Baggerdude

My "left' oil gauge has been in the red since I bought the car. Yesterday, I decided to look into it.

After reading the manual... which IMO is not all that "user friendly" regarding oil level, adding oil, checking oil and reading the various gauges... I decided to add some Mobil One.

When I checked the dip stick, the oil was about 1/4 the way between the bottom division and the top. I added a quart of oil today and here's what my gauges read at idle on a level surface in my garage and completely warmed up.

What do it mean? Thanx in advance.

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforu...chmentid=&stc=1

cabrio993

Page cannot be found....

Baggerdude

This worked in the Support Area. Hmmmm.... Lemme see if I can do it correctly.



[IMG] IMG_0571.JPG[/IMG]

jusafan

My experience is that you have to rely on the dip stick, as opposed to the gauge, to be certain where your oil level is. That being said, with my car, I have found that most of the oil goes into the forward tank (where the oil gauge can measure its level) once the temperature gauge gets past the 8:00 hash mark. You appear to be right at that hash mark, and some of the oil will have moved forward, so you get that middle reading on the oil gauge. That's about what my oil gauge says when it is at that temperature level. But, again, you can't entirely rely on that gauge. Gotta use the measuring stick to be sure.

That's my $0.02

cabrio993

It says that the oil level in the tank reservoir is at the right level. The gauge doesn't work like your gas gauge, it doesn't mean that your tank is 1/2 full. In other words, if it shows 1/2 way between the marks, it corresponds to 1/2 way between the upper and lower marks on the dip stick.

The space between the upper and lower marks in your dipstick, is approximately, 1 quart of oil. So, your guage shows the oil level between these two marks.

So, looking at your picture, your oil level should be around the middle of the dipstick upper and lower mark, which is the accepted levels.

Baggerdude

Thanx, folks.

BTW, the left gauge did vary while it was idling.... from the red area to where it appears on the photog.

Regarding the right gauge.... do the 2 marks at 7 and 10 o'clock mean anything? Do they relate to the lower and upper hash marks on the dip stick?

And.... why are there sooooooo many gauges on the 993? Looks like 3 including the oil pressure gauge. What do the left and right gauges REALLY mean?

Thanx, again.

993inNC

I hate to differ, but my experience is that after a complete 12 quart oil change. My gauge reads at the top of the top mark. When my gauge read at what we see above, I added one quart and it went back to the top. I'm guessing halfway is one quart down. At that same halfway point on the gauge, the dipstick was half way up the twisties.

I don't bother with the dipstick, gauge only. Oh by the way, when I first bought my car it's gauge never got out of the red. When I did the oil, my guess is that I drained only about 8-9 quarts tops, so I have really watched and tried to figure out this oil thing. I use my car almost every day so it gives me alot of "study time"......I have never had an overblow out of the filler neck so.......

PedroNole

I'll second 993inNC. In my opinion, unless you really try...you can't overfill the car. I try to keep my guage to the top. Also, I think the guage is only REALLY useful when judging whether you have 10/12ths through 12/12ths of oil.

To answer BaggerDude's original question of why there are so many oil guages....uh, because there's no H2O

cabrio993

The gauge to the right is the Oil temerature gauge. Nothing to do with oil level, but oil temperature. The first mark is there to show that the oil is just "warmed" up and that's the lower operating temperature, do NOT rev the engine past 4K RPMS if you are not AT LEAST at this level of oil temperature. The 10 O'clock mark is the upper mark for the normal temperature level. If you get to this mark, look for ways to cool your engine down. the 8 to 9 o'clok mark is "normal" operating temperature.

The more gauges the better. Actually, I miss the alternator guage that I have had on other cars.

I try to keep my oil level in the middle of the gauge as the manual states. Even though, it is in the middle most of the time, I have seen it a the top mark on certain other condition, road inclinations, etc. So, If you fill it always to the top, there is no room for this overage of oil to go under these other conditions.

rkass

I had read somewhere that on level surface with engine at operating temp and running that the guage should read as yours does (IIRC was in the manual). But manual and others have said stick is only reliable source once engine is at operating temp.

993inNC

"I try to keep my oil level in the middle of the gague as the manual states. Even though, it is in the middle most of the time, I have seen it a the top mark on certain other condition, road inclinations, etc. So, If you fill it always to the top, there is no room for this overage of oil to go under these other conditions."

I'm confused. I ran my car a few weeks ago well over the century mark, in fact, I got 140 miles of between the century and century and a half mark and never has smoke or overflow. The mid point running that RK speaks of is I think for the 964's not 993. I suppose you're not hurting anything, but I do believe topped off is top of gauge and 2 quarts down or more is red.

cabrio993

Yes, I don't think you are hurting anything either by running your oil level so high. But I like to be safe and follow the recommended level. I think as long as I keep it in the center I am in the middle of the "accepted" levels, so I run less chances of running into oil issues due to being either short of oil or overfilling it with oil and overtaxing oil pumps, etc.

Monique

993 ownership rule # 1:

NEVER, EVER trust the oil level gauge.

If it bothers you, place a suction cup over it and forget it forever.

Check the oil with the dipstick. Period.

Stewart

Interestingly, my local Porsche Centre says they never look at the dipstick and always rely on the gauge. I note that it takes a good 10 to 12 miles before the temperature gets up to allow a reading on the oil level gauge - the temperature reading tends initially to go up to touch the first mark at which point I presume the valve opens allowing oil to circulate in the front radiator. Temperature then drops back to just below the mark and at idle I get the proper reading.

Monique

Hello Stewart,

In fact, it prob takes longer than 12 miles to fully warm the oil. The oil gauge is notoriously bad; IMO (shared by many experienced 993 owners) the only accurate way to measure oil quant is the dipstick.

Contrary to an earlier opinion expressed on this thread, you can overfill and cause yourself huge and expensive headaches...

Lots of ink has flowed on this subject. Do a search... you'll see what I mean!