Seaflat

Should you drain some out or just leave it?

I am still getting use to my car. I checked the oil and it was below the 1st mark on the dipstick down in the twist part, so I added a quart. I expected the distance between the marks to be about a quart. After I added a quart, it brought the level up to the top end of the twist above the 2nd mark. Is that way overfilled? or just a bit high?

LouZ

First question has to be how you checked the level.

Did you have the car running, totally warmed up and parked on a level surface?

If so, where was the needle on the oil level gauge? 1) never moved off of the bottom... 2) somewhere between 5:00 and 3:00... 3) above 3:00 and near 1:00.

I can't help you with the stick reading as I checked my oil level once, years ago, to verify the gauge accuracy, and havn't used it since.

Richard Curtis

Topic has been covered several times on this forum.

Correct way to check oil: first, the engine oil TEMPERATURE has to be hot enough to cause the thermostat to open and cause oil to flow from the oil tank to the oil cooler. In the current cold/cool temperatures (where I live), it can take a good, hard run (15-20 minutes) to get the oil hot enough for the oil thermostat to open; this is very difficult to do with the engine just idling.

Two ways to check that the thermostat has opened: 1) feel the passenger side fender; if it's warm to the touch, the oil is flowing to the cooler. 2) the oil temp gauge needle will have risen to slightly above the THIRD mark (counting the mark at the bottom as 1) and then dropped back when the oil cooler fan comes on and cools down the oil. Then park the car on a level surface.

If the oil level is correct, the oil LEVEL needle will point to somewhere around 3 o'clock on the gauge face (if the gauge is accurate, the dipstick reading should be between the two marks). If the needle does move but points into the red, then you need to add oil (to be confirmed by checking the oil dipstick). If the needle does move but points to the top of the oil level gauge, you're probably overfilled. Use a turkey baster (or other device) to remove the extra oil through the oil tank filler opening.

I've found that it doesn't take much added oil to move the needle out of the red and into the 3 o'clock position. So add oil sparingly and check the level often.

TR6

Exactly. I add oil in 1/4 quart increments and then give it time to register on the gauge/dipstick before adding any more. Never add a full quart at once. That is a sure way to overfill.

As a side note, I've never owned a car that was such a PITA as the 964 to check/change the oil... But that's the price we pay for a dry sump system which is so much better than a wet sump system on the track!

Seaflat

Thanks, The car was at temp and running. Currently the gauge will move but registers at the top of the range. I will remove some oil. I would have never thought of using the gauge over the dip stick, I would have thought it to be the reverse.

LouZ

In the future...just be aware of what is "at temp"!

The temp should be 8:00 or higher if you want to fill to the 3:00 position. Otherwise, if you really exercise your baby, and get the temp up to the 9:00 position, the 10.5 qts. will expand a bit more, causing the gauge to top out and then you are OVERFILLED AGAIN! Ask me how I know.

DarrylH

You will learn how your gauge corresponds to the dipstick. The gauge is very trustworthy (if working) once you learn its little ways.

If the car is hot (9 o'clock on the temp gauge) and the level gauge doesn't go above the full mark, you're probably OK. Wouldn't hurt to take out a bit - but it won't be much to get the level to the middle of the range.

Seaflat

Thanks all I took out a bit under a 1/2 a quart and the levels check out.....darn if that gauge isn't pretty darn accurate. If you had told me a day ago that it could tell 1/2 quart too low, I would have looked at you funny (and been wrong)
btw hot oil and a turkey baster....no fun.

LouZ

More fun than disassembling and cleaning half of the intake!

Richard Curtis

Just be sure to clean the turkey baster thoroughly before returning it to your wife's kitchen!