How to check oil level

[NORFE]

Own a Sag and in the owners handbook it states that the oil level should be checked when enging is off on a level surface.

It also has a note that says you should check the oil level when the engine is at operating temperature and immidiatly after turning off the engine.

I tried this routine the other day and the dipstick showed empty. However when the engine was running it showed full.

What is the correct way to read the oil level on a Speed6 engine in a SAG and what should the level be?

Thanks in advance

Norfe

[G20RG B]

I have Speed Six Cerbera but I'm sure the oil check is the same.

Put car on level surface (i use the garage floor)
Keep engine running after a drive, get out and open the bonnet,
Get rags/cloth ready unscrew oil tank lid slightly,
Turn of the engine and QUICKLY unscrew oil tank lid and pull out dipstick, wipe and re-insert screw edipstick down.
Then unscrew remove and check oil level, I can do this in about 10-15 seconds.

Some people don't screw the dipstic down and just dip it, I don't think there is a "best way" but this is what I have done and seems to work.

IF in any doubt top up the oil level with a little oil, you would have to put a hell of a lot in to over fill it.

[YRRunner]

It is a pain ITA, isn't it? Especially when you have clean oil in there and it slides off the stick without leaving much of a mark. At the last Oulton track day, Graham (VARLEYHYD) with his usual brilliance, advised me to get a little torch and shine it down the filler tube. Top oil up until it just covers the baffle. Job done and a brilliant fail safe.

[Diablos-666]

G20RG B said:

I have Speed Six Cerbera but I'm sure the oil check is the same.

Put car on level surface (i use the garage floor)
Keep engine running after a drive, get out and open the bonnet,
Get rags/cloth ready unscrew oil tank lid slightly,
Turn of the engine and QUICKLY unscrew oil tank lid and pull out dipstick, wipe and re-insert screw edipstick down.
Then unscrew remove and check oil level, I can do this in about 10-15 seconds.

Some people don't screw the dipstic down and just dip it, I don't think there is a "best way" but this is what I have done and seems to work.

IF in any doubt top up the oil level with a little oil, you would have to put a hell of a lot in to over fill it.

this is how - reminds me i should really check mine, havent checked it for a couple of months

[TVRMARKUB]

Diablos-666 said:

G20RG B said:

I have Speed Six Cerbera but I'm sure the oil check is the same.

Put car on level surface (i use the garage floor)
Keep engine running after a drive, get out and open the bonnet,
Get rags/cloth ready unscrew oil tank lid slightly,
Turn of the engine and QUICKLY unscrew oil tank lid and pull out dipstick, wipe and re-insert screw edipstick down.
Then unscrew remove and check oil level, I can do this in about 10-15 seconds.

Some people don't screw the dipstic down and just dip it, I don't think there is a "best way" but this is what I have done and seems to work.

IF in any doubt top up the oil level with a little oil, you would have to put a hell of a lot in to over fill it.

this is how - reminds me i should really check mine, havent checked it for a couple of months

I check my water level before driving and my oil level after every drive, even with the Griff I check the levels before taking it out.

It's madness not to

[Diablos-666]

You can't check the oil level before taking it out as you need to check it when it's warm. But you're right in the sense that it should be checked quite often.

[TVRMARKUB]

Diablos-666 said:

You can't check the oil level before taking it out as you need to check it when it's warm. But you're right in the sense that it should be checked quite often.

"and my oil level after every drive"

[Desiato]

YRRunner said:

Graham (VARLEYHYD) with his usual brilliance, advised me to get a little torch and shine it down the filler tube. Top oil up until it just covers the baffle. Job done and a brilliant fail safe.

Will have to have a look at this on the Tamora, not sure I can get my head far enough down to see :-)

Surely, and happy to be corrected here, if you check the oil as soon as the engine is switched off and it's correct, leave it to stand for an hour or so, check it again, then wherever it is on the dipstick should be the correct level when cold?

[TVRMARKUB]

You should still get some oil on the tip of the dipstick when cold but with the dry sump you should always take a reading from a engine up to temp.

[Zippee]

G20RG B said:

I have Speed Six Cerbera but I'm sure the oil check is the same.

Put car on level surface (i use the garage floor)
Keep engine running after a drive, get out and open the bonnet,
Get rags/cloth ready unscrew oil tank lid slightly,
Turn of the engine and QUICKLY unscrew oil tank lid and pull out dipstick, wipe and re-insert screw edipstick down.
Then unscrew remove and check oil level, I can do this in about 10-15 seconds.

Some people don't screw the dipstic down and just dip it, I don't think there is a "best way" but this is what I have done and seems to work.

IF in any doubt top up the oil level with a little oil, you would have to put a hell of a lot in to over fill it.

