Technical How to read Oil level on a T/A Panda...

[4x4Panda]

I know this is going to sound like a daft question, but here goes:

The dipstick is nothing like the graphic on the filler cap - can I assume that the short narrow section of the plastic dip-stick marks the min to max oil levels? It is not pictured in the manual, but this seems like the obvious way to read it...

Anyone confirm either way?

many thanks

 

[TwinAir Newbie]

I'll check what it looks like but it's not a daft question.

It's the bit right at the end of the dipstick with hardly any distance between Min and Max.

In the early days of having our 500 TA I cocked up the reading, overfilled it and the engine stopped a while later.

It was taken on a low loader to the garage and all was well afterwards.

I have never done anything like it with the multitude of cars I've had before.

 

[deeyup]

I had the exact problem reading the stick when my 500 was new. I thought that there was hardly any oil in it as the manual is very confusing.
As I had some kind of leak coming from the car I called the rac (the car was 1 day old) and even the rac man was unsure and advised me not to drive it.

Only when I was given guidance on Fiat Forum did I know that the oil was 1/2 way between min/max. Funnily enough, my brand new TA Panda was also delivered with oil just 1/2 way too.

take a look at this thread about my 500. The picture shows a skinny bit in the dipstick. It's the skinny section that indicates min to max

 

[babbo_umbro]

I had the exact problem reading the stick when my 500 was new. I thought that there was hardly any oil in it as the manual is very confusing.
As I had some kind of leak coming from the car I called the rac (the car was 1 day old) and even the rac man was unsure and advised me not to drive it.

Only when I was given guidance on Fiat Forum did I know that the oil was 1/2 way between min/max. Funnily enough, my brand new TA Panda was also delivered with oil just 1/2 way too.

take a look at this thread about my 500. The picture shows a skinny bit in the dipstick. It's the skinny section that indicates min to max

I took a while to get the oil level reading on my 4x4 TA the first time - felt like a real ..... dipstick.

 

[4x4Panda]

Thanks guys

I'm glad I'm not the only one that has been a bit confused! Your pictures and thread from the 500 section were very helpful deeyup

At least it's easy to do; just badly described in the manual. I have another car which is precisely the opposite way round!

Anyhow, my T/A is exactly on the top shoulder, which makes me think it has not really used anything in the first 3,300 miles.

Next question: What are folks general opinions on when the first oil change should be done?

I'm thinking that soon might be a good idea, to flush out all the bi-products of the initial running in phase. Again it may all be in the manual, but as Douglas Adams was won't to say: don't trust anything that weighs less than its instruction manual and with the Panda its getting pretty close... Honestly, a 300 page manual? Just silly. It should all be made obvious by labelling the bits you are supposed to touch or check!

All the best

 

[TwinAir Newbie]

As to when the oil should be changed, I was surprised when I was told that it (the 500 TA) didn't need a change until its first service at 18,000 miles.

I was thinking of having an oil change at about 9,000 miles but it was about that time that I cocked up as I described above.

As a result of my cock up the engine was drained and a new filter and oil put in.

So some good did come of the situation!

Would I change it at 9,000 miles anyway?

I do think that a hard working 875cc engine with a turbo needs a bit of TLC.

 

[triumph7]

As to when the oil should be changed, I was surprised when I was told that it (the 500 TA) didn't need a change until its first service at 18,000 miles.

I was thinking of having an oil change at about 9,000 miles but it was about that time that I cocked up as I described above.

As a result of my cock up the engine was drained and a new filter and oil put in.

So some good did come of the situation!

Would I change it at 9,000 miles anyway?

I do think that a hard working 875cc engine with a turbo needs a bit of TLC.

I'm going to have an oil/filter change at about 6k miles. Done just over 3 so far since July

 

[babbo_umbro]

I'm going to have an oil/filter change at about 6k miles. Done just over 3 so far since July

Yes - I had the oil changed in my 4x4 TA at around that mileage; the idea of going 18000 miles on the first fill of oil just seems like a false economy, especially if you intend to keep the car for quite a while. It is quite a palaver - the sump guard has to be dropped so it's best done on a garage ramp - and the oil is pricey. Everyone does a double take when they're checking what the oil spec is so make sure it's right.

 

[Mercky]

Yes - I had the oil changed in my 4x4 TA at around that mileage; the idea of going 18000 miles on the first fill of oil just seems like a false economy, especially if you intend to keep the car for quite a while. It is quite a palaver - the sump guard has to be dropped so it's best done on a garage ramp - and the oil is pricey. Everyone does a double take when they're checking what the oil spec is so make sure it's right.

Presumably you could us a vacuum pump to drain the oil? inserted via the dipstick hole. I was thinking of buying one of these to have for my TA and Alfa Spider, I believe its what garages use now and saves all the hassle of ramps etc. Anyone ever used one?

 

[chr1s]

Presumably you could us a vacuum pump to drain the oil? inserted via the dipstick hole. I was thinking of buying one of these to have for my TA and Alfa Spider, I believe its what garages use now and saves all the hassle of ramps etc. Anyone ever used one?

I hope garages don't use them. Surely they leave any swarf and sludge at the bottom of the sump, rather than draining it out.

I think my dad used to have one for intermediate oil changes (but I may have made that up - as he's not very mechanically-minded ).

 

[Moultoneer]

I hope garages don't use them. Surely they leave any swarf and sludge at the bottom of the sump, rather than draining it out.

I think my dad used to have one for intermediate oil changes (but I may have made that up - as he's not very mechanically-minded ).

IMHO the Twinair has the best dipstick I've ever had on any of my (many)
cars- its straight course through a wide channel makes for accurate readings.
(Conversely the Multijet on my Mito had an awful flexy thing...)

I've not been confused by the manual as I didn't bother to read the relevant
bit- I just took out the dipstick and found the level was halfway up the
narrow portion at its end- when new, and now after 7800 miles

Provided a suction device had a tube >5mm bore and got to the lowest point
in the sump, I'd be quite happy to use such a device. Changing the filter was
always the messiest task when I did my own oil changes

An early oil change is a good idea for cars used for short trips, but as I do
only long journeys I'm happy to leave mine until the 18000 mile service.



Chris