Hi ya,

I've recently got hold of an old Sylva Leader with a Xflow 711M block in it. The rubber dipstick tube didn't look that original to me and there wasn't any part numbers or identifying marks on the dipstick. Before I use the car in anger it would be really good to check the dipstick is giving the correct reading. The current setup is:

Rubber tube 200mm from top to where the tube enters the bottom of the block.
Dipstick 370mm from the shoulder that stops on the top of the tube to full.
Dipstick 395mm from the shoulder to empty.

After a good google the dipstick and tube are definitely not standard, but I could not find the standard measurements anywhere. Can anyone help out?

Thanks,

Brian

My x-flow has a rubber tube from just above the sump mounting face up to a bracket that is fastened to one of the inlet manifold stud nuts. This was as it was on the engine when I first got it, untouched after it was taken out of the car.

There's no point in measuring my dipstick as I shortened the sump & modified the oil pick-up pipe - now the oil level is where I put some punch marks between max & min. If I fill it to the max mark, I leave a trail of oil smoke behind me...

Though I can measure the rubber tube, if you want...

[Edited on 25/2/16 by David Jenkins]

Sorry - I realised after sending my last message that I'd completely got the wrong end of the stick - I thought that you didn't think that a rubber tube was a standard fitting.

So I went and measured anyway!

Length of rubber tube: 270mm (give or take a couple of mm - it was hard to get at)
High oil mark, from the top of the aluminium bung under the finger loop - 440mm
Low oil mark, from the same place - 460mm

What I said about what's full on my xflow still stands.

Hope that's more useful.

NB: Be careful, as there were a few variations, depending on the car the engine came from. My engine was originally attached to an auto box, so may have had a deeper sump to allow for heavier engine use. You may have to give more info so that others can give you better data, e.g. depth of the sump.


[Edited on 25/2/16 by David Jenkins]

Thanks David,

That's great just what I was after. Unless my maths have gone very wrong the high mark on both dipsticks is in the same place relative to the bottom of the rubber tube.

I'll try it a bit below the full mark to start with I don't want to much smoke!

Brian

Drain the oil and refill putting the correct amount in. Make a mark on the dipstick at the correct level. Good excuse for an oil change!

That's the problem, I don't know the spec of the sump it's definitely had work on it. There is also an oil cooler as well, so what is the correct amount? As far as I'm aware from reading around oil level compared to the bottom of the crank is a constant no matter the capacity of the sump, the sump size just gives oil capacity. Could well be wrong thought :-)

Oil change is definitely on the list although it does look clean.

Cheers,

Brian

My rubber tube measures 28cm. The level marks measured from the tapered bung at the top of the dipstick are 40cm max and 42cm min. All is standard 711. Dave

Thanks Dave,

Does the 40cm and 42cm include the length of the tapered bung if not how long is the bung? Mine doesn't have one of those...

Brian

My dipstick has 2 aluminium bungs crimped on it - 1 is where is meets the body of the engine, just above the sump face. The other is up near the finger loop, and fits flush with the top of the rubber tube* when inserted.

* The top of the rubber tube has a steel tube inserted to receive the dipstick bung.

Brian, I have put a photo in my archive indicating where I measured. Dave

At least I know mine although non-standard seems about right I'll just keep the oil up near the top mark or a bit less if it starts to smoke:-)

Thanks for your help appreciate it!

slightly overfill...or on some engines its already enough when the level is near the high-mark, a crossflow might spit oil from the crankcase breather.

so very important to get the correct markings....as most x/flows dont like it to be filled exactly up to the "high" level

[Edited on 25/2/16 by alfas]

quote:

---

Originally posted by alfas
slightly overfill...or on some engines its already enough when the level is near the high-mark, a crossflow might spit oil from the crankcase breather.

so very important to get the correct markings....as most x/flows dont like it to be filled exactly up to the "high" level

[Edited on 25/2/16 by alfas]

---

provided the crankcase breathing system has been correctly installed.

i´ve owned cars where the former owners had ot for 10years.....already on the way home after purchase it was clear that the crancase-breather system in this car was wrongly installed / wrong layout.

you could fill oil on any mark...it always spit.....after re-desinging the crankcase beather system...it hardly spit any oil...keeping the level to around 80%

what i want to say: your method can be applied when its 101% sure that the engines-breather system is spot on ( design routing etc)