I changed oil in my Ducato last week manual says 6L , I drained it out nice and warm,, put the waste oil in my container only 5L ??? refilled with new filter and fresh oil and it needed 6L to reach same level as before ,,, ????????
Ducato Series 8 Oil Level ( difficulties and nightmares )
- Thread starter chris3086
- Start date
I think the engine management ECU has a random number generator at its heart. My adblue warning come on when I still have more than half in the tank. So it’s not just oil it can’t measure.
suavecarve
LIFE MEMBER
Just for info my series 8 is in to Adam morley Portsmouth next Wednesday for the exact same thing. Already had oil filter, sensor and oil change.
I ll update this thread and mine and I ll try to hit a pothole on the way down !
I ll update this thread and mine and I ll try to hit a pothole on the way down !
I dont think you will have to try!
MichaelT
LIFE MEMBER
Was there a lot still in the old filter?
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Maybe 1/3 of a litre at most
Thank you for all the comments. The oil gauge has stayed at 2/8 bars. No more red warnings. When I get back home I’ll talk to garage and hopefully talk to the same really helpful technician.
Three things to consider.
1. Has the ECU setting that takes the message from the oil level setting correct or has it reverted to an “off” value
2. Is the wiring connector to the sensor contaminated with oil?
3. Is the oil level sensor faulty?
My guess is 1 and 3 are both the problem. 1 because the gauge dropped from 7/8 to 2/8 with hardly any distance travelled and then stayed at 2/8 for 1000 miles. 3 because over four miles it went from 2/8 to red oil warning, did not change with 200ml added and then went back to 2/8 when I hit a pothole.
The joys of owning a fiat ducato.
Three things to consider.
1. Has the ECU setting that takes the message from the oil level setting correct or has it reverted to an “off” value
2. Is the wiring connector to the sensor contaminated with oil?
3. Is the oil level sensor faulty?
My guess is 1 and 3 are both the problem. 1 because the gauge dropped from 7/8 to 2/8 with hardly any distance travelled and then stayed at 2/8 for 1000 miles. 3 because over four miles it went from 2/8 to red oil warning, did not change with 200ml added and then went back to 2/8 when I hit a pothole.
The joys of owning a fiat ducato.
Following with interest. Hope you find an answer.
I have it always in the dash display, I'm a bit obsessed with this sensor
I wish we had a dipstick, like the previous and newer models
I have it always in the dash display, I'm a bit obsessed with this sensor
I wish we had a dipstick, like the previous and newer models
If it was me, van would have been up on ramps, drain oil into bowl, carefully measure oil back into engine to the correct amount, then carry on with holiday and ignore the idiot light,
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I’ve done that once. That’s how I know to not trust sensor and gauge.
So, just completed 200 miles. Halfway the red light came on. At start of journey we had 2/8 showing on display. No oil under engine no black smoke. It’s lying again. Get to campsite. Put van in reverse to reverse to get on pitch, start moving and red light goes out. Move forward and it came on again.
Whatever dipstick at Fiat dreamed up this technical solution to a simple problem needs another job.
Barn1e
Whatever dipstick at Fiat dreamed up this technical solution to a simple problem needs another job.
Barn1e
It wasn’t even a simple problem, it was a solution to a completely non existent problem. I see common sense has prevailed and dip sticks are back but that doesn’t help the thousands of customers who were unwittingly part of this experiment and now have to live with this crock of ****
I have a diesel volvo V70, MY 12, just gone past 150,000 miles, no dipstick, and never missed a beat, or indicated low or high oil…
But i get your point with Fiat
Thankfully fitted a Stahlbus oil drain valve to my MY 23 Ducato, so if i get the dreaded false warnings, that should be easy enough…..plus the E&P levellers…
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Almost made it to northern France. On the way the 2/8 on dash dropped to 1/8 and RED light is still on. Now I am worried again. All the time it was stuck at 2/8 I felt sure the sensor was broken. Now, who knows what it’s doing. Grrrrrrrrr. I’d like to say something nasty about the Fiat designer of this “feature” of the Series 8 engine, but that could see me locked up in prison for a couple of years!
