Missing dipstick markers

[Tiboo]

I can't find any markers on my engine's (Mitsubishi K4D) dipstick (I've thoroghly cleaned it etc.)! The manuals I found are not of any further help either, and I don't find much more info online about that engine. Any idea what to do best? Would it be good enough to fill simply up to somewhat above the lower end of the dipstick..? 

[Tracy D'arth]

7 minutes ago, Njiruk said:

I can't find any markers on my engine's (Mitsubishi K4D) dipstick (I've thoroghly cleaned it etc.)! The manuals I found are not of any further help either, and I don't find much more info online about that engine. Any idea what to do best? Would it be good enough to fill simply up to somewhat above the lower end of the dipstick..? 

Find out how much including the filter it should hold, drain it, new filter, put that much back, run it a while, wait, check the stick and that is the top mark.

[Tony Brooks]

Unless you can find another boater with the same engine and dipstick so you can copy the marks of heirs I would suggest that you drain the oil, getting as much out as you can. Change the oil filter, pour in the amount of oil the manual says it needs. Then run for several minutes to fill the filter. Leave it for an hour and then were ever the oil level is mark it as maximum. Then put a minimum mark about 1cm or 1/2"  below that.

 

Snap with Tracy

Edited December 15, 2021 by Tony Brooks

[OldGoat]

'Proper' engines have clear markers (some with text) across the dipstick.

Some less proper have nicks in the side of the dipstick. Is yours of this type mebe?

 

[Alan de Enfield]

12 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

'Proper' engines have clear markers (some with text) across the dipstick.

Some less proper have nicks in the side of the dipstick. Is yours of this type mebe?

 

 

Some also have cross-hatching to mark the extremes of 'full & empty"

 

The question is - "is it an original dipstick, or is it replacement from  ????" is it even the correct length ?

 

The cost of a new manufacturers dipstick will be far less than the potential damage from 'getting it wrong'.

[Tiboo]

It's a spiral would stainless dipstick... no  nicks, no cross-hatching. The length looks alright, I assume it's the original but I can't be sure...

I just emptied the oil, so it would be the perfect moment to try out the method @Tracy D'arth and @Tony Brooks suggest, but there is no mention in the manual of the required quantity amount of oil :~/. A schematic drawing seems to indicate that the upper limit would be the top part of the "oil pan", which distance I could measure from the upper part of the dip-stick hole to obtain some estimate maximum level...  

[ditchcrawler]

9 minutes ago, Njiruk said:

It's a spiral would stainless dipstick... no  nicks, no cross-hatching. The length looks alright, I assume it's the original but I can't be sure...

I just emptied the oil, so it would be the perfect moment to try out the method @Tracy D'arth and @Tony Brooks suggest, but there is no mention in the manual of the required quantity amount of oil :~/. A schematic drawing seems to indicate that the upper limit would be the top part of the "oil pan", which distance I could measure from the upper part of the dip-stick hole to obtain some estimate maximum level...  

Castrol oils and lubricants for your MITSUBISHI [Mini-Excavators] MA030,

 

[Tiboo]

11 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Castrol oils and lubricants for your MITSUBISHI [Mini-Excavators] MA030,

 

Wow, well done, thanks! So 6 litres. I'll double-check that with the "upper-limit-pan method".

Also, I just checked the dipstick length to that upper-pan level, and I notice this is the point where only the last 1 cm of the dipstick gets. This is a plastic bit that sticks into the metal spiral. I now see how that plastic bit ends in a somewhat awkward way, as if it has broken on.. a potential level marker notched into it... So I guess the rest of the plastic bit (with the lower level marker) has broken off... I think I got enough material to assemble the puzzle now, thanks!

Edited December 15, 2021 by Njiruk

[David Mack]

Have you tried buying a new (marked) dipstick from a Mitsubishi dealer?

[ditchcrawler]

20 minutes ago, Njiruk said:

Wow, well done, thanks! So 6 litres. I'll double-check that with the "upper-limit-pan method".

Also, I just checked the dipstick length to that upper-pan level, and I notice this is the point where only the last 1 cm of the dipstick gets. This is a plastic bit that sticks into the metal spiral. I now see how that plastic bit ends in a somewhat awkward way, as if it has broken on.. a potential level marker notched into it... So I guess the rest of the plastic bit (with the lower level marker) has broken off... I think I got enough material to assemble the puzzle now, thanks!

Looking further I see there is a choice of two sump pans so the oil contents may be different for different installations, who marinised yours?

 

[Peugeot 106]

Shouldn’t the spiral wound bit have a flat bit fastened on the end which is to show the levels? Just a thought but the flat bit hasn’t fallen off has it. It could have caught in the sump when you pulled it out and now be lying in the sump. It would normally be about 60mm long x 10mm wide x 2mm thick.

[Peugeot 106]

Too hasty to reply I now realise that you have realised this although i’m surprised the end is plastic. You could make yourself an end from steel but make sure it’s well fastened in to the spiral bit. It might be easier to go to a scrap yard if there’s one handy and find one out of a car. It may be safer to alter the length at the handle end then there is less chance of the end falling into the sump. Good Luck

[ditchcrawler]

This may help you, its a bit faint on my laptop but hopefully you can see it mitsubishi.pdf (boatservicehaarlem.nl)

 

Edited December 15, 2021 by ditchcrawler

[Alan de Enfield]

27 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

Too hasty to reply I now realise that you have realised this although i’m surprised the end is plastic. You could make yourself an end from steel but make sure it’s well fastened in to the spiral bit. It might be easier to go to a scrap yard if there’s one handy and find one out of a car. It may be safer to alter the length at the handle end then there is less chance of the end falling into the sump. Good Luck

 

 

The dipsticks on my (Ford) Engines are springy-steel with plastic tab-ends,