Evening
Following on from my oil level debacle, is there any way of retrofitting a dipstick assembly onto this engine? I’ve read numerous threads on bass guitar strings and various measurements and using the oil suction pipe, but has anyone developed a robust solution?
Also, is it possible to retrofit an external oil level sensor onto the L405 to get around the sump located sensor failure issues?
Hopefully there will be some members who have the knowledge and/or expertise on this issue
Best regards
Mark L405 2016 4.4SDV8 Autobiography Corris Grey/Pimento - Current
L322 2011 4.4TDV8 Vogue SE Alaska White/Charcoal - Gone
and lots of other none LR stuff…..

I tried various options and came to the conclusion that:

a) replacing the oil level sensor was just too expensive for the benefit it gave.
b) the guitar string option worked OK-ish - it gave a level that gave me confidence that the oil was roughly at the right level.
c) all the options for a remote canister which contained the sensor proved too much of an engineering obsticle given that you'd have to plumb in an oil pipe to fill the canister (which could be done) and the canister would likely be a welded assembly or machined in some way to get a face for the sensor (which could be done), then the canister would have to be fitted at the right level to give an accurate measurement.
d) I found the best option was changing the oil myself and measuring what came out (always 9.3l), which led me to belive no oil was being used.

The main downside was as I'd disconnected the oil level sensor wiring, the car told me it needed an oil change every 4000 or 5000 miles. Presumably because unusual oil level measurements would suggest oil dilution was a problem triggering the need for an oil change (testing the oil proved there was negligible oil dilution between oil changes).

Most of my findings are here www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic56693.html?hi...or+working Current:
- 2017 L405 3.0 V6 Autobiography
Sold:
- 2013 L405 4.4 TDV8 Vogue
- 2004 L322 4.4 Vogue (BRC LPG)
- 2002 L322 4.4 HSE (having fixed timing chain guides)
- 2000 P38 4.6 Vogue (BRC LPG)
- 1981 2-door In-Vogue
- 1980 Ex-Army SIII LWB
- 1976 SIII LWB
- 1968 SIIA
Stripped for parts:
- 2003 L322 4.4 Vogue

I couldn't get the guitar string or strimmer cord to work on my TDV6. The oil suction pipe ( for oil changes) follows a torturous route to the back of the engine and no matter how much cord or string I stuffed into it, I couldn't get a reliable level indication. The 'Oil level not available' message has appeared a couple of times but has gone away when the engine is stopped and restarted. My son's MY 2020 Evoque has a dipstick and I wonder if they have gone back to a sensible means of checking the oil.

How about replacing the sump plug with a ‘T’ shaped pipe junction screwed into the sump drain hole, with a bung in the second part on the ‘T’ and a relatively straight hose extending from the third part of the ‘T’ to somewhere along side where the suction oil drain pipe is, using a proper dipstick inside that hose to show exactly what the oil level is?

Hmm....
Now you've got me thinking. an adapter to screw into the sump plug hole with a take off for your dip stick tube and a fitting for a drain plug. Would the dip stick tube have to be capped off when not in use for crankcase breathing I wonder.

I feel a project coming on.

I just added a comment to this video:
?si=SSTA34MDVoq8pIYX
Under my YouTube username Richardwardful, explaining my thoughts on how I think it could be done with what I think would be an M14 male-male adapter plus an M14 ‘T’ piece used upside down.

I would love to know your thoughts as well as @Zebedee’s thoughts about this idea.

No, I’m sure you wouldn’t need to cap it off as in effect the bottom of the Dipstick tube is below the level of the oil. In fact it is at the very bottom of it.