Hi got aria compact 2024 fiat ducato on way down to Portugal oil gauge dropped down to just under three bars. stayed at campsite next day started up and still at under three bars decided to drive to next stopover checked gauge on the way and it had gone back up to 5 bars arrived at site sitting ticking over check gauge and back to three bars any ideas would be helpful.
MichaelT
LIFE MEMBER
You shouldn't check oil with engine running as all the oil is around the engine oiling things, should be on level ground too.
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It is good to hear that this vexatious issue is resolved.
As an aside, this post is nowt to do with oil levels, dipsticks and the like.
It is however, related to the Fiat warranty.
When my Ducato was purchased, from new, back in the day, I had a lot of problems with spurious warnings illuminating on the dash panel.
Long story short, . . . . I had 5 replacement dash panels fitted by the local Fiat main dealer; a process which continued until well after the warranty had expired.
Each new panel lasted 6 months, or so, before the problem recurred.
After contacting the Fiat customer services people, when the warranty period expired, I never had to put my hand in my pocket once.
Surely, any faults that occur within the warranty period, should continue to be dealt with in a similar fashion ?
As an aside, this post is nowt to do with oil levels, dipsticks and the like.
It is however, related to the Fiat warranty.
When my Ducato was purchased, from new, back in the day, I had a lot of problems with spurious warnings illuminating on the dash panel.
Long story short, . . . . I had 5 replacement dash panels fitted by the local Fiat main dealer; a process which continued until well after the warranty had expired.
Each new panel lasted 6 months, or so, before the problem recurred.
After contacting the Fiat customer services people, when the warranty period expired, I never had to put my hand in my pocket once.
Surely, any faults that occur within the warranty period, should continue to be dealt with in a similar fashion ?
Mine does this continuously. Moves between 3 and 5 bars. I just ignore it, because is a safe level. I would worry if it goes below, but then you have the low level warning.
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Having returned home I have been able to add more oil in the knowledge I could drain some out if I decide the sensor is faulty or an overfill warning pops up in the “Alerts”.
With the red warning and 1/8 bars on display I added oil in 100 ml increments. The van was on level ground and the engine oil at normal temperature. After 300ml the red warning went out and 2/8 bars showed on display. Great I thought, it’s working.
I then continued to add oil in 100 ml increments, hoping the number of bars would increase in the display. After another 450ml since the display first showed 2/8 there was still no change. It was as if the sensor can only measure up to 2/8. I was about to give up when the display went to 3/8 and then back to 2/8. Last I looked it was at 3/8. So it is changing.
Since the red warning first showed, 1 litre of oil has been added and I am almost at 3/8.
I did at one point unplug the sensor wiring and was pleased to see this show in the Alerts as a sensors fault.
I am going to get another 1 litre tomorrow and carry on with 100 ml increments. All being well I will discover how sensitive the sensor is the change in oil volume. I’ll update here. Perhaps I’ll find that it has low sensitivity at the bottom of the scale but more sensitive as it nears the top.
If it goes pear shaped I’ll drain some out and take to Fiat Professional service centre.
I have also been doing more research into oil use on new series 8 Fiat engines. Unlike all my previous vehicles, these do see to consume oil, especially in the first 5-10k miles. Mine is just over 10,000 miles.
With the red warning and 1/8 bars on display I added oil in 100 ml increments. The van was on level ground and the engine oil at normal temperature. After 300ml the red warning went out and 2/8 bars showed on display. Great I thought, it’s working.
I then continued to add oil in 100 ml increments, hoping the number of bars would increase in the display. After another 450ml since the display first showed 2/8 there was still no change. It was as if the sensor can only measure up to 2/8. I was about to give up when the display went to 3/8 and then back to 2/8. Last I looked it was at 3/8. So it is changing.
Since the red warning first showed, 1 litre of oil has been added and I am almost at 3/8.
I did at one point unplug the sensor wiring and was pleased to see this show in the Alerts as a sensors fault.
