Chrono

If you change oil in the 997 by driving the rear up on ramps, do you think it drains sufficiently, due to the angle?

RollingArt

I don't think so.

Not a good idea.

evoq007

I have done mine on ramps. I warmed up the car for about 20min to heat up the oil, when I undid the drain plug the oil came out in a torrent. I added about 9qts until it was full. So yes i am guessing some oil is still left in the engine when on ramps. The car does not get much use....maybe 4k miles a year. So I will change every 8 months or so (3k miles) this should slowly flush out all the older oil.

Do it on ramps. You will be fine.

Macster

What Evoq007 said. I've changed the oil many times, in my Boxster and my Turbo (two times with my Cayman S) and countless times with other vehicles and never had a problem.

Early, maybe the first time with the Boxster, I even went so far as to raise the front wheels level with the rear -- I had two scissors jacks -- and there was no extra oil to be had at the drain.

Really, the oil has to contend with more than just a bit of out of levelness to find bottom so to speak so it makes sense that having the car on ramps doesn't make any difference.

Be sure you warm the engine up sufficiently before the oil change and let the oil drain for the specified amount of time. I think -- but check with your Porsche tech -- the oil wants to be at least 70C and the DFI engine calls for a one hour drain time. There is an overnight drain time, too.

In both cases the amount of oil necessary to bring the level up to the right place -- at the max line but not over! -- is different to allow for the fact the longer drain time allows for more oil to drain, to perhaps state the obvious.

PhilD

My vehicle is lowered and I can still reach underneath easy enough to do an oil change without ramps.

Chrono

I'll be doing mine every 6 months, which is about 6k miles. With this frequency, my thinking is that the bit I'm leaving in the pan is inconsequential, but I hate to think I'm also leaving behind contaminants. My oil analysis done in January was a tad high on copper so I want to keep an eye on it.

Not a contortionist. I need the room!



I think I went 45 minutes.
Added I think 8.75 quarts and maybe toped off an ounce. The car has used NO oil in 6 months. Well... not enough to need a topoff.

THANKS for replies!

Luckymba

I've done this 4X and just did this this weekend. I parked the front half in the garage and backed it down the driveway and about halfway up the ramps until it was level. Then I blocked the front and the back wheels with wheel chocks. Gives you plenty of room.

MJBird993

I do it on ramps on an inclined portion of the drive, so the car is nearly level. As big as the sump is, I wouldn't worry about a quarter or even half quart of dirty oil that may remain. No oil change gets 100% out unless you tear down the engine and clean it.

Mumbles

I just back up on 1 x6 " on a flat surface plenty of room to access oil plug

Robocop305

Yes, if you look, you will find the oil drain plug toward the front of the oil pan. This should drain most of the oil when the car is lifted in the rear.

John in Bismarck

I used ramps for oil changes on our Boxster, but don't need them for our 997. I just back it up to the edge of the garage floor with the engine out over the driveway where it slopes down from the garage, and there's plenty of room to drain the oil, with the car sitting totally level. I still use the ramps for our Saab 9-5, but it's easy to drive up on them with the automatic transmission. Backing onto ramps with a stick shift car is a little scary!

CosmosC4S

<<< As in my Avatar - Ramps for me too! Just as others said, back it out to the edge of the garage where the driveway slopes down, you don't need to back up onto the ramps all the way. Just enough room for you to slide halfway under. Chock your front wheels!

Sniff

I've done all my oil changes on my flat garage floor without the use of ramps. I just use a low-profile oil pan. Of all the cars I've ever owned, the 997 is by far the easiest to change the oil.

If you do use ramps, just make sure your car is returned back to level when checking the oil quantity.

Sean

RollingArt

This thread gives a glimpse into the reasoning I always throw a red flag when I discover that a seller does their own maintenance work to a vehicle. Not that oil changes on the ramps is going to destroy an engine, just shows the willingness to compromise a job in the interest of saving a buck. "Well, I didn't have the right tool for the job, so I made do by cutting this corner, or not doing that step, or hoping for the best outcome making do with what I had". That **** just don't fly for me. My thing is if I'm going to do a job, it'll be done 100% right and to spec, not done "good enough".

This especially holds true for motorcycle owners. Everyone thinks they know how to maintain their own bike. Oh my gosh, the BS messes I've had to repair after owners have been hacking at their motos.

Please don't take offence, just sharing my experiences and perspectives. Carry on with the "good enough" thread. And yeah, sure, draining on the ramps should be good enough. Better than no change at all I suppose, eh?

Luckymba

Interesting perspective. I think doing your own maintenance is a great way to connect with the car generally. In the case of an oil chance I seriously doubt an indy or dealer let it drain as long as I do (45min - 1hr) so would wager mine is more complete. As previously stated I go 1/2 up the ramps to level the car and chock the wheels. To each his own.