Oil change with VIDA/DiCE

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

I've always put 5.7 litres in my car, brought it to 3/4 on the dipstick (no higher). Thankfully, I've not had any oil warnings.

I don't use VIDA to change the oil either. Mine is an older P3 though with a physical dipstick & no electronic gauge, so I can understand on the newer models why you'd need VIDA to reset the oil gauge.

In essence though, 0.2 of a litre between 5.7L & 5.9L won't make much difference. There's still plenty of oil in the car, so its perfectly safe to run with that amount.

The electronic oil level sender was always there to access by Vida since 2006 so you have one and it may well warn you when it is high or low 👍

[Uriel]

Hey guys, my s80II started sucking oil (turbo dying) which in turn got me interested in getting the current oil level reading. I had the oil pressure light come on once and the oil stick was dry. Which to me was way too late.

Anyway, I tried to get an oil level reading in Vida. The oil temp was ~87C but there was no reading for the oil level (not zero, no reading at all, blank space).

Could that mean the oil level sensor is busted? The low-pressure indicator worked a week ago, so *something* detected low oil levels... Is there a separate diagnostic code for oil sensor malfunction? Or am I looking in the wrong place because low-pressure alert does not use the level sensor at all?

[GrahamBrown1]

Pressure and level are two different things and also use two different types of sensor. You can have a full sump and low oil pressure if the engine is damaged.

What happened first- Low oil pressure and then turbo failure. This is normally the way. Oil pressure can be checked with a mechanical gauge to confirm actual oil pressure.

Both sensors will produce their own fault codes. I would try and read the level with Vida or the dash when the car is cold and on a flat level surface.

[Uriel]

Originally Posted by GrahamBrown1

Pressure and level are two different things and also use two different types of sensor. You can have a full sump and low oil pressure if the engine is damaged.

What happened first- Low oil pressure and then turbo failure. This is normally the way. Oil pressure can be checked with a mechanical gauge to confirm actual oil pressure.

Both sensors will produce their own fault codes. I would try and read the level with Vida or the dash when the car is cold and on a flat level surface.

Thanks for the reply! Good to know. In my case, it was turbo failure -> low oil. Turbo is spraying oil into the intake and I have confirmed that oil is present in the intercooler. It's going for an overhaul on Wednesday.

From my observations, it eats oil above 2400rpm, which kinda makes sense.

As for getting the oil level in Vida on cold - I will try that but the Vida instructions clearly say it should be at least 60C. There's no reason it wouldn't show the level with hot oil, I think?

[GrahamBrown1]

Originally Posted by Uriel

Thanks for the reply! Good to know. In my case, it was turbo failure -> low oil. Turbo is spraying oil into the intake and I have confirmed that oil is present in the intercooler. It's going for an overhaul on Wednesday.

From my observations, it eats oil above 2400rpm, which kinda makes sense.

As for getting the oil level in Vida on cold - I will try that but the Vida instructions clearly say it should be at least 60C. There's no reason it wouldn't show the level with hot oil, I think?

Arh ok I see, shame about turbo failure. At least the engine should still be good if you caught it in time. I was thinking another low pressure issue starved the turbo.

Yes you’re right it Vida shouldn’t really have an issue reading it. When you read the level through the dash it doesn’t allow it until it is cool so if you try this and it also doesn’t allow it then certainly points to a sensor issue as your commanding it two different ways so to speak tho I would expect a fault code to be logged for the sensor. In Vida you will be able to find the information on testing the sensor.

[Uriel]

Originally Posted by GrahamBrown1

Arh ok I see, shame about turbo failure. At least the engine should still be good if you caught it in time. I was thinking another low pressure issue starved the turbo.

Yes you’re right it Vida shouldn’t really have an issue reading it. When you read the level through the dash it doesn’t allow it until it is cool so if you try this and it also doesn’t allow it then certainly points to a sensor issue as your commanding it two different ways so to speak tho I would expect a fault code to be logged for the sensor. In Vida you will be able to find the information on testing the sensor.

Mystery solved. My s80p3 is from 2007, early models didn't have oil level sensor.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Uriel

Mystery solved. My s80p3 is from 2007, early models didn't have oil level sensor.

On early P3's that have a physical dipstick with no way to check the oil level from the dash, there's no oil level sensor that needs to be calibrated at oil changes.

Later cars had no dipsticks and you could read the oil level from inside the car on the dash. Those are the ones that need calibrating with VIDA.

[Uriel]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

On early P3's that have a physical dipstick with no way to check the oil level from the dash, there's no oil level sensor that needs to be calibrated at oil changes.

Later cars had no dipsticks and you could read the oil level from inside the car on the dash. Those are the ones that need calibrating with VIDA.

Ok, the plot thickens. Dashboard display has no oil level option, but I peeked under the car and there is an oil sensor there.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Uriel

Ok, the plot thickens. Dashboard display has no oil level option, but I peeked under the car and there is an oil sensor there.

That sensor is for the oil level. If it gets too low, it will trigger a warning.

Its not the same as the newer cars. There is no option to calibrate it in your model, as its not new enough to have the electronic dipstick.