Abdiel Gonzalez

Hi


Today after couple months, finally could drive the car on a little road trip of around 120 Miles.


Overall, car ran OK, but on the return trip, noticed the Oil level gauge dropped to the bottom, and Oil Temp gauge started to climb. Stoppedthe car for a bit, and started back up, Oil level climb to normal, until I drove spiritely then oil dropped and temp climbed. I stopped at a Gas station to check Oil level which I have also checked before departure, and level was OK.


It is this related somehow to the mixture too close? any hints or advise will be greatly appreciated.


Abdiel


Happy New Years!

race911

Oil level gauge is only to be used when the car is: 1. fully warmed, 2. idling, and 3. on level ground. (And even then, the same procedure measuring at the dipstick is a better "gauge" 11 times out of 10. You're looking for no more than halfway on the dipstick.)

As far as the oil temp, what model is this--one with a front oil cooler?

None of the above has any practical effect re: fuel mixture.

Abdiel Gonzalez

Thanks for the quick reply.


Subject car is a 1982 911 SC Targa.


I noticed this afternoon, after I got home, the front blower, where there is an "oil radiator" is stuck and not moving. Ordered the blower motor as a first step.
Do you think this might be the reason temp is going up? I have read a bit about the Oil level gauge, but at this point i'm really confused.


Thanks one more time for your time, I'm just a Porsche newbie, as well as air cooled engines.


Abdiel

race911

Stick to just using the dipstick. Oil level gauge was near-criminal by Porsche. Car may die when you remove the oil fill cap; if so, you just crimp the breather line.

As far as your fan--are you talking about the one inside the front trunk? If so, that's the fan for the front A/C condenser. Your oil cooler is behind the right headlight. Which still should have been either the fan-less trombone or "brass tube" coolers (someone else help me out, as I've totally forgotten which cooler was fitted on which car in which market).

Abdiel Gonzalez

Thanks for clarifying. I tought the plastic enclosure on the front was the oil cooler. You think I should be replacing my oil cooler? I remember when I first got the car, the mechanic mentioned something about the oil cooler.

Mark Salvetti

Not only does the oil gauge only work when warm, level, and idle, it should always read at the bottom of the range when driving. So you sound fine there.

When you say the oil temp gauge was climbing, how high was it? If you shine a light towards the left edge of the gauge, you should actually see some temperature markings in degrees Celsius. Where was the needle relative to the red zone?

What was the outside temperature? Do you live where it is hot this time of year? Your oil cooler is probably fine, but there could be an issue with the oil lines or the external thermostat. The oil thermostat is in the right rear wheel well. The oil lines run under the car behind the rocker panel on the right side. Sometimes they get crushed if someone places a jack or a lift in the wrong place. This can restrict oil flow to the cooler in the right front wheel well. Check those lines and let us know how they look. If the thermostat is working, they should also be very hot after the engine is up to temperature.

Mark

911661

On the passenger fender well area there should be a couple tubes that sort of make a loop if those are hot when the car is at normal operating temp then the oil cooler is doing its job. Those tubes are the oil cooler by the way they don't really look like it. That is the way they are on my 80 targa

Abdiel Gonzalez

Hi, I saw the 4 white marks starting with 60, 90, 120 and 150 if I'm not mistaking. needle was a bit higher than 120, but didn't get to the red mark, because I stopped the car.


It was hot today, Weare based in Costa Rica, and summer is here, I could recall, outside temp was around 30-35 Celsius. Something I noticed is the car loss some "power" when the temp increased. I will inspect the oil lines tomorrow, for any possible damage.

Abdiel Gonzalez

That would make sense then. I will inspect them tomorrow for any possible damage.


Thanks for your reply.

Abdiel Gonzalez

Hi Again


I inspected the Oil pipes, and seems fine. I used the car yesterday and no temp issue, it was a fresh day around 30 Celsius.


Any chance the Thermostat needs change?

911661

If the pipes got hot the thermostat opened up to allow it to flow oil to the oil cooler pipes.

Jherriott

This reminds me... Once I went to check the oil level. The car was idling on level ground, nice and hot. As soon as I loosened the cap *BAM!* an ear-deafening backfire! As I picked up my right ear off the ground I tried to think if it was through the airbox or the tailpipe. My ear couldn't remember...

Is this a normal thing?

Drisump

With a Motronic 3.2, it hasn't been in my experience. I think Ken is saying that it is normal for the idle RPM to lower when removing the oil tank cap....so if you have a vacuum leak or your idle set too low, she may die. If the two events are connected (cap removal and backfire) you may have an issue specific to your model (SC with Bosch mechanical injection?). Cheers

wwest

Sorry, don't remember the details...

My '78 once did this on the road. Called my mechanic and was told I probably needed a mod/upgrade, something to with a baffle around/near bottom access plate.

Had the work done, never repeated.

Abdiel Gonzalez

Thought I should write here, what we found wrong with the car.


After all the inspection suggested, we went ti a muffler shop, finding my catalityc converter was clogged.


The symptoms became more dramatyc on the 3 -4 times i've used the car prior to fix, and it wont even rev. above 3000. Then we noticed, no smoke / gases coming out of the exhaust. After that, car rev and run pretty well..


Thanks for your help.


Abdiel