Quick oil question...
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 674
Likes: 59
Quick oil question...
Hi, I just arrived in my hotel after a 550 mile road trip from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe. Here is my question. I just completed my 20,000 service and checked my oil and it was perfect. When I arrived today my oil level was done to low with one bar remaining. I just added a half court but not driving again so I cant check it now, but that sounds really crazy. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance. I will check for an oil leak under the car but nothing has been on my garage floor....
Pro
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 670
Likes: 221
From: Florida
Sometimes those initial oil level readings right after an oil change aren't the most accurate. Do your due dilligence, but I wouldn't freak out too much if you can't figure it out. Assuming you get it up to proper levels and don't see it decrease again in the near future, it was probably an innacurate reading right after the oil change.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 674
Likes: 59
So that really did not help me answer my question or what Class5 said.... maybe someone else can chime in . The reason I am worried is if the oil level was wrong when I arrived tonight, I just added a half quart of oil and is probably overfilled. Shoot, I am a little worried.
Last edited by woodranch; Sep 27, 2019 at 10:30 PM. Reason: Adding more
Pro
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 670
Likes: 221
From: Florida
Assuming the dealer checked the level properly (car was sitting level when they filled it and they used PIWIS) then you could have a problem (first guess would be filter cover not torqued properly or cross threaded if you don't have any oil dripping from the bottom of the pan).
I was just telling you it could have been underfilled and it might not be much of anything to worry about, so don't freak out, but to do your due diligence by checking on it or taking it back in to the dealer.
If it was me, I'd visually inspect the filter housing (check the various oil change thread on here to see how.....it's easy) before taking it in and you can see if there's oil leaking from there (if it was leaking the oil could burn off and never make it down to the ground, hence no oil spot/puddle, but you'd definitely see it at the filter). If that all seemed fine, I'd continue to drive the car you distance you drove it between the oil change and now and see if the oil level drops again. If it was low again, That's the point I'd take it to the dealer.
But if it's easy for you to get in to your dealer there's nothing wrong with taking it to them now to figure it out.
I was just telling you it could have been underfilled and it might not be much of anything to worry about, so don't freak out, but to do your due diligence by checking on it or taking it back in to the dealer.
If it was me, I'd visually inspect the filter housing (check the various oil change thread on here to see how.....it's easy) before taking it in and you can see if there's oil leaking from there (if it was leaking the oil could burn off and never make it down to the ground, hence no oil spot/puddle, but you'd definitely see it at the filter). If that all seemed fine, I'd continue to drive the car you distance you drove it between the oil change and now and see if the oil level drops again. If it was low again, That's the point I'd take it to the dealer.
But if it's easy for you to get in to your dealer there's nothing wrong with taking it to them now to figure it out.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 593
Likes: 10
From: The Rockies
Your car will warn you of an overfill. I change my own oil and refill with 8 quarts of fresh oil and still have to add 400 ml or so over the next couple of outings to get the measurement to the top. If your reading after you got home was at the bottom you'd need more than 1/2 quart to top it off -- my car is a 991.1, I don't know about the .2 but each bar in my car equals about 200 ml. After I perform an oil change I add 200 ml at a time until it's at the top.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 674
Likes: 59
Thanks all, another silly question but checking the oil while you are driving is a complete waste of time and the only way to really know after my addition is by driving for awhile and stopping and then check the level?
Rennlist Stories
The Best Porsche Posts for Porsche Enthusiasts
10 Porsche Colors That Have More Personality Than Most People
Verdad Gallardo
Guntherwerks' Final Speedster Creation Is the Ultimate Porsche Restomod
Verdad Gallardo
10 Reasons I Hate Going to the Porsche Dealership (& the 1 Reason I Stay)
Joe Kucinski
Porsche Shakes Up The Nürburgring Lap Record Table Once Again
Verdad Gallardo
6 Ways the Porsche 911 GT3 S/C Redefines Performance
Joe Kucinski
10 Wildest Homologation Specials Porsche Ever Sold
Verdad Gallardo
Super Rare RUF BTR III Comes Out of Hibernation, Looking For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Porsche Opinions That Can Start a Fight
Joe Kucinski
One-Off Porsche 911 S/T Takes Inspiration From Famous '70s Race Car
Verdad Gallardo
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 6,140
Likes: 1,660
From: New York
Correct. But you should really be stopping and turning off the engine on level ground, then waiting a minute or two, and then turning acc on (car on but not engine) to check oil level.
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 2,096
Likes: 729
From: Palm Harbor Florida
I'm on a regimen where I fill up at my weekly station. After the fill up, I turn on the ignition and do the oil check. The car has been sitting approximately 3-5 minutes when I do this. The service station I always use is level. I get pretty consistent readings that way (on the third bar, from the bottom).
Adding a half quart would be 2 and a half bars, if I did the math right.
The Owner's Manual for my 2017 C2 states on page 184 that the difference between minimum and maximum oil level is "around 1.4 quarts" (approx 1.32 liter). It also says it is not possible to display the oil level in certain circumstances, which include "vehicle stopped after full-load operation at high engine speeds". So it may not be possible to get a reading after a long trip.
On a side note, hope you enjoy Tahoe. We stayed a week or so on our extended travels and enjoyed the area very much. If you are near Reno,d the National Automobile Museum is worth a visit.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 1,413
From: SW Florida
Originally Posted by Porsche_nuts
Correct. But you should really be stopping and turning off the engine on level ground, then waiting a minute or two, and then turning acc on (car on but not engine) to check oil level.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 674
Likes: 59
Is that correct info that the car warns you of overfill? Because if the reading gave me a 1 bar left and it was wrong, and then I added a half a quart I probably overfilled it. No Porsche dealers here in remote country so that’s why I am freaking a little. Thanks in advance.
Banned
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 26,140
Likes: 5,464
From: Chicagoland Area
Originally Posted by woodranch
Is that correct info that the car warns you of overfill? Because if the reading gave me a 1 bar left and it was wrong, and then I added a half a quart I probably overfilled it. No Porsche dealers here in remote country so thats why I am freaking a little. Thanks in advance.
The red warning does not want you to operate the car. About 500ml overfilled.
Last edited by LexVan; Sep 28, 2019 at 03:41 PM.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,365
Likes: 85
From: Vancouver, Canada
I think the level gauge in the car does some averaging over time so if you went in full it well tend to show that for a while even in the case of an underfill until it averages down to the new actual. I know this as the last time I had my oil changed at an indy it showed full on the gauge for about 30km and then suddenly popped up a fill warning with direction to add a full litre (it turns out it was actually two litres short). Presumably they did not check the level with PIWIS and instead relied on the gauge.