New six cylinder engines have no dipstick

OK, maybe I'm slow on the uptake. But I've only just realised the new
sixes have no dipstick! I'm GUESSING they just have an idiot light or
MID error message for low oil level. When that comes up I suppose you
either guess how much oil to add or add a fixed amount (say a litre).

What fun. I think idiot light is a great idea. But personally if I'm
about to undertake a long journey I like to know if the oil's at the top
mark on the dipstick or near the bottom and soon to need a top up.

--
Who needs a life when you've got Unix? :-)
Email: , John G.Burns B.Eng, Bonny Scotland
Web : http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk - The Ultimate BMW Homepage!
Need Sun or HP Unix kit? http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/unix.html

"John Burns" > wrote in message
...
> OK, maybe I'm slow on the uptake. But I've only just realised the new
> sixes have no dipstick! I'm GUESSING they just have an idiot light or
> MID error message for low oil level. When that comes up I suppose you
> either guess how much oil to add or add a fixed amount (say a litre).
>
> What fun. I think idiot light is a great idea. But personally if I'm
> about to undertake a long journey I like to know if the oil's at the top
> mark on the dipstick or near the bottom and soon to need a top up.
>
It's only a matter of time until you'll get a sealed-for-life engine in BMWs
I reckon. It's alomost possible even now; the Northstar V8 for instance.)
I'd still prefer to replace the fluids on a regular basis whether the
manufacturer's service data said I needed to or not.
JB

"JB" > wrote in message
...
>
> "John Burns" > wrote in message
> ...
>> OK, maybe I'm slow on the uptake. But I've only just realised the new
>> sixes have no dipstick! I'm GUESSING they just have an idiot light or
>> MID error message for low oil level. When that comes up I suppose you
>> either guess how much oil to add or add a fixed amount (say a litre).
>>
>> What fun. I think idiot light is a great idea. But personally if I'm
>> about to undertake a long journey I like to know if the oil's at the top
>> mark on the dipstick or near the bottom and soon to need a top up.
>>
> It's only a matter of time until you'll get a sealed-for-life engine in
> BMWs
> I reckon. It's alomost possible even now; the Northstar V8 for instance.)
> I'd still prefer to replace the fluids on a regular basis whether the
> manufacturer's service data said I needed to or not.
> JB
>

And even in the late 70's, some (normally older) people still believed that
they had to remove their heads and carry out a decoke every 30,000miles and
rebore at 60,000!!
Like any other technological advancement before, it would take quite some
time to be accepted by the majority of the population, with a small % never
ever accepting it. (Look where we are now as regards people not wanting to
accept the ability of a modern synthetic longlife oil to work for 13,000
miles, wasting money by changing it at 7000ish)
Badger.

Badger wrote:
> "JB" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>"John Burns" > wrote in message
...
>>
>>>OK, maybe I'm slow on the uptake. But I've only just realised the new
>>>sixes have no dipstick! I'm GUESSING they just have an idiot light or
>>>MID error message for low oil level. When that comes up I suppose you
>>>either guess how much oil to add or add a fixed amount (say a litre).
>>>
>>>What fun. I think idiot light is a great idea. But personally if I'm
>>>about to undertake a long journey I like to know if the oil's at the top
>>>mark on the dipstick or near the bottom and soon to need a top up.
>>>
>>
>>It's only a matter of time until you'll get a sealed-for-life engine in
>>BMWs
>>I reckon. It's alomost possible even now; the Northstar V8 for instance.)
>>I'd still prefer to replace the fluids on a regular basis whether the
>>manufacturer's service data said I needed to or not.
>>JB
>>
>
>
> And even in the late 70's, some (normally older) people still believed that
> they had to remove their heads and carry out a decoke every 30,000miles and
> rebore at 60,000!!
> Like any other technological advancement before, it would take quite some
> time to be accepted by the majority of the population, with a small % never
> ever accepting it. (Look where we are now as regards people not wanting to
> accept the ability of a modern synthetic longlife oil to work for 13,000
> miles, wasting money by changing it at 7000ish)
> Badger.
>
>

Perhaps, but somehow going from a linear mechanical display of oil level
(aka dipstick) to a binary indication (idiot light) does not seem like
progress to me...

Perhaps if they provided and "oil level indicator" in the check control
or something that told me how low the oil was, not just when it was too
low? I can't believe that would be all that expensive and it sure would
be cool...

-Fred W

Malt_Hound wrote:
>
> Perhaps, but somehow going from a linear mechanical display of oil
level
> (aka dipstick) to a binary indication (idiot light) does not seem
like
> progress to me...

Especially considering BMW's ****ty electrical systems. I wouldn't
trust
one of their dials for something like this, ever. Besides, pulling
out an oil dipstick is something all men are supposed to enjoy.
There's
nothing like pulling that stick out, and feeling and eyeballing
that oil between the thumb and index finger, right?

--
Cliff

"John Burns" > wrote in message
...
> OK, maybe I'm slow on the uptake. But I've only just realised the new
> sixes have no dipstick! I'm GUESSING they just have an idiot light or
> MID error message for low oil level. When that comes up I suppose you
> either guess how much oil to add or add a fixed amount (say a litre).
>
> What fun. I think idiot light is a great idea. But personally if I'm
> about to undertake a long journey I like to know if the oil's at the top
> mark on the dipstick or near the bottom and soon to need a top up.
>
> --
> Who needs a life when you've got Unix? :-)
> Email: , John G.Burns B.Eng, Bonny Scotland
> Web : http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk - The Ultimate BMW Homepage!
> Need Sun or HP Unix kit? http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/unix.html

I'm guessing its like the CSL with a "digital dipstick" on the OBC which
shows the level to .1l (I think).

> I'm guessing its like the CSL with a "digital dipstick" on the OBC which
> shows the level to .1l (I think).

That I can live with. Until it breaks (seen loads of 15+ year old BMWs
with faulty oil level idiot lights). Dipsticks tend not to break, and I
imagine they're cheaper.

--
Who needs a life when you've got Unix? :-)
Email: , John G.Burns B.Eng, Bonny Scotland
Web : http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk - The Ultimate BMW Homepage!
Need Sun or HP Unix kit? http://www.unixnerd.demon.co.uk/unix.html

> Dipsticks tend not to break, and I imagine they're cheaper.

Which of these benefits BMW and/or its repair facilities?

wrote:
>>Dipsticks tend not to break, and I imagine they're cheaper.
>
>
> Which of these benefits BMW and/or its repair facilities?
>

I know this question was rhetorical, but I would counter that both
attributes would directly and indirectly benefit the manufacturer.

They don't break - less repairs under warranty which is completely
funded by the manufacturer. Direct financial benefit.

They're cheaper? Well, that's pretty obvious. If they don't cost as
much to make and yet they get the same price from a consumer, well, that
goes right to the bottom line...

Now, there's one more thing that you can do with an electronic oil level
gauge that you can't do with a dipstick and that's record the oil level
in the ECU memory in the event of a failure. That could be a way for
the manufacturer to dodge major warranty claims based on negligence.

-Fred W

John Burns wrote:

>> I'm guessing its like the CSL with a "digital dipstick" on the OBC
>> which shows the level to .1l (I think).
>
> That I can live with. Until it breaks (seen loads of 15+ year old BMWs
> with faulty oil level idiot lights). Dipsticks tend not to break, and
> I imagine they're cheaper.

Many of the 15 year old BMWs I've seen have nothing electrical still working,
but at least the dipstick still does. Heck, you can drive most of them
*another* 200k in that condition, and then some.

Matt O.