Volvo V40 Oil Level Sensor

[morsing]

Hi,

In the VIDA help text for my wife's 2014 V70 D4, there's quite a wide margin for the oil level. 44mm +- at least 10% if I remember correctly. That means 5l will be in the range 4.5l - 5.5l.

I know the control of modern engines is complicated, but it is still a 100 year old design. All it needs is oil above the pick-up, and below the crankshaft. Half a litre here or there won't be a problem.

Thanks

[Clan]

Originally Posted by morsing

Hi,

In the VIDA help text for my wife's 2014 V70 D4, there's quite a wide margin for the oil level. 44mm +- at least 10% if I remember correctly. That means 5l will be in the range 4.5l - 5.5l.

I know the control of modern engines is complicated, but it is still a 100 year old design. All it needs is oil above the pick-up, and below the crankshaft. Half a litre here or there won't be a problem.

Thanks

Thats correct of course but that means the level can be from 4.5 l to 5.5 l. what you must put in is 5 litres so you have plenty of scope for higher or lower oil levels to be satisfactory.
The oil level gauge is extremely accurate to 1% when calibrated it works on the sonar principle ..

If you just refill an engine with any figure between 4.5 an 5.5 litres it may or may not be the same as the level gauge is calibrated to , That is why it has to be calibrated at every oil and filter change . If you put in the exact same amount every oil change it should be ok . When the gauge is calibrated at the oil change it takes what ever is in the sump to be the correct level...

In my experience of doing hundreds of these I learned that , putting exactly 5 litres in and calibrating the gauge gives no problems ...

[Zebster]

Originally Posted by Clan

Thats correct of course but that means the level can be from 4.5 l to 5.5 l. what you must put in is 5 litres so you have plenty of scope for higher or lower oil levels to be satisfactory.
The oil level gauge is extremely accurate to 1% when calibrated it works on the sonar principle ..

If you just refill an engine with any figure between 4.5 an 5.5 litres it may or may not be the same as the level gauge is calibrated to , That is why it has to be calibrated at every oil and filter change . If you put in the exact same amount every oil change it should be ok . When the gauge is calibrated at the oil change it takes what ever is in the sump to be the correct level...

In my experience of doing hundreds of these I learned that , putting exactly 5 litres in and calibrating the gauge gives no problems ...

An actual calibration is unlikely to be undertaken in such poorly controlled conditions. You couldn't be sure how much oil was left behind after draining nor the accuracy of how the refill volume was measured, the temperature is not specified and no limits are placed on how level the vehicle must be... so under such conditions there would obviously be a 50:50 chance that the measuring system calibration would be less accurate than it was before.

Surely it's merely a reset of the electronic dipstick indication to 'max' to avoid the need to drive 30km before the correct reading is displayed?

[morsing]

And you could of course, just buy and retro-fit a dip stick...

[Zebster]

Originally Posted by morsing

And you could of course, just buy and retro-fit a dip stick...

To a 5-cylinder engine, yes. They aren't available for VEA engines though... wouldn't be so bad if the electronic dipstick actually worked as a dipstick, rather than just a 'min' or 'max' display that merely toggles as a threshold is crossed. And then the VEA having a tendancy to either consume oil or dilute the oil with fuel makes the whole thing a disaster waiting to happen...

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Zebster

An actual calibration is unlikely to be undertaken in such poorly controlled conditions. You couldn't be sure how much oil was left behind after draining nor the accuracy of how the refill volume was measured, the temperature is not specified and no limits are placed on how level the vehicle must be... so under such conditions there would obviously be a 50:50 chance that the measuring system calibration would be less accurate than it was before.

Surely it's merely a reset of the electronic dipstick indication to 'max' to avoid the need to drive 30km before the correct reading is displayed?

The calibration is an important and mandatory part of the service , the oil is measured by a calibrated dispenser in the working environment , the 0w/20 oil drains quickly , it is thinner than water when hot and soon stops dripping from the sump and oil filter housing . what is left in the block is always the same ...
Yes when calibrated it sets the gauge to full until it has learned the new level which happens after the first 20 miles ... it will still read max after this period if things have been carried out correctly ...

The gauge sensor is not a float it works on a sonar principle showing the average value when running and sorts and updates it as time passes . hence level ground is not that important .

Don't worry about it :-)

[DazSeaton]

Yet another thing on a modern car you don't need, that's supposed to make life easier but has the opposite outcome. What's wrong with a dipstick? Another ruse to make you take it to a main dealer no doubt. Always serviced my own cars which is what Volvo don't want you to do. Hence no maintenance manuals available.
My 2014 1.6 T3 V40 randomly flashes up "low oil level" but its exactly on max on the dipstick. Pain in the @rse having to check it each time, just in case it is actually right for once.
So there's no way without forking out for a VIDA to reset the correct oil level?
God I hate modern cars. Far too complicated.
Don't get this trouble on my 76 Cortina.