This is a test. How much oil does a 993 hold. Easy one. Now how much oil can you loose before the big red (!) warning light comes on ? While at idle on the grid seconds from green flag I noticed my oil capacity gauge was at the very bottom (in the red, not registering at all). The car uses about a quart between changes. I decided that if the oil was dangerously low the light would come on. So, on the track I went. After the session I found level ground, let the car idle for 30 seconds or so and checked it. 4 quarts low.
Will that big red light come on with dangerously low oil ?
I oiled her up and drove the rest of the event, seems fine. Probably not a good place to reduce the weight of the car.

 

Bill,

I'm not sure where the sensor for the light will trip, but not to worry. As long as your oil temp gauge never got in the red, everything's okay. As a point of reference, small aircraft engines (which are also oil/air cooled, and don't have nearly the electronic controls that most modern engines have) take up to 8 quarts of oil. They are leagal to run safely (read no permenant engine damage) with as little as 2 quarts. But beleive me, this ought not to be regular practice. Grin.

This low number was arrived at via extraordinary testing by the engine manufacturers and the FAA, using the latest engine oil analysis techniques. I'm pretty confident they know what they're doing. Grin.

In any case, you did the right thing, and brought the oil level up to spec as soon as possible.

cheers,

sean

 

Thanks for the info Sean,
I had been checking my oil several times a day at track events in the past. I have never had to add oil so I started glancing at the dash gauge instead. I had just picked the car up from having the Mobil 1 replaced with RedLine so I the oil level never came to mind.