Previa Dipstick

[the_riddler]

Hi everyone i am new to the forum and indeed toyotas and could do with some help.

I recently purchased a 1994 Previa and after weeks of reading info decided best bet to buy a broken one and fix it myself, that way could garantee good few years trouble free ect.

I am not confusng these cars with the Diesel imports and the related head problems but i am aware as with all old cars the head gaskets etc do go so got one with a knackered head gasket and some paint needing and set about getting the bits done.

Now the saga... after purchasing an engine from bbc spares and paying to have it fitted the mechanic called me to tell me the new engine was worce than the old one (wouldn't turn over) :censor: , so as the engine had not yet been fitted called bbc and agreed to return the engine. Ok still with me? Replacement engine was then fitted and guess what .... Yup this one was also knackered (pumped its coolant into the oil sump..nice). So by now i am spitting and have a car that i just paid 300 to have an engine fitted plus buying the !Removed! engine and was worce than before i started.

I by now have run out of money and bbc are not intrested in helping me remove the engine (even though they have supplied me two faulty units) so i can get a refund, so i decided to remove said engine myself........................................................

Ok decent replacement found (alternate vendor) engine swap done (by me) and to think i was gonna get someone else to do it to save time.

Right i have now covered 1000 miles and have done an oil change, get rid of sludge etc. Now i never noticed this when i changed the engine but the dipstick gives two readings?????

Put it in one way oil 3/4 full, put it in the other way up oil overfull.

????????????????????

Anyone??? i'm guessing u take the highest reading but i am still not sure, i am usually not too bad with stuff like this i mean i swapped the !Removed! engine on a set of angle iron ramps on my drive with a Halfords toolkit for gods sake (it was Halfords advance tho ).

But seriously i would apreciate your wisdome and sorry for the mammouth post just to get to the dipstick thing, but thought i'd share that experience wiv ya... trust me i got to tell someone my wife won't even talk to me about it anymore.. somthing about .........those !Removed! cars.........

[propnut]

The dipstick has a black mark on it. This should face forward.

I have been fixing cars for a VERY VERY long time and NEVER replace engines, I always rebuild what I have. That is the only real way of knowing what you have. Additionally it is normally only the head gasket that goes on these which is a 1 day job and costs £34 for the top end gasket set.

I have now gotten rid of my Previa and have no further interest in these cars. This will be my very last post. All the best.