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MG MGA - Engine oil dipstick

Good afternoon Gentlemen,
I have a question pertaining to my 1957 MGA, and really hoping you can help me.
The dust cap from the oil dipstick has broken off, due to ware and tare, and when I insert the oil dipstick it goes all the way down to the bottom of the engine against the sump pan.
Is this normal for accurate engine oil reading? Or not?
Should the dust cap be positioned at a specific distance from the top of the dipstick?
Please see attached diagram.
Hopping for a favorable reply, thanking you in advance.
Best regards ......
Mike Pain
Brussels, Belgium.

email: mike.mg@telenet.be



MP PAIN

Yes, the dipstick should touch the bottom of the oil pan to give a correct reading.

The rubber boot is a sliding fit, so you just position it to seal the tube from above. It is important to use the boot in dusty conditions, as I have seen a few cars (MGA and MGB) where the boot was missing, and the dipstick concreted in place by dust and sand - I then had to remove the dipstick tube with dipstick in place and resort to a BFH to get the dipstick out of the tube.
Dominic Clancy

Hi Mike,

the mga's dust cap on the dipstick serves both as a dust cap, and also it stops engine oil spitting out of the dipstick hole while the engine is running. On my car the dipstick reaches the bottom of the sump rather lightly, a click can be heard. This is normal and the level of the oil inside the sump is measured as it should. Naturally, you don't give the stick a hard push down the oil hole, just push it lightly until it reaches the bottom of the sump. I have the rubber dust cap in place and sure enough it does not stop the stick at any point down the oil hole.

Frank
F. Camilleri

This thread was discussed on 30/07/2018

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