Oil level gauge
#1
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Ok, so this is a totally newb question. I had my C2S for about 8 months now and driven about 1000 miles. Total mileage 252XX. I had added about 3/4 qt of oil when about a month in on her. The oil level gauge would read a little above horizontal. Since then I may have put 600 of those 1000 on it. Now the level gauge now doesn't budge. My garage has slight, and I mean slight decline in it, will this matter when reading the oil gauge? How much oil will cause the what degree of deflection on the gauge?
#3
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I have found that my gage is actually pretty accurate on my car. I had my car for about a year and driven 4k miles before the level dropped from the 3 o'clock position, I added a half a quart and it went back to 3 o'clock and stayed until I did my recent oil change. You always want to use the stick and not depend on the gage for the correct level. You also want to make sure you're not overfilling. I read where overfilling can give the illusion of an engine burning oil. I also believe there's a way to calibrate the gage to the oil tank level.
Randy
Randy
#4
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As our cars are getting along in age oil use depends on how well the engine is still sealed. Porsche considered 1 qt/1k mile acceptable. You will have to regularly check it manually and compare it to the guage to know how to interpret yours. Most of them work within a functional limit that I at least can live with, but I still check it manually about once a month-but I am OCD too.
#5
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Also, keep in mind that, with this cold weather we've been experiencing, the oil thermostat may not open as quickly as in warmer weather. It must be open in order to get a valid reading from both gauge and dip-stick.
#6
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What is the proper procedure for checking the oil level? I read the manual and it indicates to warm engine up. My car is sitting overnight in heated garage and I just checked the dip stick, and I got an oh ****! Nothing on the dip! Could this be because I didn't have her at idle first?
#7
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Chappy, the engine has to be hot, hot, hot to get an accurate reading. And running. Do a search here.
But I suspect that the colder temps are causing the difference here, not oil consumption.
Warm up your car by driving it for 30 minutes or so - and not just on the highway in cold weather - bring it to a flat surface and let it idle for a minute or two, then check it with the dipstick while running.
Good luck. Better to underfill these cars (within reason) than to overfill. They have a lot of oil in there.
But I suspect that the colder temps are causing the difference here, not oil consumption.
Warm up your car by driving it for 30 minutes or so - and not just on the highway in cold weather - bring it to a flat surface and let it idle for a minute or two, then check it with the dipstick while running.
Good luck. Better to underfill these cars (within reason) than to overfill. They have a lot of oil in there.
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#9
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Thanks guys...doing a search now. What alarmed me was when I came home from about a 30 minute drive and then parked it in my garage and left it idle, the oil level gauge was buried low, however I didn't check the dip at this time. I guess I have to change my thinking on the oil leveling since I have been used to the old bimmer for years.
Regards,
Chappy
Regards,
Chappy
#10
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REMEMBER IT IS A DRY SUMP SYSTEM THAT HOLDS CLOSE TO 12 QUARTS OF OIL SO IF IT IS A QUART DOWN IT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD..IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE UNDER FILLED THAN OVER FILLED BECAUSE THE OIL HAS TO GO SOMEWHERE AND MOST LIKELY ON YOUR DRIVEWAY IF OVER FILLED..
!!!
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#11
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1. Run the car until the temp gauge reaches + 9:00 o'clock and then drops back to 7:30-8:00 o'clock (Thus indicating that oil is hot and flowing from the oil tank).
2. Park the car on a level surface, pull the dipstick, wipe it clean, reinsert, remove, check.
3. Oil level should be in the middle of the swirled portion of the stick. If it is at the bottom of the stick, it's approximately .5 qt low.
4. If you want to make reading the dipstick easier, get a file and cut a small notch in one edge of the stick at the middle of the swirled portion.
NOTE: Your oil gauge is designed to work only when the oil is hot per Step #1 above.
2. Park the car on a level surface, pull the dipstick, wipe it clean, reinsert, remove, check.
3. Oil level should be in the middle of the swirled portion of the stick. If it is at the bottom of the stick, it's approximately .5 qt low.
4. If you want to make reading the dipstick easier, get a file and cut a small notch in one edge of the stick at the middle of the swirled portion.
NOTE: Your oil gauge is designed to work only when the oil is hot per Step #1 above.
#12
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1. Drive the car until the temp gauge reaches + 9:00 o'clock and then drops back to 7:30-8:00 o'clock (Thus indicating that oil is hot and flowing from the oil tank).
2. Park the car on a level surface, pull the dipstick, wipe it clean, reinsert, remove, check.
3. Oil level should be in the middle of the swirled portion of the stick. If it is at the bottom of the stick, it's approximately .5 qt low.
4. If you want to make reading the dipstick easier, get a file and cut a small notch in one edge of the stick at the middle of the swirled portion.
NOTE: Your oil gauge is designed to work only when the oil is hot per Step #1 above.
2. Park the car on a level surface, pull the dipstick, wipe it clean, reinsert, remove, check.
3. Oil level should be in the middle of the swirled portion of the stick. If it is at the bottom of the stick, it's approximately .5 qt low.
4. If you want to make reading the dipstick easier, get a file and cut a small notch in one edge of the stick at the middle of the swirled portion.
NOTE: Your oil gauge is designed to work only when the oil is hot per Step #1 above.
#13
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there's a very nice section in a Porsche 'AfterSales Training Manual for 964 & 993' P10-L, that Geolab briefly posted back in Dec.
it's currently not there but perhaps it could be reposted or someone that took advantage of the offer in Dec. could perhaps post it again.
It has the most detailed description of how the oil gauge and oil dipstick relate to actual oil levels that I have ever seen. Lots of other good stuff too.
it's currently not there but perhaps it could be reposted or someone that took advantage of the offer in Dec. could perhaps post it again.
It has the most detailed description of how the oil gauge and oil dipstick relate to actual oil levels that I have ever seen. Lots of other good stuff too.
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Last edited by geolab; 01-18-2010 at 03:07 PM.