swftiii

rkb,

You are not alone and it takes some time to figure it all out. Take a little time and read your manual as well as doing a search from the archives and you will find more information than you wanted.

Let me see if I can sum some stuff up for you:

1. Oil pressure - When warming up, the oil pressure for me is typically at 5 at all rpms. Once the car has warmed up and at idle the pressure is somwhere around 3 (I can't remember exactly). I find that under load the oil pressure should be at or near 5. I find that the pressure will decrease as the temps increase.

2. Oil Temp - As the car warms up, the temperature will rise. The temp should go a little above the 8:00 mark before the thermostat opens allowing oil to travel to the front oil cooler. Once the oil line to the front oil cooler is open the temp should drop to and hover just below the first mark (about 8:00).

3. Oil Level - As others have said, don't measure anything unless the car is at operating temperature, the thermostate is open to the front oil cooler, and the car is on level ground. I agree to use the dipstick, but you can also use the gauge as long as you know the relationship between the gauge and the dipstick (I still check this every once in a while). Now, the gauge will read in the red (bottom) when you are driving. When stopped at a stop light for long enough the oil will accumulate and the level gauge will rise. This is why everyone says to measure the oil level at running temps, sitting level, and after idling for a little while (30-60 seconds).

Hope this helps a little.

-Skip

DocTock993

Yes it helps! I wish I was not 30 miles away from my manual so I could re-read it.
I've got my large syringe, a stopcock, and 2 lengths of IV tubing so I can draw the excess stupidity (I mean oil) out and put it back in the Mobil 1 bottle. I will then make enough of a drive to warm the engine and check the level appropriately.
Should I pitch or save the oil I will draw out? I assume that the oil I added, with absolutely no contaminents would still be on the "top".

Rennlist comes through again! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

swftiii

I would save it at least until you have warmed up the car and checked the oil level. If it is a little low add a little back, if the oil level is fine then you can do whatever you want with it. I'm not sure about contamination or not, but would think it should be fine to keep (I'm not an expert, but stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night).

-Skip

DocTock993

Finally found some time to try to correct my stupidity.
But, I was only able to get about 1/4 qt out. I simply cannot draw any more out.
Am I done?
I know I need to let the oil warm prior to checking the dipstick, but I'm afraid of ruining the engine by running it. Can I start the engine now, or try to get a local Rennlister to help drain in the more standard way prior to starting up?

STLPCA

Give me a call if you'd like a hand (or moral support) tomorrow. I've PM'd my phone #. You're expending way too much mental energy on this.

BTW Russ, are you a STL PCA member (yet)?

InThePocket

This is what makes Rennlist so great. Bravo guys!

Roger

the_buch

Three quick related questions -

1. With relatively fresh oil it's tough to get a good reading on the stick, and using a paper towel to get an oil stain to indicate level does not seem to be perfect - any hints??

2. I assume that gurgling fluid sound you here when the car is warmed up and the temp gauge passes the first mark is the oil on it's way to the front of the car (I'm pretty sure this was the same on my '88 930)??

3. My wife was commenting that the passenger seatbelt fabric felt quite warm when she first put it on after the car had been driven for a bit (the part that would be retracted in to the side panel) - I assume that it must get close to the oil lines running up the right side of the car??

Thanks,

STLPCA

Doug
1. It IS hard to see the level w/clean oil. I lightly scored my dipstick w/a Dremel cutoff wheel & it's a bit easier to read.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.

the_buch

Dan ... thanks ... good idea on the dipstick ... Doug

gonzilla

So I'm the newest member of the "I-overfilled-my-oil-and-now-must-use-a-turkey-baster-to-get-it-out" club. I noticed that the oil level was just above red when idle (sorry if that's too late, I'm kind of new), checked the dipstick (the car was at operating temp on a level surface and idling), the dipstick read at the lower portion of the curly-q thing. I added oil a little at a time allowing it to get sucked down the filler tube. I checked the dipstick and looked at the gauge while filling. In all I added a little over a qt. I got it to about 3/4 the way up the curly-q and the gauge inside the car still only read about halfway. I'm trusting the dipstick as per Steve Weiner's suggestion. Take the car out and about half a mile away it's just smoking to the point where some little old man is pointing at the back of my car telling me it must be on fire. I turn around and go home. Park my car in the driveway (which is at a sever incline, which will explain what happens next). It promptly leaks oil all over the driveway. It really spit up quite a bit. Two 1' x 2' stains behind the car. I've taken a lot of the oil out (about half a qt.) and now it seems to not be regurgitating out of the oil filler tube which is good. I'm kind of curious though how come it was spitting up (obviously it was overfilled), but the dipstick didn't even read full and the gauge at idle read only halfway. Is there something wrong with my oil check technique? Something wrong elsewhere? I'm kind of confused.

the_buch

When you topped it up, how much did you add. It seems once they need to puke up the excess, it gets a bit serious ... kinda like high school :-)

ceboyd

wow.. I guess I should consider myself lucky to only be guilty of being LOW a half quart or a quart instead of OVERFULL.... sorry to hear of your guys issues!

c993k

Russ, also keep in mind that a little oil like half a quart, makes a huge difference on the level indicator.
It takes a bit of trial and error before you really get it right. Then it will seem very simplistic.
To warm up the car well before checking the oil, I prefer to take it for at least a 10 mile ride.
Chris

kkim

Mike,

Perhaps you filled when it wasn't fully warm? How hot was the car? When I did oil level checks, I got it good and hot... as in after I came home from work. I never trusted it to be at operating temp if the car was cold then started up and idled till the oil temp read good on the oil temp gauge. If the air from the engine isn't baking your toes while you are checking the oil level, it's not hot enough.

Also, when adding oil, I added just enough to get the level about 1/2 -3/4 way up the dipstick.

Good luck cleaning up.

wayne325

Dudes,

You're really getting all worked up over something that is not that big a deal.
It's easy to change the oil. If you're that afraid, start at 0 and do it again.

But that's not needed. Drain out a quart since that's what you added after a change.
Then start up the car and let it idle for 15 minutes. When it's good and warm, look at the
TEMP gauge and see that it is warm and the thermostat is open by looking to see that the
temp gauge is not at the bottom. Then slowly add back the quart of oil, watching the
FILL LEVEL gauge to see it doesn't go into the red level at the top. That car must be LEVEL and
the engine must be HOT. It doesn't take too long idling in the summer to heat up enough.
If you go a quart too low during this DON"T WORRY. It's a dry sump system. The engine will
still get plenty enough oil.

My take is that you're fine and have done nothing wrong.

On the oil PRESSURE, at idle cold, I see 5 bar. Over maybe 1500 RPM at any temp,
I see 5 bar. It may go to 5.2 or 5.5 - a bit over the 5 mark. Don't worry about it. When the
engine is HOT at IDLE (I live in Dallas.....) I can see as low as 2 bar. It's not that important.
What matters is if you see 0 bar at 4000 RPM, you know you're proper #*&@!^%. Other than
that you're fine. What is happening is the oil is getting hot (it cools the engine after all) and it
is thinning out and so its resistance to flow decreses and so the oil pressure goes down.

Y'all need to relax a bit. It's OK. But I understand why you're scared.

Look at the oil change DIY by Robin. THe last bit is a great description with pics to show you
how to refill the tank. I've done many oil changes on my 993. It's easy. But it does take a bit
of time.

When you're done, have a beer and relax. Your engine is fine.

Oh did I mention not to worry your engine is fine ????