DarrylH

From the look of the cardboard under my car, I need to check it then, too...

springer3

I agree with you, but enjoyed the fun. Peace.

bllue

Hi all

[I just bought a 964 Tip too (1990 guards red). I am the second owner and the car has less than 40000km on it as the previous owner dont drive it much.]

Anyway, was reading about the problem as my car's oil guage seem to be behaving the same until recently. Was worried until I checked the dipstick.

This website (http://www.porsche964.co.uk/) mentioned it could be due to the "oil level sender". It also suggested a solution. [ http://www.porsche964.co.uk/technical/oilsender.htm ]

Hope it helps.

Cheers.

ttAmerica RoadsterAWD

Ruf Dallas told me the gauge is more accurate than the dipstick....contrary to all that I've read here on Rennlist

Red rooster

Is the dipstick that wire thing with different levels shown on each side when the oil is dirty enough to see anything !

Favorite are the people who use the stick with the motor off !! and then put another gallon of oil in !!!



Geoff

JasonAndreas

A lot of people see oil on the dipstick and assume their gauge is busted. Most of the time the oil temperature is too low, they're running with 2-3 quarts under what they should and the oil on the dipstick was a smudge or from splashback. It took me a couple of years to figure out and then only after I had spent more time than I care to admit inside the oil tank.

dfinnegan

I would love to see pictures of a dipstick oil reading. Or, better, watch someone read the stick and see what they see. I'll be damned if I can get a good reading off the thing. It's never the same twice!

Marc Shaw

I found that roughing the end of the dipstick up with a metal file really helped make seeing the oil smear easier.

Marc

ttAmerica RoadsterAWD

Good Idea Marc!

I've noticed that until the oil is nice and hot, at idle for at least 30sec., at level ground, I will be able to get a very concordant reading between the dial gauge and the dip stick.

Jaime

frankvan

I've noticed that when the ambient temperature is cold that the oil level will always read low (dipstick or gauge). The oil probably never gets warm enough to get an accurate reading? As soon as the weather warms up it starts to read the right level again.

(for those who drive their P-car in the cold of course )

kris

When I was waiting to have my car annualy checked (MOT kinda) I left the engine running for several minutes. To my surprise the needle started creeping up after several minutes till halfway. I must admit that I had been horsing it just before but still it took at least 6 minutes for the gauge to stabilize. The car passed with flying colours, loud and low.

springer3

Oil expands with rising temperature, and that is why the level gets higher when it is hot. Six minutes seems like a very long time for the scavenging pump to refill the tank. Mine seems to get back to the stable higher reading in less than a minute. What is the mileage on the engine? Mine is at 54,000 miles. It may be that I am sending less oil to the engine because it has less wear (tighter clearances), and my scaventing pump may be more effective.

DarrylH

I think the manual says check the oil at "normal operating temperature" or something similar. In a cold climate, the oil never gets hot enough to get an accurate reading while driving - it'll always read low. I like checking the oil when it's HOT. Oil-cooler-fan-start-point hot. The only way to get it that hot in winter is to let the car idle to warm up - could easily take several minutes. Someone (JasonAndreas?) suggested throwing a blanket over the engine decklid to help the heating up along... Since the car will never get hotter than that unless there's a malfunction, you're in no danger of overfilling, which I consider more likely than underfilling.

kris

100.000 miles on the engine. When it gets a bit warmer I will try to do exactly the same thing and verify how the gauge will react.

Red rooster

The dipstick never lies BUT being sure of what it is telling you is something else!!
This device is responsible for so much over and under filling.

I will never forget the tracked 993 idling after a good blast and the owner telling me that the oil level was good on the dipstick even though the level gauge was pegged at the bottom. 3 litres of oil later the gauge was on half with the cooler fan cutting in and out !!!!!!!!!!!
If the gauge does nothing , ever, use the stick otherwise I am using the gauge.

All the best

Geoff