False dipstick reading on Kubota Z482

[Mouse]

Just had a rather embarrassing catastrophic engine failure on the Kubota Z482 bike.

Basically it was a total oil failure and I had to replace the whole engine as it is more cost effective and time effective than a full crank and big end rebuild. It was an upsetting failure and I didn't post anything publicly until I found out what caused it. I was also confused for a fair while understanding how I had simply let it run dry despite checking the oil every two weeks or so and definitely checked it about a week ago and remember that it was close to the empty notch but not enough to cause concern.

This is the tube bit that caused the failure. When the engine is tilted ever so slightly, like it is in my bike, the flat tube bit can remain filled with oil, not a lot but enough. The dipstick goes almost right down to the bottom of the bend and the low notch is right at the end of the dipstickso even the smallest bit of oil left in the bend gives a false reading that is above the warning low notch. The industrial sumps don't have it and instead the dipstick goes through the side of the engine directly into the sump.



I'm going to be making a new "FULL" and "EMPTY" notch slightly higher on the dip stick to firstly show a fill level when the bike is on the side-stand and secondly to get any reading well above the phantom one I have been seeing all year. I shall also be adopting a "keep filled to the full line" oil check ideal rather than assuming it's OK between 'full' and 'empty' as is normally the maintenance recommendation for any engine.

[Stuart]

That's a right bugger. Hope you get it sorted soon.

[mattm]

Sorry to hear that but thanks for sharing, might save someone else suffering the same fate. Hope you get it sorted soon, I like that bmw and might at some point copy the engine transplant, the bike cirtainly could use a drop in consumption from standard form, I think our diesel mpv gets better mpg than either of my bmws ever did

[Mouse]

It was sorted 5 days later after finding a replacement engine not to far away and a frantic evenings spannering to get it in the frame.

[Stuart]

Seeing as this engine is on the up, perhaps I can persuade Mouse to put all that he knows about it down in the form of an article? I could offer free camping at the rally by return?

[sbrumby]

Seems from the picture the dipstick tube is vertical and horizontal so I presume the dipstick only goes to the vertical, if so wouldn`t you be better off with a clear tube. On my big Honda with the upturned gearbox I have a clear tube and is an accurate measure of the oil level.

[Mouse]

Seems from the picture the dipstick tube is vertical and horizontal so I presume the dipstick only goes to the vertical, if so wouldn`t you be better off with a clear tube. On my big Honda with the upturned gearbox I have a clear tube and is an accurate measure of the oil level.

It would be an equivalent of the motorbike sighting window.
What did you use for the clear tube? Did the diesel sump oil still allow a clear sighting of the oil level considering it is far blacker than petrol sump oil.

Seeing as this engine is on the up, perhaps I can persuade Mouse to put all that he knows about it down in the form of an article? I could offer free camping at the rally by return?

I can always be persuaded into that sort of thing, I also get thirsty at bike rallies . They are brilliant little engines and reasonably affordable, at least comparable in price to a single cylinder engine, and I don't mind sharing my experiences even if the learning curve is somewhat embarrassing

[sbrumby]

On the big Honda I just used some clear nylon pneumatic pipe, dirty engine oil will show up better than clean oil. My central heating runs on waste engine oil that tank also has a sight glass that is plastic or nylon.

[Stuart]

Seems from the picture the dipstick tube is vertical and horizontal so I presume the dipstick only goes to the vertical, if so wouldn`t you be better off with a clear tube. On my big Honda with the upturned gearbox I have a clear tube and is an accurate measure of the oil level.

It would be an equivalent of the motorbike sighting window.
What did you use for the clear tube? Did the diesel sump oil still allow a clear sighting of the oil level considering it is far blacker than petrol sump oil.

Seeing as this engine is on the up, perhaps I can persuade Mouse to put all that he knows about it down in the form of an article? I could offer free camping at the rally by return?

I can always be persuaded into that sort of thing, I also get thirsty at bike rallies . They are brilliant little engines and reasonably affordable, at least comparable in price to a single cylinder engine, and I don't mind sharing my experiences even if the learning curve is somewhat embarrassing

We could sort you some liquid stuff I think. The more in depth the article the more in depth in beer I guess