I can't remember ever working on a D1 auto - it must be a rare beast! All my LR's have been manual 'box except the current one and the previous L322.
I see the point of having an engine oil dipstick as the oil is a 'consumable' by several means, transmission oil is 'fill to level, run, check', unless you have an external leak, then the oil level shouldn't drop so a dipstick is superfluous - and quite often will show an incorrect level unless checked at the correct temperature.
Much like the engine oil dipstick, I doubt many would use it below a 'certain age', for one, engines do not leak or consume a lot of oil compared to even twenty years ago, secondly, a lot of cars are now leased and everything is 'someone else's problem' so why bother? We even get the muppets bring them in for 'screenwash low' messages on the dash! As long as the Infotainment works and all the driver (attention replacement) aids can drag them away from Facebook etc. whilst driving, they're happy.
 
Graculus said:
I can't remember ever working on a D1 auto - it must be a rare beast! All my LR's have been manual 'box except the current one and the previous L322.
I see the point of having an engine oil dipstick as the oil is a 'consumable' by several means, transmission oil is 'fill to level, run, check', unless you have an external leak, then the oil level shouldn't drop so a dipstick is superfluous - and quite often will show an incorrect level unless checked at the correct temperature.
Much like the engine oil dipstick, I doubt many would use it below a 'certain age', for one, engines do not leak or consume a lot of oil compared to even twenty years ago, secondly, a lot of cars are now leased and everything is 'someone else's problem' so why bother? We even get the muppets bring them in for 'screenwash low' messages on the dash! As long as the Infotainment works and all the driver (attention replacement) aids can drag them away from Facebook etc. whilst driving, they're happy.
Click to expand...
We do seem to read about D1 autos more on here than I would have thought possible. Maybe they are still around cos their owners haven't mistreated them like others would a manual. Both of mine are manual although the D2 TD5 is auto.
And yes, once the rather heavy leak on my autobox was cured I don't check it much at all. But for a while I drove around with the tools in my door pocket and a few litres of fluid in a garden spray pump in the boot! So yep, the dipstick is superfluous.

I agree that modern drivers really are not as in touch with their vehicles as we are or should I say used to be.
But then the complexity of modern vehicles is enough to put most people off. It sure does me!
 
AllanWorms said:
Here in NZ, Discovery 1's have autos, probably, 9 times out of 10. Lots are used imports from japan, but even sold new here - most were autos.
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So Crossroaders then, are they?
Are they in as good nick as people say they are?
I'd buy a Crossroader if I could find one over here. Although i'd still prefer a manual.
 
The Honda badged ones? They were a "Crossroad", only made as pre-facelift (90% sure) and hardly any of them.

D1's come in quite a range of dilapidation here. The ones at the pick-a-part breakers are always rusty hulks, used on the beach and dumped. There are some really tidy ones.

Some of the pics on this site look like they would have been ordered off the road here 10 or 15 years ago 🤣 Mine has had some rust repairs, because of the shoddy sealer they used at the factory and living outside for a long time. The front floor had some holes.
 
Wasn't it a thing for some garages to suck the oil out through the dipstick tube rather than the proper way to save time during an oil change ?
 
Why is it not a 'proper way'? lots of vehicles use that method by design along with generators, boats etc.
 
Shedload said:
Wasn't it a thing for some garages to suck the oil out through the dipstick tube rather than the proper way to save time during an oil change ?
Click to expand...
It's the only way I can empty the sump on my D2 at the moment. The sump plug does not want to play at all.
 
Firebobby1 said:
Proper or improper, I always drain from the sump plug after getting the oil hot.
Click to expand...
I can't do that with the Citroen Pluriel anyway, no tube will go down the dipstick tube!
Doing it the trad way is quicker and less messy with less clean up afterwards. And it also gives you a container to catch the oil that spills when you change the filter, plus somewhere to dump the old filter while you are getting on with things!;)
 
I would think through the sump was the proper way as that is how they where designed and I think that would enable any bigger bits to be brought out with the oil. 🤔
I had a similar issue to Stanley with the sump plug being overtightened by an over enthusiastic previous owner.
I took it to a garage who put it on a ramp and used a type of socket that tightened it's grip on the nut as they loosened it.
 
If you vac it out into a measured receiver, it is much easier to refill with the correct amount of oil.
Works especially well with auto transmissnions.
I prefer to drain via the sump plug as it is much faster on most LRs, but vaccing is faster on most normal cars.

Most small boat engiens have to have their oil sucked out as it is impossible to get at the drain plug.
 
Shedload said:
I would think through the sump was the proper way as that is how they where designed and I think that would enable any bigger bits to be brought out with the oil. 🤔
I had a similar issue to Stanley with the sump plug being overtightened by an over enthusiastic previous owner.
I took it to a garage who put it on a ramp and used a type of socket that tightened it's grip on the nut as they loosened it.
Click to expand...
Some cars do not even have a sump bung.
I would say just about every car under 20 years old was designed to have its oil vacced out.
 
Well I like to learn but both my wife's 2015 Ford and Daughters 2018 Vw have sump plugs.
If these where designed to be vacced out is the dipstick tube removable as I don't think the tube would be wide enough ?

Often the first signs of engine wear are through debris coming out with the oil.
Vaccing out may be cheaper, cleaner and quicker and I certainly wouldn't rule it out but I would be very wary of any older or high mileage car that had never had it's sump drained.
 
Shedload said:
Well I like to learn but both my wife's 2015 Ford and Daughters 2018 Vw have sump plugs.
If these where designed to be vacced out is the dipstick tube removable as I don't think the tube would be wide enough ?

Often the first signs of engine wear are through debris coming out with the oil.
Vaccing out may be cheaper, cleaner and quicker and I certainly wouldn't rule it out but I would be very wary of any older or high mileage car that had never had it's sump drained.
Click to expand...
TBH, I have yet to find "debris" coming out of a sump. Very finely divided stuff, maybe once in a while, but that it what filters are for so don't usually find much.
If there were larger bits I'd think you'd already know there was a problem!!;)
 
Shedload said:
Well I like to learn but both my wife's 2015 Ford and Daughters 2018 Vw have sump plugs.
If these where designed to be vacced out is the dipstick tube removable as I don't think the tube would be wide enough ?

Often the first signs of engine wear are through debris coming out with the oil.
Vaccing out may be cheaper, cleaner and quicker and I certainly wouldn't rule it out but I would be very wary of any older or high mileage car that had never had it's sump drained.
Click to expand...
As I said most boats are vac or pump out oil chanegs only, lots are well over 40 years old.

Some times people think an engine still has a dipstick tube, but in fact it is a vac tube and pretty much goes to the bottom of the sump, so there is no need to fit a pipe down it, you just connect to the top of the tube.

My car (d3) has a large steel plate which makes normal oil changes awkward, my wifes car (a6) has a bloody enormous plastic undertray which I took off once, and certainly will not be removing it again!
 
A new member has recently posted about shards coming out the drain plug of his gearbox.
Never hurts to have an occasional 'deep delve'.
 
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