I am going to get another 1 litre tomorrow and carry on with 100 ml increments. All being well I will discover how sensitive the sensor is the change in oil volume. I’ll update here. Perhaps I’ll find that it has low sensitivity at the bottom of the scale but more sensitive as it nears the top.
If it goes pear shaped I’ll drain some out and take to Fiat Professional service centre.
I have also been doing more research into oil use on new series 8 Fiat engines. Unlike all my previous vehicles, these do see to consume oil, especially in the first 5-10k miles. Mine is just over 10,000 miles.
Take it for a run before you add more oil. Mine dropped to 2/8 recently, so I added about 300ml and the gauge never moved. 30 Miles later it suddenly jumped to 7/8!
According to the Aussies you need to "RTFM" as the saying goes. The manual is quite specific about conditions for checking the oil. Read #16 which links to something explaining the procedure.
P.S. Mine is a Transit not a Ducato and I do have a dipstick!
P.S. Mine is a Transit not a Ducato and I do have a dipstick!
suavecarve
LIFE MEMBER
IIRC it was 7 minutes after filling to see if bars would go up after adding oil.
Pleased to say ours is behaving 800 miles after our reset.
Pleased to say ours is behaving 800 miles after our reset.
The series 8 (with no dipstick) can be checked with the engine running but there is a procedure to follow.
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It only takes 1L to bring it from min to max. Adding another litre will most likely overfill it (if it isn’t already overfilled) Also, I have read that it can sometimes take a few hundred miles for it to register. I hate not having a dipstick!
I made some notes after talking to a Fiat Profesional technician and the sketch I found on this site I think
When checking oil there is a delay in the sensors to the display, go steady with topping up - it’s approx 200mm between segments and Fiat technician told me that temperature gauge has to be up at 12.0 clock
Remember to wait at least 15 minutes for level to show on dashboard so best to top up with smaller amounts also engine has to be up to temperature with needle up at 12.0 clock
When checking oil there is a delay in the sensors to the display, go steady with topping up - it’s approx 200mm between segments and Fiat technician told me that temperature gauge has to be up at 12.0 clock
Remember to wait at least 15 minutes for level to show on dashboard so best to top up with smaller amounts also engine has to be up to temperature with needle up at 12.0 clock
The Fiat Ducato Series 8 2.2L engine does not have a oil level dip stick.
There is a very specific set of conditions that are required to be met to get an accurate reading on the gauge. These conditions are: (Page 265 of your owners manual)
We are experiencing a number of customers overfilling engines because they do not correctly understand how to check the oil level.There is a very specific set of conditions that are required to be met to get an accurate reading on the gauge. These conditions are: (Page 265 of your owners manual)
Engine Stopped
- The engine must be at operating temperature.
- The vehicle must be on level ground.
- Wait a minimum of 6 minutes after the engine has been turned off.
- Turn the ignition on without starting the engine.
- Wait a minimum of 20 seconds before reading the oil level on the gauge.
Engine Running and Idling
- The engine must be at operating temperature.
- The vehicle must be on level ground.
- Idle the engine and wait a minimum of 1 minute before checking the oil level gauge.
If you:
- Start the engine accidentally after the 6 minute wait, you will need to wait a further 6 minutes or follow the engine running and idling procedure.
- If the vehicle is on a lean or not level, the reading will not be correct.
- If the engine is not at operating temperature, the reading will be incorrect.
- If you do not get a satisfactory reading, we recommend that you recheck it again before adding any oil.
Understanding the markings on the gauge
The image attached is a simple understanding of what each marking represents.Understanding the Gauge:
- The total volume of oil represented on the gauge is the top (approx.) 1 litres only.
- Each segment between the 2 arrows in the picture is about 200ml.
- The very bottom segment is on or below minimum.
- The very top segment is full or overfull.
Do not:
- Do not put more than 1 litre of oil in the engine if the gauge is showing minimum or above.
- If the gauge is not reading any level, we recommend that the vehicle gets to an authorized Fiat Professional Dealer to address this issue. This may require the vehicle to be towed.
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