I do pretty much this as well, only I take the dipstick out, wipe it, turn off engine then screw it back in as it saves time taking out and wiping whilst the oil is draining back.
One important thing to remember is the garden glove that stops me getting 3rd degree burns down my arm in the process.

[TVRMARKUB]

Zippee said:

G20RG B said:

I have Speed Six Cerbera but I'm sure the oil check is the same.

Put car on level surface (i use the garage floor)
Keep engine running after a drive, get out and open the bonnet,
Get rags/cloth ready unscrew oil tank lid slightly,
Turn of the engine and QUICKLY unscrew oil tank lid and pull out dipstick, wipe and re-insert screw edipstick down.
Then unscrew remove and check oil level, I can do this in about 10-15 seconds.

Some people don't screw the dipstic down and just dip it, I don't think there is a "best way" but this is what I have done and seems to work.

IF in any doubt top up the oil level with a little oil, you would have to put a hell of a lot in to over fill it.

One important thing to remember is the garden glove that stops me getting 3rd degree burns down my arm in the process.

they should come standard with all speed six cars,

[Diablos-666]

As a side issue, has anybody fitted a coolant level guage to their S6 engine? Sounds like a pretty good idea to me - I saw a thread earlier about this but think they were regarding the RV8 engines.

[Gaffer]

As told to me by John Ravenscroft:

get oil upto temp
park on flat surface
apply handbrake (esp if slippy floor...don't ask..!!!)
switch off engine
unscrew dipstick
wipe dipstick clean
screw back in dipstick fully
unscrew dipstick
check level
top up as required
screw in dipstick again

Claire

[dvs_dave]

Diablos-666 said:

As a side issue, has anybody fitted a coolant level guage to their S6 engine? Sounds like a pretty good idea to me - I saw a thread earlier about this but think they were regarding the RV8 engines.

I was asking about fitting one to an S6 although in this instance RV8 or S6, it makes little difference as the cooling systems are pretty much the same.

[zeppo]

My dipstick (Sagaris) shows "Min" when cold. Checked it in warm condition once and the oil level was on "Max".
So, as long as it's on "Min" when cold, I think it's good...

rgds Josef

[Buffoon]

zeppo said:

My dipstick (Sagaris) shows "Min" when cold. Checked it in warm condition once and the oil level was on "Max".
So, as long as it's on "Min" when cold, I think it's good...

rgds Josef

Same hear. As mentioned before, if there is oil on the tip of the stick when cold won't be far wrong, but still carry out the proper check from time to time.

[Diablos-666]

Buffoon said:

zeppo said:

My dipstick (Sagaris) shows "Min" when cold. Checked it in warm condition once and the oil level was on "Max".
So, as long as it's on "Min" when cold, I think it's good...

rgds Josef

Same hear. As mentioned before, if there is oil on the tip of the stick when cold won't be far wrong, but still carry out the proper check from time to time.

That's handy to know thanks

[dvs_dave]

Diablos-666 said:

Buffoon said:

zeppo said:

My dipstick (Sagaris) shows "Min" when cold. Checked it in warm condition once and the oil level was on "Max".
So, as long as it's on "Min" when cold, I think it's good...

rgds Josef

Same hear. As mentioned before, if there is oil on the tip of the stick when cold won't be far wrong, but still carry out the proper check from time to time.

That's handy to know thanks

Careful with that as there's a serious risk of over filling the oil!

Reason is because when the engine is stopped , the oil seeps back through the scavenge pump (remember it's a dry sump engine) into the engine oil pan, so lowering the tank oil level. This seepage depends on the position the pump stops in and also the tolerances within itself.

If the engine has been stopped for while (even 10 mins), you go and check the oil and all of a sudden it appears empty. Panic ensues, 2 litres of oil are chucked in and then its started up, only for all the oil that's settled in the oil pan to be pumped back into the tank, causing it to over flow and pump the excess into the air filter housing and throttle bodies via the vent pipe. NOT GOOD!

In other words, do as TVR instruct and don't check the oil when the car is cold or not just been switched off as it gives false readings.

Edited by dvs_dave on Thursday 30th September 14:10

[TVRMARKUB]

I wonder how many rebuilds there have been as a result of owners not checking oil levels properly or not at all.

[SP6 Animal]

Buffoon said:

zeppo said:

My dipstick (Sagaris) shows "Min" when cold. Checked it in warm condition once and the oil level was on "Max".
So, as long as it's on "Min" when cold, I think it's good...

rgds Josef

Same hear. As mentioned before, if there is oil on the tip of the stick when cold won't be far wrong, but still carry out the proper check from time to time.

That's also how i check my level.