@()*#^ dipstick
 

Just finished adding some oil and when I got up, my shorts were smeared with tire black and my shirt had dust prints everywhere... is it just me or is the placement of the dipstick really low and deep in the engine bay? I can't really put it back in from the front so i have to do it from the side.. I guess this wouldn't be so much of an issue if I didn't have to top her off every month :/

I've never had a problem with it. Perhaps you should wash your car more...

it IS pretty low down in there for my taste, but I suppose that could be fixed for a pretty small price, put an extension over it and get a longer dipstick from... say... napa auto parts.

my saturn burns oil like it's as worthless as raw sewage, but thankfull the dipstick is the next thing you see after the engine block

I'm missing something here. I always do the dipstick from the side, why is that a problem? I mean, I agree that the thing is, uh, not-the-most-convenient, but what's wrong with dipsticking from the side?

Agreed, why do people keep complaining about the dipstick, its not that big of a deal. Although I would agree Mazda should make one gauge like in the Cayman S that shows exact level of engine oil.

I'm not very happy about the placement either, but over time I just got used to it.

If I have one complaint about my 8, it's the placement of the dipstick. I've had 5 cars over the past several years, and 4 of them had the dipstick staring me in the face - but the ONE car that burns oil by design has it where I can't see the tube without direct lighting, and need to reach over/under stuff to get to it.

Of course, given that this is my only complaint, obviously it's not a huge deal. Just seems like my other cars are taunting me everytime I pop the hood. :bootyshak

In my garage, where the lighting isn't the best, I usually have to use a flashlight to put the dipstick back. I've been toying with the idea of putting in a small battery powered light somewhere down there to make the whole thing a little easier.

Getting the thing out isn't a problem, it's getting it back in that is tricky. I usually need a flashlight. Mazda changed the dipstick awhile back to show more marks indicating .5 quart low etc.

And then there's the little problem of reading the oil level, if there happens to be a lot of cappuccino foam around and about.

well i just discovered yesterday that the dipstick is in a horribly bad location on all rx cars, so rx7 owners can now rejoice in the fact that mazda screwed thousands of other people with this curse.

I don't know how you "discovered" this but I think you're completely wrong. As a long time 2nd generation RX-7 owner, I find the dipstick location on my FC's 13B engine extremely convienent. Its easily accessible and has enough clearance you don't burn your hand on hot engine parts.

The only difference with the Renesis in the RX-8 is that the whole engine is lower and further back in the car. Its the price you pay for the excellent handling.

at night forget about finding the hole (for the dipstick). It's like trying to hit the death star

^I've done it before. Finding the hole for the dipstick without light, I mean.


After adding liters and liters of oil, I guess the photographicmusclememory just kicks in.

Well, very early on, I went out and bought a dedicated flashlight I keep in the car just for the oil. Mazda should include such a flashlight standard!

I've been considering buying one of those cheap LED attachment lights from AutoZone and mounting it on the firewall just for oil dipstick purposes. Just one more project on my list that I'll probably never get around to.

Things that make you go hmm....
 

I just changed my oil for the first time since I have had the car... Several days before changing it I noticed the cappuccino-like foam on the dip-stick and I was wondering if this was normal??? Any input would be appreciated.... Thanks

When I saw this thread title, I thought you were talking about Ike. :rollingla

^that's cheap


OMGG U SAID CAPPUCCINO

*DIES FROM CAFFEINE DEFICIENCY*

Wasn't there a long dipstick thread a few days ago?

Genius!!! and they could just use the worthless oil pressure indicator's needle for it too, they wouldn't even have to revise the dash for it.

Only problem is as soon as you start the car the oil level would go down by half. new citroen cars have an electronic oil level readout like bars on a cell phone, that seems better to me since they only tell you how much oil there is prior to startup.

and while they're revising the dash, we want a heads up display like in the BMW M5 and M6 too

Or, how about an engine-compartment light? Would that be too much to ask?

Get a keyring flashlight…
 

I have one of these on my keyring (not this exact one, but just like it): http://www.photonlight.com/?Source=G...eychain-lights. Works great!

I have a photo-micron light like New Yorker with a little magnetic base. RX8strakes.com also has a light on their site, but I haven't used it.

I have one of those blue ones from Brookstone. It perfectly matches Bella!!!! :)

Meanwhile, I have no problem reaching my dipstick and pulling it out to look at it. I have no problem finding the hole to push it back in, either.

Well...I think we all agree. Without some sort of light shining on the dipstick tube it is difficult to see. So everyone please find a little mini -ight with a clip or magnetic that you can set up in the engine compartment when you check the oil and to Mazda - please install an engine compartment light :)