[Chemist710]

I just installed BOEs baffled oil pan on my 05 elise. When i check the oil the dip stick will not go all the way down without forcing it ( makes a click sound). Doing this indicates the oil level is too high. Now if i flip the dip stick around (the curve facing the other direction) the level comes up too low and requires less force. Obviously the dip stick is hitting something. Is this common? which reading is accurate? or what did I do wrong?

FYI I bring the engine to operating temp then wait ten min before checking.

Thanks

 

[jefrac]

It did this same thing with mine too, exactly as you describe. If i keep the natural curve of the dipstick going towards the front of the car, it works fine. Flipping it the other way results in the "click" and a high oil reading. I really think this is just because the dipstick is splashing into the oil surface.

Hope that makes sense.

 

[Chemist710]

Thanks for the reply. Makes sense to me. I will flip the dip stick and use that reading.

 

[forkmeupscotty]

Bumping this cause I have the same issue. It make getting accurate reading difficult.
If it "clicks", oil gets all over the dipstick. If I flip it around, the dipstick doesn't even go all the way down, nor will it stay down.

 

[Krule]

I have one of the early pans with the crank scraper (or windage tray, i forget which part it is that attaches to the block...) I believe they were originally made for the Elise, having an exige with a different dip stick angle I had to drill a new hole in the crank scraper for the dipstick to fit. It was rather obvious fix when i test fit everything together.

 

[jds62f]

I have one of the early pans with the crank scraper (or windage tray, i forget which part it is that attaches to the block...) I believe they were originally made for the Elise, having an exige with a different dip stick angle I had to drill a new hole in the crank scraper for the dipstick to fit. It was rather obvious fix when i test fit everything together.

Is this right? Hard to imagine lotus changed the dipstick for the exige, especially when they sold both n/a and supercharged versions. OP, this appears to be common across aftermarket oil pan using windage tray, my gpan does the same thing, I have to flip the dipstick around and try a few times to get it out without the click.

My advice is to do an oil change so you know everything is at the correct level, then check the oil and see what level is indicated. This is your new reference for oil checks.

 

[luxige]

My advice is to do an oil change so you know everything is at the correct level....

That works IF you know the fill quantity. The pan in question holds more oil than stock. Even the stock pans have quite a lot of variation. I have two spare pans with about 1/2" (12mm) difference in the depth.

The dipstick isn't really measuring quantity anyway, it's checking how far the surface of the oil is below the crankshaft, at rest. This prevents the crank from churning the oil while running. More oil is better, up to that maximum point. That's where you want to keep the level, regardless of the depth of the pan below. But yes, it is useful to know the quantity of oil that will fill to this level.

I have the same BOE pan and found that I can avoid catching the tip of the dipstick by bending the bottom 6" or so into a gentle downward curve. The dipstick tube is not too far off vertical at the lower end, so bending the stick a little doesn't make a huge difference to the measurement. I don't remember my trig, but it's probably no more than a mm or two. YMMV.

 

[jvbrugger]

I have the BOE pan as well. I also have the 'click' when in setting the tube. My work around is to twist the yellow handle a little when inserting the dipstick. I don't remember it mattering which way you rotate it. And yes, it is difficult to get an accurate reading.

After installation, i did get a bad reading and added oil, which ended up in overfilling. That caused some oil to be forced out of the motor. It was a while ago, but I believe it was pushed out around the filter o ring

If I remember correctly, oil changes now take 6 quarts

Jeff B

 

[forkmeupscotty]

I'm gonna go see if bending the stick will make a difference. It worked a first few times I tried, not so much lately.
Maybe the clearance for the dip stick is small.

BOE TOC:

Moroso on the left, gpan on the right (source)

Note: I think there are several different versions of Moroso pans...

I wonder if owners of other pans are experience similar issue....

 

[mrfunstuff]

Maybe the vendors will chime in. I was asking Thomasio about this issue when he was selling one and he said he wasn't aware of it. It's obviously not uncommon!

 

[XtinctElise]

I am in the process of getting a longer OE Toyota dipstick that has the single metal wire dipstick, while retaining the BOE tube. As opposed to a 2 piece wire that is riveted together. From what I can tell the rioted area may be resting in the curved portion of the tube which makes bending it difficult as it slides into place, and might cause it to want to "pop" back up from being under tension.

If the Toyota dipstick works it may just require a touch of sanding on the plastic top to fit through the top of the tube properly. You can test the fit by inserting your stock dipstick, (which is too short).

The dipstick I want to dry is from a 2006 Tundra double Cab limited 4WD, 4.7L V8. I think the dipstick from that truck is about 23-1/4" long and the BOE dipstick is 24" long. It should work as long as you properly mark the new High oil level. (And never accidentally fill to the stock mark).

If anyone has another Toyota engine, please measure your dipstick from tip to top where it hits the tube. I have not purchased the new dipstick yet as I am waiting for someone to verify the length.

I think the Toyota part number is: 153010F010

 

[forkmeupscotty]

Hm, I thought I posted an update on the matter or maybe it got lost in some other threads.

I bent the dipstick about a quarter to a half inch up from the top marker towards the front of the car and now am getting clean readings.

It's an odd 'feature', but I think it's fine.

 

[Cardinal#1]

I have the BOE pan as well. I also have the 'click' when in setting the tube. My work around is to twist the yellow handle a little when inserting the dipstick. I don't remember it mattering which way you rotate it. And yes, it is difficult to get an accurate reading.



After installation, i did get a bad reading and added oil, which ended up in overfilling. That caused some oil to be forced out of the motor. It was a while ago, but I believe it was pushed out around the filter o ring



If I remember correctly, oil changes now take 6 quarts



Jeff B

Can anyone confirm that it is 6 quarts for the BOE pan?


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[Cardinal#1]

Just changed my oil, so I will answer my own question. It took about 5.5 qts with a Mobil M1-209 filter and the BOE oil pan.


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[wangan]

Thank you for your reply, I was also waiting for confirmation on oil capacity

 

[addertooth]

5.5 quarts seem surprising small, when you place the stock oilpan next to the BOE pan.

 

[turbophil]

Depending on how much you get out of the drain and how big of an oil filter you're using, 7qts may be required... If you're only using 5 qts, then there may not have been a complete drain, or you just were -that- low before starting.

Provided that you're exchanging the majority of the oil, which 5+gts certainly is, you're certainly doing what needs to be done...

Cheers,

Phil

 

[Cardinal#1]

Thanks Phil. BTW, great oil pan!


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[lambog]

Phil, I plan to order BOE oil pan for my cup260 year 2010. If I understand correctly it will not fit unless I take off original cup260 shear panel and replace it with "Seriously Lotus Shear Panel" right? Please chime in.

 

[jds62f]

I wonder if anyone else had success with the bend method. I have the gpan1 and have this exact issue too. I contacted sector directly and they weren't aware of anyone having this problem with the dipstick twanging and ruining the oil level measurement.

I really don't want to remove and reinstall the pan, but it seems like there is little else that can be done. I was hoping to be able to use a boroscope to see something worthwhile, but the structure around the pump in combination with the windage tray makes it almost impossible to snake your way from the drain plug over to where the dipstick can be seen.