First oil change level
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
First oil change level
I had my first oil change on my 04 996 today. The dipstick shows full level where the OBC shows 2 bars below level. It held 9 quarts. I'm afraid to put anymore in. Will it over flow if I do or can I damage the engine? The engine was hot at the OBC reading and cold on the dipstick reading. Thank you for your time......Dennis
#3
Race Director
I had my first oil change on my 04 996 today. The dipstick shows full level where the OBC shows 2 bars below level. It held 9 quarts. I'm afraid to put anymore in. Will it over flow if I do or can I damage the engine? The engine was hot at the OBC reading and cold on the dipstick reading. Thank you for your time......Dennis
If the oil change was done by a knowledgeable shop it would have checked the correctness of the oil e-level system.
This requires the engine be "hot" (70C?), and the oil drained 20 minutes. There is a specific amount of oil to be added to the engine after a 20 minute drain (and filter replacement).
BTW, there is an overnight drain period too, after which a bit more oil is required.
(The new DFI engines have a one hour drain interval.)
Anyhow after the drain interval a specific amount of oil is then added to the engine and the e-level checked and the reading confirmed correct given that a *known* amount of oil was added to the engine and the e-level reading is right where it should be.
At oil change time with my 02 Boxster I use the dipstick just because I'm too lazy to count the empties. I verify there is oil showing. (With the Turbo it has no dipstick, so I count the empties, twice.)
After that whenever I check the oil level in my 02 Boxster (and Turbo) I use the e-level system. I keep in mind several things. The levelness of the car or lack of levelness affects the reading. (It affects the level displayed on the dipstick too.) (The Turbo oil e-level system does not "take" a reading if the car is not level enough.) So I'm careful to check the oil on level ground. If the ground is not level I know this can affect the reading. In severe cases -- parked against the curb on a heavily crowned road -- the level can be very low, low enough the e-level display flashes. However, because I know my car I know the level is ok.
Another thing I keep in mind is the oil level varies by temperature. Cold oil can have the level 1 maybe 2 bars lower than it would be otherwise.
So cold I like to see the oil level 2 bars below the max line. Then when hot and I check the oil the level will be at the max line and I'm good and so's the engine.
I keep pointing out that oil changes with these cars is more than just a time to refresh a vital fluid. It is the right time, the only time, the correctness of the oil e-level system can be verified, provided the shop knows what it is doing and does what it is supposed to do.