topped up my oil, dipped it to check, put a little bit more in and started the engine... pushed the dipstick back down and it made a horrific rattling sound... quickly pulled it back out and its too late... dipstick is damaged...

WHAT THE FUNK!?

its like the big end is hitting it... nothings changed what the hell fiat!?

i know it can be a problem the brother inlaws has no dipstick as the end of his has snapped off at some point.

anyone know what causes this??

Yeeks...obviously not good Richy

All I can think off is that there must be slot at bottom of dipstick shaft for it to slot into and when you are putting back in in went past an open to rotating parts section and pulled with rotation force of oil towards moving part.with engine running.

Did you get all of the dipstick out so no nasty bits of metal left in engine ?? hope so least you would just need another dipstick..but is something to remember for future just shame it had to happen in first place

just strange!
i cant get my head round why it would be like that... soo annoyed!

As you say life is a pain in the doodaa somedays..more so when you trying to do the right thing like check the oil

Would thought that the metal of the dipstick is softer metal than what mushed it up so as long as you got a mushed up dipstick with no bits missing you be ok of no fragments left in engine,,though if worried any bits in there an oil change and maybe flush should sort it

yeah, theres no bits in it its just mushed up

Just gone to have a quick look and it seems you're right. There does indeed seem to be some kind of insert/seperator that guides the dipstick the final 3 or 4 inches.


BE CAREFUL PEOPLE!

least that be some relief ,and you not have to add so many more litres of oil to cost of fixing it.... hate it myself when trying to do maintenance to keep motor in good order and something faffs up, like something snapping and no shops open

Guess you know your car well enough to know if it uses much oil before getting hold of another stick,, not sure if yours has the oil level bars on the dash to give idea of oil level like jtd though has oil sensor also but myself do not like running oil that low., ...well one thing for sure you not be doing that again well not with engine running and from your experience neither will I. .