Peugeot 306 (1993 - 2001) - Electronic oil-level gauge

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Sun 30 Nov 2008 09:53
Electronic oil-level gauge - Andrew-T
How does this gauge function? Mine has behaved itself pretty well for 9 years, but it is now showing signs of reading low. That doesn't matter much to me, as I always check the dipstick and I am 99.99% sure that the oil will be on the top mark, as the engine uses none between changes. The problem is that on the rare occasion that the car goes in for treatment, the technician 'tops it up' with the result that the level gets too high, and I start to worry about gasket failure. (Needless to say, the top-up is not reported, so I am not prepared for it).
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Sun 30 Nov 2008 10:02
Electronic oil-level gauge - DP
The gauge in my S-reg XSi used to over-read quite significantly. As the car approached 100k miles it was using quite a lot of oil, and I knew that once it dropped off the full mark, it was time to start thinking about a top up. Half way on the gauge would mean below Min on the dipstick.

Like I said, hopelessly inaccurate, but consistently so, meaning it had some value. I have never heard of a technician using one of these gauges to judge oil level though, and would hesitate to let my car anywhere near one who did.

Cheers
DP
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Sun 30 Nov 2008 11:57
Electronic oil-level gauge - Andrew-T
>I would hesitate to let my car anywhere near one who did.

I wasn't knocking the technician, DP, and I'm not really certain of my explanation for the rise in oil level. I just can't think of an alternative. I suspect that he looked at the gauge just after moving the car, and before the oil had drained down fully. But I still prefer the dipstick ...
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Sun 30 Nov 2008 12:15
Electronic oil-level gauge - Robin Reliant
That is the sort of "Innovation" dreamed up by a too-clever-by-half designer who hasn't got enough work to do.
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Sun 30 Nov 2008 15:18
Electronic oil-level gauge - Number_Cruncher
>>That is the sort of "Innovation"

If everyone did open their car's bonnet reasonably frequently to check these things, then, I would agree. However, as it's so unusual to see people making correct running checks, perhaps it's not such a bad idea.

However, any French manufacturer has more basic electrical / electronic problems to sort before beginning to consider more frivolous items like this!

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Sun 30 Nov 2008 16:17
Electronic oil-level gauge - Robin Reliant
If everyone did open their car's bonnet reasonably frequently to check these things then I
would agree. However as it's so unusual to see people making correct running checks perhaps
it's not such a bad idea.

I get the feeling though that anyone who never lifts the bonnet would either ignore the warning gauge (my niece, drove her Renault something or other with the temp gauge in the red until it siezed) or just dump a pint of oil in without checking the level (my cousin on his Escort after he found a leak under the car).

Some people give a car the same level of maintanence that I give my watch.
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Sun 30 Nov 2008 16:48
Electronic oil-level gauge - Number_Cruncher
>>I get the feeling though that anyone who never lifts the bonnet would either ignore the warning gauge...

Sadly, you're probably right!

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Sun 30 Nov 2008 18:29
Electronic oil-level gauge - Andrew-T
Probably right, NC and Robin. But I was hoping someone might tell me where the sensor is, and what it does, so that I might clean it up or whatever is necessary?
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