Newbie question: Oil gauge never changes?
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Race Car
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Wilmington NC
Newbie question: Oil gauge never changes?
So I just bought a 97 C4S, the seller told me that the oil gauges usually are percieved as an inacuracte "gauge" of the true oil level. Problem is...its never moved! 
It stays roughly in the middle of the lower red area. I have added oil, it seems to register on the dipstick, but never the gauge..? The car keeps plenty of pressure while driving (4 to 5 bar) and usually idles at roughly 2 to 3 bar. So is there something I am missing? Is there a sending unit somewhere that is miss reading? Or should I just continue feeding oil until over fill and then extract a little?
Chris
It stays roughly in the middle of the lower red area. I have added oil, it seems to register on the dipstick, but never the gauge..? The car keeps plenty of pressure while driving (4 to 5 bar) and usually idles at roughly 2 to 3 bar. So is there something I am missing? Is there a sending unit somewhere that is miss reading? Or should I just continue feeding oil until over fill and then extract a little?Chris
Still plays with cars.
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From: Montreal
993in - The gauge only reads correctly when the engine is good and warm. As a rule of thumb when the temp gauge is at halfway up the scale the oil level needle should be pointing at the temp needle more or less. Note the gauge only reads correctly with the car level and the engine at idle it's normal for the needle to drop down into the red when you increase revs.
Try letting it idle for 15 mins - look for the oil temp gauge to be half way up and then check the oil level.
Try letting it idle for 15 mins - look for the oil temp gauge to be half way up and then check the oil level.
Thread Starter
Race Car
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From: Wilmington NC
Bob/Tom
After 1000 mile trip home after buying the car...figure it should be plenty warm....never moved. Added oil during the trip...no movement at idle. Didn't seem over filled, temp never got past the first mark (third of the way up) and always had good pressure. As for the dipstick...it was always plenty wet, but as I've read on this site, no one seems to have a definitive solution to what should be and when
. The manual says that it should be between the twisties but....you know.
Thanks, Chris
After 1000 mile trip home after buying the car...figure it should be plenty warm....never moved. Added oil during the trip...no movement at idle. Didn't seem over filled, temp never got past the first mark (third of the way up) and always had good pressure. As for the dipstick...it was always plenty wet, but as I've read on this site, no one seems to have a definitive solution to what should be and when
. The manual says that it should be between the twisties but....you know.Thanks, Chris
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Three Wheelin'
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From: South Shore, MA
As a rule, you should always trust the dipstick, but also make sure you are on completely level ground and the car is warm and has been idling for at least a few minutes--while driving or if on an incline the gauge is all over the place and will not give a true reading.
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From: Wrightwood, CA
993inNC,
When you've checked your oil on the dipstick, where was the marking? The reader on my C4S is very sensitive and if the oil is below a certain mark on the dipstick it won't even register a reading on the gauge.
When you've checked your oil on the dipstick, where was the marking? The reader on my C4S is very sensitive and if the oil is below a certain mark on the dipstick it won't even register a reading on the gauge.
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From: Upstate NY
Chris,
Once the oil is warmed up and the thermostat opens, the guage should move all over the scale in normal driving - start and stop, idling, etc. The owners manual gives a good description of how thie guage should act.
If it never moves, then you have a bad guage or sending unit. The sender is in the side of the oil tank, in the forward area of the right rear wheel well. You'd need to remove the forward fender liner. It is not unusual to have the sender fail. I replaced mine a couple of years ago - erratic readings.
Once the oil is warmed up and the thermostat opens, the guage should move all over the scale in normal driving - start and stop, idling, etc. The owners manual gives a good description of how thie guage should act.
If it never moves, then you have a bad guage or sending unit. The sender is in the side of the oil tank, in the forward area of the right rear wheel well. You'd need to remove the forward fender liner. It is not unusual to have the sender fail. I replaced mine a couple of years ago - erratic readings.
Thread Starter
Race Car
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From: Wilmington NC
Rich,
The dipsticks seems to generally be wet all over, not drenched mind you, but wet through the twisties. Problem is, I am not sure what it should look like. Drenched through the twisties? Just a little residule through out....? The guy I bought the car from said I shouldn't need to add oil 'til after the trip home. I did it during the trip because I was worried about the motor. Nothing out of the ordinary, just never saw the needle move, everything else seemed normal. ????
The dipsticks seems to generally be wet all over, not drenched mind you, but wet through the twisties. Problem is, I am not sure what it should look like. Drenched through the twisties? Just a little residule through out....? The guy I bought the car from said I shouldn't need to add oil 'til after the trip home. I did it during the trip because I was worried about the motor. Nothing out of the ordinary, just never saw the needle move, everything else seemed normal. ????
Thread Starter
Race Car
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From: Wilmington NC
Mike,
Thanks for the location of that sender. I received a private message from someone that suggested that maybe I am just low on oil? Could this be? I saw the temp gauge move as I drove and the thermostat did it's job, as well, I always had good pressure and the temps remained very reasonable and consistant. To you, does this sound like oil level or sender malfuntion?
Thanks for the location of that sender. I received a private message from someone that suggested that maybe I am just low on oil? Could this be? I saw the temp gauge move as I drove and the thermostat did it's job, as well, I always had good pressure and the temps remained very reasonable and consistant. To you, does this sound like oil level or sender malfuntion?
Thread Starter
Race Car
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Wilmington NC
Okay update, Just went out and ran the car for 10 minutes. Checked the oil after the temp gauge read just below the first 1/3 mark. The dipstick had oil constantly on one inside edge of the stick only until just before the top of the twisty when it began to run thin. The oil level gauge still just read oil barely into the bottom red section.....sound to anyone like a bad sender? Opinions greatly appriciated!
