16 am Post subject: Dipstick reading |
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Phil, I thought the problem with overfill was that the cam would cause the frothing. Either way, no bueno. |
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raggmann Samba Member
Joined: July 28, 2010 Posts: 2 Location: OREGON WETLANDS
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Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2020 4:14 pm Post subject: Re: Dipstick reading |
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I have a Brazilian case with a 2 quart add on sump, a spin on oil filter, an oil temp thermostat, and an add on auxillary cooler under the car in the air flow. the stock doghouse cooler is in place. 2165 engine
My question is: how much oil should I run with this set up?
I've heard too much oil is about as dangerous as not enough. Where's the happy medium and how do I transfer that level to the dip stick reading? I have a VDO dipstick oil temp sensor. |
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viiking Samba Member
Joined: May 10, 2013 Posts: 2668 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2020 11:52 pm Post subject: Re: Dipstick reading |
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I think the important thing is that there isn’t excessive crankshaft “sling” meaning how deep the crankshaft is sitting in the oil. So, I’d be running the engine and then letting it stop. Then using the STANDARD dipstick top up until the level is between the marks. A deep sump should not make any difference to the level of oil that the crankshaft has to be sitting in. Ditto with an extra oil cooler. _________________ 1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3 |
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sjbartnik Samba Member
Joined: September 01, 2011 Posts: 5998 Location: Brooklyn
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Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2020 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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KTPhil wrote: |
How did filling it to the top mark cause high oil pressure? |
It didn't. _________________ 1965 Volkswagen 1500 Variant S
2000 Kawasaki W650 |
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jimmykilonen Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2014 Posts: 3
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Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2022 7:00 pm Post subject: Re: Dipstick reading |
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This post was very helpful. Have 1600 single port. Have been filling to top line of dipstick but suspected I was overfilling. Saw som foam in filler and leaked oil out of valve cover during winter storage. So changed oil in Spring. Measured out 2.65 qts. Added it, level was midway between dipstick lines. Ran it, rechecked and level still halfway.Bentley says fill to top line and lists 2.65 qts capacities - going with capacity vs fill to top line. |
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cyclehobby Samba Member
Joined: August 29, 2013 Posts: 156 Location: North Jersey
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 9:46 am Post subject: Re: Dipstick reading |
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gt1593 is right. Different length dipsticks and the possibility that the dipstick you have may have been changed at some time surely complicate the issue.
Assuming all VW cases (without accessory sumps or filters added) hole about 2.5 quarts, the best thing to do is:
Completely drain your oil during a change. Be patient and let it drain for a while. Carefully measure out 2.5 quarts and after refilling the crankcase and running the engine for a few minutes let it sit on a level surface for 10 minutes.
Knowing you've put in the correct amount of oil will give you a "full" reading on the dipstick when you properly check the oil after the 10 minutes. Mark that level on the dipstick with a filed notch.
Now, you know what full is regardless of whether or not you have the correct dipstick and you can add oil when necessary with confidence that you won't over fill.
Prior to doing this, I (mistakenly) would add oil to what I thought was the full mark on my dipstick - the highest mark shown. Then I'd be baffled at a) why I was leaking so much oil and b) why it appeared that I was also USING more oil than I'd consider normal. Once I did this I find I leak less oil and I rarely have to add more than a few ounces of oil between changes.
Overfilling the oil in these cars is not a good thing. _________________ 1967 Beetle
Northern NJ |
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