CBR786

As the title says I checked my oil on my 964 at operating temp and car still idling. The oil on my dipstick only on one side ? The other side is clean or very slight film ? Is this normal ?

Randy V

So it's half full?

sonnycalistoga

I was told to fill to the gage inside at idle and running temp. Will be looking to this post to see what the collective wisdom of you guys agrees on

KaiB

I'm having mine knurled (the dipstick that is) - I cannot see the oil on it.

jody stowitts

Yeah, I've always had a problem with "reading" dipstick with a feeling of security. Its always left me with a sense of doubt, so I have to take the car for a shortish spin running around in 4000+RPM to get it hot enough to stop and read the oil level dash gauge also, to corroborate. Remember, you can rely on the gauge as long as the needle doesn't jump to the top when the ignition is turned on (and your oil is hot enough). If you were a "hack" and let your oil get dirty as mud it would be easier to read the dipstick. So join the club and "go with it" like the rest of us.

August West

Yeah, the 964 oil dipstick is the least confidence inspiring dipstick I've ever used on any car. I check the level after a good drive, on a level surface, with the engine warmed up. To me, the oil level is ready to be checked after you notice the oil temperature needle reach its maximum rise point (on my car, about 8:45 or so) and then it starts to descend to its normal operating temperature (on my car, about 8:00 or so). This indicates that the front oil cooler circuit has opened up and oil has been sent up front to be cooled.

Now with the car on a level surface, idling, I take note of the oil level gauge and then go look at the dipstick. I've been told half way between the two marks is full, and for my car that's close to the half way point on the oil level gauge inside the car.
I check a few times, wiping down each time, because the dipstick is so hard to read, but after a few tries I'll get a sense of where the oil is on the dipstick and corroborate it with the oil level gauge.

I've thought of drilling holes in the dipstick that would catch more of the oil and allow you to see exactly where the level is, but for now, I do what I've outlined above.

Hope this helps!

ja78911sc

I used my dremmel tool to cut a notch at the half way mark--similar to the low & high notch.

I also used a tip from Marc Shaw. He filed the flat surface of the dip stick.

I was told that when you pull the stick out it rubs on the tube removing the oil. I only get a reading on one side as well.

Sultan

I have/had the same issues since I got it a few years ago, I gave up and just rely on the gauge.

You need a Ph.D to check oil levels in this car....

sml

+1 .. and a good book to read whilst the the car heats up.

Vandit

Lately my gauge never registers but my dipstick does show a light film of oil. I'm wondering if this film is from the tube or the actual tank.

I drained the oil from the car while cold (i.e. thermostat closed), so I only added back about 8qts.

August West

That's a no-no, draining cold oil...hot oil is less viscous and you'll get more oil out by heating it up.

I recently did my oil and I put in 10.5 quarts to get the gauge and the dipstick to read at the half way point. The trick of punching a hole into the oil filter and then using compressed air to help drain the filter works well (tape up hole before unscrewing filter). One other trick that I've learned from motorcycles is to always make sure you're able to loosen the drain bolts before you punch a hole in the oil filter...you don't want to have a hole in the filter only to find out you can't get the drain bolt loose. It happens!

As per the Rennlist DIY on oil changes, the engine can run with only seven quarts added (not counting the two quarts that presumably stays in the engine). This is not enough to float the oil level sensor, but as you continue to add oil, eventually the oil level reaches the float and starts to swing the sensor arm upwards, which in turn translates into needle movement on the oil level gauge.

Vandit, I would think you're not putting enough oil in to get a reading on the oil level gauge. You might just be getting oil smear on your dipstick and not really having enough oil in the car. If I were you I'd do whatever's necessary to gain more confidence in your oil level measurements, even if it means taking out your oil level sensor and verifying that it works or needs replacement.

Vandit

The reason I drained the oil cold was because the car was already apart and not in any state to be run running when I started the valve adjustment job and also replacement of one of the oil lines. The last time I did this job, on a fully operational car, I drained it hot.

I've seen the gauge mark in the past, but I think the measurement is not reliable. If anything, my float probably needs adjustment.

I'll add more oil tonight and see what it does.

I'm afraid I've previously overfilled the car by relying on the gauge. I'll drive 1.5hrs to an autocross event, and upon arrival the gauge will be at the very bottom, registering at 1/4. I take the car on a few runs (i.e running it hard), and I return to the pit area and the gauge will be more or less pegged. It's annoying.

sml

what's the problem with this? this sounds normal to me.

leave the car idling for 20mins, then check the level.

driving for 1.5hrs is a waste of time as the car is too cold .. even on 100F days.

jody stowitts

I have to laugh re: the owner's manual when it says to just start up engine and let idle for a minute or two before checking oil level (in order to "warm up"). This may be true if the engine is brand-new or so, when there's plenty of friction to accomplish the warm-up in fairly short order. But otherwise, as sml says, read a book, mow the lawn, or ?, until you KNOW its hot enough. And sometimes I'm still a bit leery, and take it for a 4 or 5 minute spin @ 4000+RPM to prove it to myself that indeed its hot enough. "We all gotta do what we all gotta do"! Especially when were all cognizant of a $20,000+ hit if were wrong!

CBR786

leave the car idling for 20mins, then check the level.

let the flaming begin lol... I hear leaving car running idling for extended times is bad for engine, But the again what is extended times? 20 mins or 30mins? or 60 mins? I know some 964 owners who are stuck in heavy traffic along the high ways due to road traffic accidents further ahead they are crawling along in traffic this is no better then idling ??? then again when I do a dme adaptation after battery disconnect I need to leave my car running for 20 mins or so to get it to runnin temps so the idle adapt program can be released on the PST2 tester...


getting back to the OP my silly dipstick needs to be cleaned several times to recheck if my oil level is correct and even then I get a very thin film of oil on the dip stick ? On the other side of the dip stick it is virtually clean. I know I put in 10 litres of oil before winterisation and car must have leaked out maybe 100 mils since which is around 1/5 of a glass, but like many posters say the dip stick is crap maybe drilling holes in it is the way to go, my oil gauge is just on the top of the red zone and does not rise. I did have it a half way when I did the oil change before putting car away.. ( I need to have dirty oil so I can read the dip stick the oil is too shiny and clean )