tylerfarner

I just changed the oil for the first time (for me) in my 3.4L 996 C2. I replaced the filter as well. I have added over 9 qts of oil and it is still registering on the lower end of the electronic gauge...2 bars. I feel like I need to add another quart?? I am understanding the capacity to be in the 8.5 qt range...what am I missing??

Thanks for any help!

Barn996

Check your oil level with the dipstick as well. Last oil change I put 9 qts. in, but I let it drain completely before adding.

wyovino

Mine takes a bit more than nine quarts. I let it drain at least a half hour. I add oil until the dipstick shows halfway between high and low, then take it for a short drive. I let it sit for a few minutes and check the dipstick again and top off as necessary. Make sure the car is on level ground when checking. Do not over fill.

Invius

9.2 is what the manual says, iirc. Last time i had done, car had been run a bit before getting to indy, so totally warmed up and got a great drain, and it was closer to 9.5.

Invius

Btw, meant to say, go off dipstick, not electronic gauge.

Gretch

I do my own oil changes, drain when oil is warm and let drain overnight.

I plan on 10 quarts to refill and use them all.

I did a test once. After I had let the oil drain for about a half an hour, I still had some steady drips...... I put an empty coffee can under the drain and left the car sit for the night.

The next morning, the coffee can was overflowed on the garage floor.

The oil cooler is a long way from the engine....... and that system holds well over a quart of oil, is the conclusion I came to...

10 quarts..........

Pac996

At least you can call the engine a super slick engine

DJonathanSilva

I Just did my oil change in my 3.4 and i agree with the above. I added 9 quarts, drove around for a little. Checked the dip stick, and added another 1/2. Seems to be on the money. I would say anywhere from 9-10 quarts you will be safe. Use the dip stick to see your level.

996_North

Might be obvious, but if it is a wet sump, then you need to wait until cold to check the oil level. If you are topping off and running the engine, it will give you a lower reading as the oil has not all drained to the sump to be measured.

JMLavoie

What do you mean by 'reman engine ...'?
Martin

Macster

You are not doing the engine any favors with that long drain.

For goodness sake, Porsche in the factory manual specifies the engine be up to a min. temp, 70C at least, and the drain time be 20 minutes.

This gives the warm/hot oil plenty of time to drain, yet avoids the risk of engine wear/tear by letting oil drain from places it might not otherwise drain from with a shorter drain time.

The engine temp and drain time requires a very specific amount of oil be added to the engine. By adding just this amount -- the dealership service bays are equipped with very accurate engine oil dispenser that measure the amount of oil rather closely -- this gives the tech a means to verify the oil dipstick -- if the engine is fitted with one -- and the e-oil level gage system works properly.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Macster

The best answer I can offer is to check with your local Porsche dealer service department. My info is fluid capacities are tied to a car's VIN. The parts manager or a senior tech with your car's VIN can look up the correct amount of fluid. It may or may not be same volume that given in the owners manual.

The capacities given in the owners manual are general capacities, while ongoing changes to the engine or other things can affect the actual amount of fluid the engine or power steering or some other tank/reservoir holds.

The capacity is important to know as is the proper oil change procedure for as I have touched upon before only by draining the oil properly -- at the right temp and for the right amount of time -- does one adhere to the procedure used by the factory to determine the correct amount of oil to add at oil change time.

By adding this correct amount of oil, then, one can confirm the oil level reporting systems are working properly.

Many Porsche owners simply fail to recognize or understand how thorough and how well-thought out and how much good engineering went not only onto these cars but into their servicing procedures.

Sincerely,

Macster.

996_North

porsche remanufatured based on the serial number on the engine..original blew up

Shark Attack

Why do you guys let it drain so freaking long. I pull the plug, change the filter, cut my old filter open, have a peek. Put the plug back in and add 9qt of M1. Whole thing takes less than 20 min.

Macster

20 minutes is one drain number.

I was talking to some techs about this subject today and learned that there are 3 oil change/drain scenarios covered in the online factory references (available, sadly, only to techs).

There's an oil change with no filter change. The owners manual for my Boxster gave an oil change interval of 15K miles for the oil, and 30K miles for the filter (which I never followed and the few times I've talked to SM/techs about this they never followed either, always changing the filter at the oil change interval).

The next scenario is an oil change with a filter change.

In the case of the older engines there's a call out for the engine temp (at least 70C) and for a drain time of 20 minutes.

The techs tell me the new DFI engines have a factory specified drain time of 1 hour.

In all of the above scenarios there is a specific amount of oil that must be added to the engine.

Then the techs told me that sometimes they let the oil drain overnight.

When I asked how then were they able to verify the oil level reporting systems were ok when the amount of oil that needed to be added would almost certainly be different and I was told that Porsche had an amount of oil for this drain scenario too.

Before every one adapts an overnight oil drain habit the techs told me that when they do this it is a matter of convenience, to the customer.

If a customer brings in a car late in the day to have an oil/filter change the tech will get the car in the air and the drain plugs removed and the oil draining, then his shift ends. The car drains overnight and in the morning the tech comes in and buttons up the engine and adds the factory specified amount of oil for an overnight drain. And the car is ready very early in the morning for the customer to pick up.

Sincerely,

Macster.