Oil Level - Running on 50% Full

[kball_uk]

Hi,

My Boxster S (18,000) MY 2005, which has a Porsche extended warranty has suffered for over three years with oil leaks into the mass air flow sensor, which causes the engine to run roughly and mis-fire at over 4000RPM when under load.

The car has been in the workshop here in GUernsey several times during that time, culminating in a new engine this February.

Each time the fault occurs it takes a about 750 mlles for enoigh oil to seep into the sensor to cause the problem, and as I only do 300 miles or so a month it takes a while for the fault to reappear.

The fault in my view also impacts on safelty as I have no power when the sensor is contaminated, and of course I may be overtaking when it first appears.

As you may note I am somewhat frustrated about the number of times parts have been replaced and I am told that it has been fixed only for the problem to resurface, culminating in Porsche agreeing to a new engine in February.

Guess what early last month it came back and despite more extenseive "diagnostics' here in Guernsey Porsche technical are suggesting the next step is to run the car on 50% oil to see if the amount of oil is the problem, something I thoight that would have been eliminated some YEARS ago.

My question is does anyone disagree with the statement that 50% oil is safe for the car, and does anyone have any thougts on the human safety angle to my issue?

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[Geoff_Fields]

Those symptoms point to the oil seperator, which I assume would have been included with the new engine. All very strange. As for running on 50% oil!!! Again I assume they/you meant 50% between fill and full on the gauge? Can't see what difference that would make unless perhaps the gauge is reading lower than actual.

 

[Robin M]

Silly question. Do you park it on steep hills at all I wouldn't think it makes any difference but with a new engine and the same problem maybe its how the car is left for long periods and the oil drains into where it shouldn't then? Told you it was a silly question!

 

[kball_uk]

Thanks Geoff and Robin.

Yes, I was told the oil separator was changed with the new engine in Feb, as it has been before for elimination purposes.

I am hoping to pick up the car tomorrow, so will clarify excatly what they mean by 50% full.

As to the incline, in fact the car is parked on a slight one but I rarely get any blue smoke. However, it may be an influence, which I will certainly bear in mind.

Thanks guys.