sghost

the backstory: https://rennlist.com/forums/964-foru...l-weights.html

I took my car to Carlsen Porsche in Redwood to get an oil change, specifying I want non-synthetic oil. I do it and it's great, two months later I'd like to top off the oil, because it's a little leaky, so I look at the service docs and it makes no mention of the oil used. After pestering the dealership, I finally found out the oil used was synthetic 0w-40, which they insist is better despite my instructions to use conventional. They offer for a free top-up, so I figure what the hell and bring it in.

I'm greeted by a service manager and another old guy who's probably waiting for his car, too. After about ten minutes, the old guy (which doesn't work at the dealership) pulls the car back up in the front and stalls it as I look on with horror. I get in, start the engine ... and it stalls. Again and again. I call over the service manager that claims "we just topped off the oil with two quarts". The oil gauge is shooting up past the high mark, on level ground, with the engine at optimal temperature (pointing 9 o'clock). I demand to know what the StrekStrekStrekStrek is going on and he says something about the engine not being hot enough, I might be out of fuel (gas gauge is at 1/4), etc. I finally give up and drive home, with the car stalling every time it drops below 500 RPM (read: at every stop light).

Can this be caused from too much oil? Has anyone experiencing similar nonsense? What should I do now?

Shamus964

I think it could - if they grossly overfilled it, the extra oil would very likely have been sucked into the intake tract and is now residing in your previously functioning idle stabilization valve (ISV), amongst other places. This will give you the stall characteristics you speak of. Where is the oil level on the dipstick, running at full temp?

If the manager said that the engine wasn't hot enough, then they've basically admitted they screwed up IMHO, since you can't check these cars w/out the oil flowing through the coolers, which means it needs to be up to temp.

Laker

+ 1 Shamus

If the car's temp. is at 9 o'clock, it's hot enough. The amount of oil to take the level from the low mark on the dipstick to the high mark is like 1.25 Qts. 2 full Qts would send you way over. You would think they'd know that. Good chance your ISV sucked in some oil, again as Shamus has pointed out.
The dealer should drain out the surplus and clean out the ISV with an apology. Go back with a full gas tank and have them sort it out. If you get nowhere you can siphon out the extra oil with air tubing for aquariums placed in the dipstick hole. Slow process @ 1Qt per hr, but easy. Please do share what your dipstick reads.

crg53

We need a bit more information. The best way to see if it is overfilled is to bring the engine up to operating temp (194degrees) then at idle (850 RPM) on level ground, and then pull he dipstick wipe it off, reinsert pull it out and check for oil level, should be somewhere between the two marks. You may have to do it a few times to get a feel for it.
Please let us know the result.

sghost

It's going to be hard getting it at idle, because it stalls, but I pulled the dipstick out with the oil gauge pointing at 9 o'clock and it was about a quarter inch higher than the 'full' tick mark. I showed it to the service manager and he said "oh, that'll go down when you drive".

I'm all for getting the dealer to fix this StrekStrekStrekStrek-up, but I want to go in there armed with enough information to point out their mistake.

sml

if people are suggesting oil in the ISV, why dont you whip it out and take a look?

it sounds easier (and safer) to drain a quart yourself at home, rather than driving back to the dealer.

Laker

Owners Manual: p.69 "...The two marks on the dipstick indicate the minimum and maximum oil levels; the level must never be allowed to exceed or fall below these marks..."

I do agree with SML, siphon it out before you drive any further. 3/4 of a Qt will get you back in range.

Richard Curtis

Siphon out the extra oil using a turkey baster; a far quicker method. And clean the ISV yourself (easy to do, cheap, and you don't have to deal with the yahoos at the obviously clueless dealership).

Shamus964

I agree with pulling out the extra oil out before driving it (and I'd save it too, to give back to them) - to really make it right, they'd need to tear down the entire intake tract and clean it all out, including the probably fouled airflow sensor, ISV, throttle body, resonance valve, heck even the bleed'n runners. Obviously they should also refund any charges associated with the original screw-up, including the cost of the 'extra' oil.

This is a Porsche dealership? Unreal. My sympathies to you!

Unkle

3 things spring to mind

Why did you drive the car home and away with the fault?
Why did you assume the dealer would used non approved mineral oil?
Why are you correcting something that you feel the dealer is responsible for?

Posting on here without dialogue with the dealer may be detrimental to the service that you should receive, speak to them, speak to the manager, discuss the issues and the expectations you had for the service and the oil used. if you don't get any satisfaction speak to Porsche Customers Service.

sghost

Thanks for the sympathy, guys.

I checked out the oil levels yesterday after a drive home from work and the dip stick indicates the oil is grossly overfilled. In fact, driving on the freeway at 3,000 rpm, the oil gauge reads just above 3 o'clock ... unreal!

I spoke to the service manager and will be taking the car back at 1 pm, although he assures me his guys know what they're doing, measured the engine temperature with a thermostat and "conservatively" added oil over the course of ten minutes.

crg53

I would insist on having them clean the ISV and also the intake manifold. I would also send a memo to the Porsche Customer Service outlining the experiance you had with this particular dealer. There is no excuse for that kind of ineptness and arrogant attitude.
Good luck

PS. This whole experience should be a reminder to all of us of the value of DIY on the easier maintenance jobs.

oldporsche

Same thing happened to me. Actually saw oil within filler neck! All ok after cleaning ISV and removing extra oil.

Shamus964

Yeah, it's happened to me too - and it was a very reputable shop - but hey, it's a great time to replace the oil pressure sender o-ring once the runners are off!

Remember, the gauge can be wrong and is VERY sensitive so the gold standard is the dipstick level.

sghost

The dealer flushed the oil, cleaned the ISV and runners, took it for a test drive and assured me there's no oil anywhere it shouldn't be.

I'm running conventional 20w-50 Valvenine now. Thanks for your help, everyone!