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Oil light

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gameover000
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Oil light

Post by gameover000 » Wed Sep 06, 2017 9:50 pm

Hey folks, been a while!

My oil light dropped a notch below full the other day. Likely 4000 miles since my last oil change a year ago.

Topped up maybe a quarter L, then noticed a day later it hadn't shifted so put a bit more in, thinking maybe I was on the edge of a quarter before or whatever - so maybe put in 0.75 tops which looking back was technically too much.

Anyhoo, next time I could test....still not moved so I've not added more this time.

It's a 20i, so it was 4.5L on last oil change - any ideas why it's not moving? Don't want to add more in case the sensor is telling fibs, but ideally don't want to do a full oil change right now (though it was 12 months ago I guess).

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Smartbear
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Oil light

Post by Smartbear » Wed Sep 06, 2017 10:33 pm

Hi, after adding that much oil leave it a couple more days of driving to see if it corrects the level reading, my e85 also suffered a slow to react level sensor, I don't think it's very unusual :thumbsup:
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buzyg
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Oil light

Post by buzyg » Wed Sep 06, 2017 10:36 pm

Who's daft idea was it to ditch the dip stick. :roll: Happily the ///M still has one. :D In the absence of any other impirical data, I would tend to go with what is in front of me. Ie put oil in untill the reading is correct. Or empty it and refill.
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gameover000
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Oil light

Post by gameover000 » Wed Sep 06, 2017 10:41 pm

Hmm yeh fair point that - it's only been maybe 10 miles since so I'll leave it a few days. Thanks both!

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Oil light

Post by Vonlipvig » Thu Sep 07, 2017 11:23 am

I find mine can be a bit of a pain, readings all over the place if only just got up to temp or on the slightest incline. Give it a good run at decent speed, get somewhere flat, have a check
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hopz121
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Oil light

Post by hopz121 » Thu Sep 07, 2017 1:15 pm

As others have said, wait a bit before adding more.

Usually they say wait until the car tells you to add a litre before topping up.

So I would have left it as it was personally.
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gameover000
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Oil light

Post by gameover000 » Tue Sep 19, 2017 8:57 pm

So the plot thickens...got the garage to drain and oil change while it was in for the MOT, save me a job.

They filled back up and low and behold, my oil level still sits a quarter down the indicator - after a good few drives.

Is there a simple way to check the sensor? Something's not doing what it should...

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