987 oil level confusion after change
03-02-2019, 09:47 PM
#1
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987 oil level confusion after change
I changed my oil & filter for the first time in my new to me '08 Boxster. The owners manual says the oil change quantity is 2.05 gallons. I added 8 quarts. The oil level indicator shows the lower segment filled... which suggests that another 0.84 quarts is needed to fill to the top mark... that would make the total ~8.8 quarts (and not 2.05 gallons or 8.2 quarts).
Is this normal? I plan to add a bit at a time to get it near the top.
Is this normal? I plan to add a bit at a time to get it near the top.
03-02-2019, 10:47 PM
#2
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You don't want to fill to the top level, the middle line is what was recommended to me by my tech.
03-03-2019, 10:11 AM
#3
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^^^ +1 Dealership recommends the same approach. They replaced one new 911 engine at owner's expense because owner took it to one of the quick fill places and they overfilled with oil. I just changed the oil and filter in my Cayman, and it's currently at the third (or fourth) bar out of five on the gauge. The vacillation between levels is normal on my car. Doesn't seem to burn any oil in 5K miles, but I monitor every time I shut the car down.
Last edited by tomhartzell; 03-03-2019 at 10:14 AM. Reason: Update
03-04-2019, 04:12 AM
#5
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^^^ +1 Dealership recommends the same approach. They replaced one new 911 engine at owner's expense because owner took it to one of the quick fill places and they overfilled with oil. I just changed the oil and filter in my Cayman, and it's currently at the third (or fourth) bar out of five on the gauge. The vacillation between levels is normal on my car. Doesn't seem to burn any oil in 5K miles, but I monitor every time I shut the car down.
Of course for daily driving around town it's negligible.
03-04-2019, 07:57 AM
#6
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If you decide to add oil, to move up a couple bars, only add about 200 ml per drive cycle, to nail the bar you want.
03-04-2019, 08:56 AM
#7
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As it was explained to me, if you run the car at 1 bar below max you are fine for normal around town driving. If you drive in a spirited manner (prolonged higher RPM’s) the oil will expand and froth a bit which in combination will cause it to splash out and get captured by the AOS. This then gets reintroduced into the combustion area of the engine which results in it being burned off. On older cars its no issue but with the DFI engines the fuel injection doesn’t provide the same cleaning and you end up with buildup. Most of the track guys in the know run at the mid level point to minimize this issue.
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03-04-2019, 10:09 AM
#8
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+1 Had also heard about the frothing. Dealership told me Porsches are designed to run all day long with oil levels at the lower bars. They had never seen a Porsche brought in for running low on oil, but have experienced a number of them being brought in after too oil much was added. (Mostly by people doing their own maintenance.)
Last edited by tomhartzell; 03-04-2019 at 06:02 PM. Reason: typo
03-04-2019, 01:03 PM
#9
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As it was explained to me, if you run the car at 1 bar below max you are fine for normal around town driving. If you drive in a spirited manner (prolonged higher RPM’s) the oil will expand and froth a bit which in combination will cause it to splash out and get captured by the AOS. This then gets reintroduced into the combustion area of the engine which results in it being burned off. On older cars its no issue but with the DFI engines the fuel injection doesn’t provide the same cleaning and you end up with buildup. Most of the track guys in the know run at the mid level point to minimize this issue.
03-04-2019, 05:54 PM
#10
Burning Brakes
This is on a 987.2, but when I filled my ‘10 CS to the top bar the car would consume oil down to one bar below full. If I just leave it at one bar below full it stays there a long time. This is street driving only.
03-05-2019, 09:00 AM
#11
+1 Had also heard about the frothing. Dealership told me Porsches are designed to run all day long with oil levels at the lower bars. They had never seen a Porsche brought in for running low on oil, but have experienced a number of them being brought in after too oil much was added. (Mostly by people doing their own maintenance.)
03-05-2019, 09:16 AM
#12
Burning Brakes
Had a local tech saying they wanted to fabricate a new cap. They wanted to change it from oil to good luck. Especially on the 991 and 991.2 GT3’s.
03-05-2019, 09:29 AM
#13
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I think the biggest issue is knowing how much to put in, if you don’t know that it’s too high you won’t bother draining it. That’s why having these cars oil changed by someone who isn’t aware of these details is what ultimately results in the coking insures in the intakes.
I have to wonder if this applies to other modern cars too like Audi’s and BMW’s which I’ve heard having the buildup issues frequently.
I have to wonder if this applies to other modern cars too like Audi’s and BMW’s which I’ve heard having the buildup issues frequently.
03-05-2019, 09:52 AM
#14
I think the biggest issue is knowing how much to put in, if you don’t know that it’s too high you won’t bother draining it. That’s why having these cars oil changed by someone who isn’t aware of these details is what ultimately results in the coking insures in the intakes.
I have to wonder if this applies to other modern cars too like Audi’s and BMW’s which I’ve heard having the buildup issues frequently.
I have to wonder if this applies to other modern cars too like Audi’s and BMW’s which I’ve heard having the buildup issues frequently.
03-05-2019, 10:25 AM
#15
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My dealer uses the same approach. There is at least one video on YouTube -- probably more -- where someone shows how they change the oil in their Porsche, and ends up putting too much oil into it by using the full amount specified in the User Manual. The person in the video immediately knew he had to drain some of the excess, as he checked the level before he drove his car.
