Tonykarter

I went to test drive a 2000 996 Carrera yesterday and just to be safe I checked the fluids first. The owner, a long-term friend, was not there and told me to just go over and drive it, the keys being in the seat. I found the oil to just barely be touching the bottom of the oil dipstick. I did not start it. I had no oil to fill it, nor should I as it is not mine, but I am wondering:
1. Just how many quarts low is it when the oil is just touching the bottom of the dipstick?
2. While I know that running any motor low on oil is not good, how harmful is it to the 996 if it were run with the oil that low?


The hydraulic reservoir was so low that it was not even touching on its dipstick.


Thanks in advance everyone.

Paul Waterloo

About a quart. Always best to run it with a full crankcase, but running it on the bottom of the dipstick is not going to harm it in every day driving.

Tonykarter

Thanks Paul!

DBJoe996

yeah well...with that being said, if the car has been sitting for several days (even 24 hours) and the oil is at the bottom of the dipstick, when you start it and the oil starts circulating it will drop even more, maybe even to a critical level. Very wise not to start it. If on a test drive, if something were to go wrong because the oil level was too low, I'm afraid you might be responsible and that would be a problem. Are you saying the power steering fluid was also low? What else did the owner not check or maintain properly.....??? Oil level is basic car maintenance, for any car.

TonyTwoBags

^ what Paul said.

At first I tried to keep mine filled up at first but all that does is lead to a bit of overfilling when warm. I try to keep mine in the middle-ish of the dipstick, between 1/2 and 2/3. Cold oil at the top of the dipstick might give you a smoky startup and slightly overfilled condition. Just lessons I've learned



cold oil is more dense than operating temp oil, fyi. For the 996 correct oil measuring isn't with cold oil, but operating temp. Unless I'm a moran & misread everything.

DBJoe996

OMG...let's not turn this into a "when should I measure my oil level" thread. Per Jake - measure with the dipstick at engine stone cold, i.e., after the engine has sat for 24 hours. I'll go with that recommendation/advice any day. If it is at the lowest mark on the dipstick (barely touching the bottom of the dipstick=OP) at stone cold, you need to add oil.

ditto

Use the electronic gauge. It will tell you if there is enough oil.

Tonykarter

Agreed on oil being part of basic maintenance. My friend lost his wife, the love of his life a while back. Were I to lose mine I might let some things go unaddressed around here too. I am going to give him a mulligan.

TonyTwoBags

"you're mistaken" works, but theatrics & reactionary social media ZOMG will have to do I suppose.

Kalashnikov

Could be that your dipstick is too short to properly measure the oil level. Some guys end up with shorter dipsticks due to ordering mistake or just accident.

extanker

can i share this beauty now

wildbilly32

OH BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tonykarter

Thanks everyone. I truly appreciate you investing your time in me. I have decided to pass on it. Obtained permission from him to top off both fluids. The oil was NOT TOUCHING the bottom fo the stick as previously reported: it took 2.75l oil to get it to the middle of the stick, and about 6 ounces hyd fluid. Not good. Bottom of crankcase fully coated with oil. More not good. Thin grey foam blowing out of the A/C vents? I don't take care of my rolling stock like that, barely have time to maintain the standards I keep now, so the things I already own really own me. Don't need another 4-wheel taskmaster putting a guilt trip on me and constantly mocking my existence. No spare time left to appropriate to a project like that. There are too many nice ones out there. The search continues, travel well friends, fade to commercial...

Boomvang

While the oil and hydro fluid issues would be deal breakers for me, the grey foam is normal for these cars, just normal aging of the insulating foam in the ductwork.
I would keep looking, there are plenty of nice ones out there. Good luck