Engine: D5: Oil level sensor

[Swede Steed]

Evening all,

I have a 185 D5 and was changing the oil tonight and saw the oil level sensor. I tried to 'test' to see if it worked by turning the ignition to the on position. I expected the dash to light up like a Christmas tree telling me there was no oil in it but nothing. Is my sensor likely duff or have I missed something?


Cheers,

Chris

[petey]

I did exactly the same thing when I saw mine, and the same thing happened.
I assume it needs to be running the fore it starts moaning....

[Swede Steed]

Well either both of ours are duff or this is seemingly a pretty useless system. Can anyone explain how it is supposed to work?


Cheers,

Chris

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Swede Steed

Well either both of ours are duff or this is seemingly a pretty useless system. Can anyone explain how it is supposed to work?


Cheers,

Chris

After an oil change it takes over 20 miles to read correctly , The dealer resets it after a service so that it reads correctly at once and they can read out live instant oil level ... Hopefully you did not put more than 5.7 litres of oil in !
It is a highly accurate system , even half a Tea cup of oil is accounted for .

[Swede Steed]

Thanks for the reply. Mine's a 2005 if it makes any difference. So should mine have shown me something or is it a dealer tool only? With having no oil pressure system I'd like the confidence that at least the level system is working. I put 6L in which takes it to the third X from full.

Cheers

Chris

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Swede Steed

Thanks for the reply. Mine's a 2005 if it makes any difference. So should mine have shown me something or is it a dealer tool only? With having no oil pressure system I'd like the confidence that at least the level system is working. I put 6L in which takes it to the third X from full.

Cheers

Chris

there should be oil pressure warning ,

you are likely to get a high oil level message sooner or later .
Yes you need the Dealer VIDA to check/adjust that

[old onions]

I know mine works because a got a DIM message stating Oil Level Low just as I was about to depart on holiday (I do check it regularly , but I live on a steep hill and it shows as overfull, even at this actual level)

Anyway , one litre of oil purchased and added , and the level was back to the top of the hatched area of the dipstick, and the message disappeared.

When I use Castrol Edge 0/30 it appears to consume a litre of oil in 5000 miles. If If use 5/30 or 10/40 , there is no consumption at all.

[Swede Steed]

That was what I was expecting to happen with mine, especially being empty. Think I'll have to get diagnostics on it. Will let you know how I get on.

Cheers,

Chris

[petey]

I noted that when I started the engine after a filter change, there was no low oil pressure warning then either, so I’m assuming it’s a lot more tolerant of startup issues (not like an old jag where the ignition is inhibited during cranking until the oil pressure’s up:- hot starts there were a thing of beauty....)

When using Vida to check oil level, it won’t function until the temperature is at a certain value, although I forget what that is right now. In short, the oil level sensor is useless when changing oil, it’s only there as a clean hands warning when things go wrong.

[Swede Steed]

If yours is the 185 like mine i don't think any of them have a oil pressure switch. Mine doesn't. So are you saying the system will only work when the oils warm? I.e. motor running? So is there any way to test that it will work if I am driving along and spring a leak?

Cheers

Chris