GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

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Melchior
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GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by Melchior »

The oil level indicator on my BX *seems* to work ok but I want to check the oil level for real.

Now, I'm no stranger to engines and their ways. I know what I'm looking for and what does what. But after having a very good mooch around my engine bay this morning, I saw nothing that looked even like a dipstick!

Am I crazy? Blind? Or is it in a weird place? She's a '91 GTi 8v if that helps.

Thanks in advance :)
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Re: GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by Mothman »

Yes.

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mat_fenwick
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Re: GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by mat_fenwick »

On the front of the engine you should see a tube coming out of the crankcase and emerging between the branches of the inlet manifold. Whether there is actually a dipstick in there (usually yellow plastic tip) is another matter...
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Re: GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by Paul296 »

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How many fingers am I holding up? If you think the answer is 'three'; you're crazy! :D

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Re: GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by mat_fenwick »

Hang on a minute - that's showing it at the back of the engine! I must be going crazy as I've remembered it at the front...
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Re: GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by Paul296 »

mat_fenwick wrote:Hang on a minute - that's showing it at the back of the engine! I must be going crazy as I've remembered it at the front...
I did wonder, but then I thought maybe for you mechanicky types 'front' was a term that was often used for 'back' in some weird arcane way that I'm too stupid to understand! :D
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Re: GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by mat_fenwick »

It's nearly 10 years ago, but I pinched the dipstick from a BX GTi for the 205, and would have put money on it being between the inlet manifold branches. Altzeimer's beckoning?
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Re: GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by puddock »

It's at the back on the right hand side on mine (89 8v GTi) if that helps?
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Re: GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by Tim Leech »

The yellow tops have a tendency to break away and leave the stick bare which then blends into all the other metal coloured stuff! Done it myself.!
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Re: GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by Way2go »

Tim Leech wrote:The yellow tops have a tendency to break away and leave the stick bare
That sounds a severe case but yes, the plastic that seals into the tube at the top does progressively break away and results in oil mist or whatever creeping over that engine area so best to replace it early at the first sign of degradation if you don't want a mucky engine. :wink:

I bought a replacement new dipstick from GSF and it was only £7 IIRC. The later plastic top was orange. :D
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Re: GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by docchevron »

mat_fenwick wrote:It's nearly 10 years ago, but I pinched the dipstick from a BX GTi for the 205, and would have put money on it being between the inlet manifold branches. Altzeimer's beckoning?
it is on a 16V, but not on the 8V
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Re: GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by MULLEY »

My 8v Gti is as per the piccy, its probably broken off (the top orange bit) & therefore isn't visible. If the dispstick is missing you should see a metal tube at the back in the location of the piccy, it bends towards the engine (i think?).
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Re: GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by Melchior »

Thanks so much for all the posts guys. Had a nosey around the engine bay yesterday and found the stick but missing its coloured handle. :)

It is a bit of a weird shape too, not straight but twirly like a cheesy stick!

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Re: GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by Defender110 »

Yes but a cheesy stick would soak up the oil and drop into the sump so never use cheesy sticks as a replacement dipstick! :-"
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Re: GTi dipstick - am I blind or crazy?

Post by Paul296 »

Defender110 wrote:Yes but a cheesy stick would soak up the oil and drop into the sump so never use cheesy sticks as a replacement dipstick! :-"

Oh s**t! So that's where I've been going wrong! :shock:
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