Will the Dipstickless designs find it's way to the poor man's market?

[adsm08]

I'm not sure but I am pretty sure the Ford oil minders are distanced based. I believe the wear indicator goes by distance traveled calculated with driving style. Nowhere near as accurate as the actually wear indicator on performance cars.

Check out this article too:
http://www.jpmagazine.com/techartic...ck_electronic_engine_oil_dip_stick/index.html

Ford is distance and run time. If you sit and idle in traffic a lot it will run the clock down faster (mileage wise) than if you don't stop.

I've tested this with my dad's 06.

 

[exbass94]

I'm not sure but I am pretty sure the Ford oil minders are distanced based. I believe the wear indicator goes by distance traveled calculated with driving style. Nowhere near as accurate as the actually wear indicator on performance cars.

Check out this article too:
http://www.jpmagazine.com/techartic...ck_electronic_engine_oil_dip_stick/index.html

I don't know how Ford's system works, but I would assume it's very similar to GM's system. GM's system uses about a dozen different parameters, including outside temp, idle time, driving style, trip distance and time, etc. It is actually VERY accurate and actually pretty conservative. If you get an oil analysis when the monitor indicates about 10% life left, you'll see that the oil still has lots of life left, even if it's been over 10k on that oil.

 

[robertc1024]

Hmm - that's interesting. My wife has an '08 Civic and I'm freaking out about how many miles she puts on it before the oil-change wrench comes up on the dash. I was always a 3000 mile man. I swear she does 8-9 k or more, but it's all highway.

 

[adsm08]

eh, its only a civic.

 

[superds]

I see all these types of things (getting rid of dipsticks for fluids and putting covers on every conceivable access point) as a way of forcing more people to go to the dealership for service instead of being able to do it themselves, thus helping the dealers to make more money.

 

[OilPatch197]

I see all these types of things (getting rid of dipsticks for fluids and putting covers on every conceivable access point) as a way of forcing more people to go to the dealership for service instead of being able to do it themselves, thus helping the dealers to make more money.

I really don't see it as gouging the customer, as more I see it as cars shrink, things have to be designed more compact and serviceability suffers, all the mean while getting better performance thru R&D.

Like tearing the entire side off just to change a timing belt.(every 60k miles)

IMO BMW's M3 with run flats, there is NO spare tire, saves 33 pounds of weight.

 

[adsm08]

Yeah. Some of these things that have been done to "make you take it to the dealer" have actually greatly improved reliability, efficiency, etc.

 

[Shran]

I see all these types of things (getting rid of dipsticks for fluids and putting covers on every conceivable access point) as a way of forcing more people to go to the dealership for service instead of being able to do it themselves, thus helping the dealers to make more money.

I agree 100% with this.

I ****ing hate dealers. I will start riding a bike, walking, or taking the bus before I buy a car that I have to take to a dealership for service.

 

[87xlranger]

What will happen to this guy ?

Sad day when it happens.....

LOL.

 

[Chance]

What will happen to this guy ?

Sad day when it happens.....

LOL.

I hate that bastard...



You know how many times I've been working on a car then all of a sudden I hear behind me "think with your dipstick Jimmy!" *THWACK*

 

[HankG]

Covered wagons were probably fairly simple to work on, but would you want that to be the main mode of transportation? Technology marches on, nothing to do but adapt.

 

[_BEYONDER_]

Yes there is a sensor, and if often very inaccurate.

Because it is like this, you check you oil with the computer, it would say OK, OK, OK, OK, OK, next time it would go: BAM ADD 1L NOW. WTF? I swear last time it was OK!!!!

So they need to replace maybe more sensors or whatever, because you would be driving with like 99% lack of quart of oil until it reaches 1 quart, so computer would finally recognize that you need to top off!!!

The one I read about operated like a fuel tank with a simular guage. So you have a constant or as close to a constant reading, the same as you do your gas tank.

Computer cant tell when oil is black

This isn't entirely true. When your oil goes black the properties change, they could use sensors to constantly test these and tell you when it needs change.

Alll being said, I'm against the dipstickless design. I'm just pointing out how it could work efficiently.

Originally Posted by superds
I see all these types of things (getting rid of dipsticks for fluids and putting covers on every conceivable access point) as a way of forcing more people to go to the dealership for service instead of being able to do it themselves, thus helping the dealers to make more money.

I say let them put there covers.....I've got lots of drill bits, epoxy..lol.....just another mod article for the tech forum! lol

 

[bcost882]

it was sad i tried to find an oil leak on a VW eos......a 2008 model and for the life of us we couldn't get the engine cover off talk about special tools. we had to get a flat hook like thing that wouldgo in a slit to get it off the engine. if it gets harder to work on a car what is guna happen to people like us that enjoy it.

 

[trail B2]

Its all about profit after the sale.The less informed the owner is the more profit potential there is.The car companies are going to be telling us people weren't checking there oil which is true but why take the dipstick out?Because now you need a diagnostic computer to check the oil if the control system is in doubt how often do DIYers like us doubt A complete system like this, probably whats going to happen is a lot of premature oil changes to make sure there is oil in there or people putting in a little more to be sure.

I think as direct injection technology comes to be common place more and more people like us are going to want newer cars.We want cars that are shade tree friendly but we also want cars that are fun to drive most of the changes we make are for that goal.A 300 horse Mustang that gets 30 mpg is very attractive to a blue collar guy with a lot of bills to pay and we all know where the price of gas is going.

Another interesting thing in about 1981 or so I had a friend work at a GM dealer.He told me at that time that GM was working on a sealed hood concept so you couldn't check the Oil or anti freeze looking at a warning light and adding fluid from outside.So they have been thinking that way for a while.Really funny if you think about the shit they made at that time.

 

[88_Eddie]

WTF, no dipstick? who the shit is coming up with this crap. whats next, no steering wheel? mark my words, we'll be driving submarines one day, sensors and microphones all over the place........and the president will be a woman