Tremelune

I recently replaced the thermostat internals during my first, remarkably messy oil change and now my oil level gauge is in the red constantly, even when idling for a minute or two.

On the dipstick, the oil is halfway between the two tick marks, at 180°F, with engine idling for over a minute. I pull the stick out, wipe, put it back in for a second or two, then pull and measure. Oil is halfway in the twisty bit and looks very clean.

I'm using the same oil with the same viscosity. It was accurate before. The timing of a sensor failing seems too coincidental. Is it possible to jostle a wire during a change of oil, either filter, or the thermostat internals? Could there somehow be "air" trapped in the system? Maybe the engine hasn't been hot enough to send oil to the front coolers yet? I've driven it about 100mi and the temp has gotten near but never cleared 210°F.

The engine runs beautifully. Unless a sensor coincidentally failed at the time of this oil change, I'm boggled.

stace

The gauge is not electronic but rather based on a float arm in the oil tank just forward of the passenger side rear wheel. The gauge is notoriously inaccurate (search this forum for details) and reading the dipstick is the best method. All that said ....did you change oil filters? There is a theory that the OEM filters behave differently regarding gauge readings vs. OE filters. That may be your experience.....

Tremelune

Seriously??

I used Mahle OC213 and OC229 filters.

myflat6

^^correct - use the dipstick. Lots of comments on this topic.

pp000830

Assuming all the electrical connections are good can the arm the oil tank float is located on gets hung up could one fish a wire down the oil tank fill neck and jostle it loose?

The gauge jammed on my 86' Carrera, when I took the gauge sender out I found a 2nd dip stick in the tank jamming it. A previous owner apparently misplaced their dip stick by dropping it down the filler neck and then replaced it with a new one. Probably why the 993 is designed so this can't happen.

Other's thoughts?

Tremelune

I'm happy to rely on the dipstick, but the gauge was accurate before, so it just bugs me.

It's worth noting that I overfilled the first time around and had to suck a quart out by putting a tube down the oil fill hole. Maybe I jostled the float arm??

stace

Were the filters you removed Porsche branded? If so....you have your answer....IMHO.

996scott

that sounds very possible. There are some threads about adjusting the float you may want to look up.

95_993

When you say the gauge is in the red, is it moving at all within the red or just completely bottomed out in the red?

OverBoosted28

If you haven't resolved this, it might be possible the float arm is just gunked up, and won't move readily. Maybe, ya can carefully remove assm., clean it up, and make the bend (on arm), to try and get gauge to work properly? Be careful with welded bolts, my float assm. came off easily, but others have twisted bolts off, because nuts were corroded on. I think I made a bend down about 20°-30°, and it's much better.

Quadcammer

what is your basis for this? why would the brand of filter affect where the float sits in the tank?

Garth S

Captures my reaction also ....one could attach an oil filter to the reservoir the size & shape of an elephant's Johnson - and have zero impact on the actual oil level, provided the stick read mid way as the OP quoted: one could even have it tattooed "Porsche"

However, were a catheter inserted into the reservoir neck to withdraw oil, most definitely that mickey mouse ball float would be at risk -.

BTW, for any incident of overfilling, the safest way to drain a fraction of a liter or more is to back off the case drain on a cold engine ... one of the unsung benefits of a dry sump system

stace

Quad et al...I don’t think the filter effects the float....it effects the oil level in the tank. Different filters are designed differently in terms of oil flow. This is merely an anecdotal observation.. I said it was a theory...it seems the oil level in the reservoir is higher using OEM filters. I’ve certainly done no testing etc. Not unlike OEM textar brake pads squeal less vs. aftermarket OE. There was a recently well described posting about how auto parts vary significantly when they are original equipment, OEM, OE, etc...

in this case the OP saw a change he couldn’t explain...I offered a possible cause.

nine9six

There is absolutely no legitimacy regarding the type of filter being used.

Affect is most often used as a verb meaning “to have an impact on,” as in “The tornado barreling towards us will affect our picnic plans.”

Effect is the result of an action, as in those “cause and effect” papers you might write in English class. Your topic could be how your late-night tuba playing (cause) has driven your roommate insane (effect).

user 723923490

I seem to have one of the few cars where the gauge reads generally correct. When the level is halfway on the twisted portion of the dipstick, the gauge bounces between slightly above the red and the halfway point when the car is fully warmed up. As has been mentioned 1000 times in this forum overfilling is very easy in these cars and should be avoided at all cost. After 10 years of ownership I have a method that works for me;
Only buy 10 quarts of oil in the first place! Pour 9 quarts in and take the car for a drive before putting in another 1/2 quart. If you think it may require further topping up, take another drive. Check the level when you get there. Don't put any oil in until you get home after checking on the dipstick again. Pour SLOWLY into a running engine, checking on the dipstick often. The point here is to sneak up on the level. You are better off being down a bit.
An initial 9 quarts works for me as I drain the oil when the engine is hot. You may have to adjust down if you drain when the engine is cold.