Oil top ups

[andrew_churcher]

Hi All,

Just wondering what oil you use for top ups (if required) on your 964's. Was thinking of checking my level on the dip stick this weekend so be good to know if it needs a top up.

Internal guage appears to show its bang on half way (if not a little higher).

Thanks

AC

 

[mcgc0]

Hi Andrew,

Dipstick and gauge used together. Warm engine (around the 2nd level on the oil temp gauge) and level ground. Midway on the gauge and midway between the dip stick markers. I'd be interested in your consuption rate though.

I imagine you'll get many differing responses on preffered oil. I use Mobil Super S for a couple of reasons; it's semi-synth and recommended for pre '94 engines and it has a higher SAE when hot which suits me (I guess it's a high miler thing). Many manufacturers too (i.e. Silkolene, Motul, Castrol etc) but Porshe seem to like Mobil, so works for me.

And of course the Porsche Mobile 1 engine sticker looks good too!

 

[Steve Brookes]

To add to the good advice above, if you find your dipstick agrees with your dash gauge, I wouldn't put any more in. If it gets near the top you'll risk oil getting in to the inlet manifold. There's a lot of oil in the engine - even when you get near the bottom of the dash gauge there's still about 10 litres in there. Top to bottom of the gauge is less than a litre IIRC.

 

[andrew_churcher]

thanks guys. I checked the books and its had a service recently as well (less than 2000 miles ago) so maybe me just being a bit pedantic.....gauges much different to my 944. Anyway - thanks both for the feedback and agree dont want to overfill.

I will post some pics of the new ride soon. I have driven almost 500 miles in 2 weeks since purchase. Cant get enough [] ...didnt really like the heat in traffic though on the weekend.

Rgds,

 

[Miller]

Hello All

I know this is a very old topic done to death in the forum, but I wonder if anyone can help please. As a new owner of a 964, I have been struggling to get to grips with the engine oil level. I believe that I have followed all the various instructions on how to check the oil level, after a good run, engine hot, check the dip stick with engine on idle etc. However the stick only seems to show a light smear of oil on it, so I added more oil. This did not seem to change the condition of the dip stick at all. The on dash oil level gauge seems to only work intermittently, even when idling, when it does, it now seems to show the level in the top third of the gauge I have a feeling that I may have over filled the engine with oil, as I have noticed that when stationary, for example at traffic lights the engine is now smoking, this disappears when driving. My question is, if I have overfilled it, could this lead to long term damage and secondly should the oil level on the dip stick be very clearly visible? As I say mine appears to be smeared and cannot really be seen by eye only by touch.

Thanks

Bill

 

[ray stobbs]

+1 with mobil s i find am toping up every 1000 mile but the car does have 150000 on it no rebuilds yet and i can not read the dip stick ethier just use the gauge[]

 

[AVI_8]

Ray and Miller,

When you say that you can't read the dipstick I presume you mean that the oil is clean and it's dificult to see where the level is?

When I'm checking mine I pull out the dipstick, clean then re insert and pull it out again. hold it horizontal in good daylight, you should definately see where the level is, do this a couple of times to re-confirm.

With regards to the type of oil to use, semi synthetic is what the manufacturer recommends, though some people use fully synthetic, but I would advise not to go lower than 10 as in (10 - 40) Some of the fully synthetic oils are 0 - 50 or 5 - 50, the first number is how thin the oil is when it's cold and too low a number makes it very runny and more likely to leak

 

[mcgc0]

Sounds like you maybe just can't see the level on the dip stick. As was mentioned, wipe the dip stick down, reinsert then remove again and check.

Interestingly, with a 130k on the clock my engine is barely using more oil than the 964 handbook suggests with normal use (@ 1L for every 1000k - I believe).

Yup, thicker winter and high temp viscosity preferred (especially for older/high miler motors). This months' Total 911 has a good article on oils. Made me think about moving away from Mobile 1 asap...

 

[jagman]

As said earlier, the problem with reading the dipstick is the clean oil and there is so much of it it it will take a long time and a lot of miles to get dirty enough to see clearly. What I do is whipe the dipstick across my hand you can then see where the oil smear is and if you turn the dipstick as you do it you will see the level on the dipstick. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Steve Brookes]

Bill, how much did you top it up with? And when you say that is it smoking at idle, is it coming out of the exhaust or the wheel arch?

 

[asjasj]

ORIGINAL: Steve Brookes

Bill, how much did you top it up with? And when you say that is it smoking at idle, is it coming out of the exhaust or the wheel arch?

Apolgies for straying slightly OT....

Smoke out of the wheel arch....mine did this after being used enthusiatically, but since fixing the oil leak from the engine top breather hose it has stopped. I did 2 short track sessions at Castle Combe on Sunday and it has definitely stopped.

What's your diagnosis Steve for wheel arch smoke - just incase I need to worry about something else!

 

[Steve Brookes]

Ade, that it exactly what I was referring to. Sounds like yours is sorted []

Further OT, how did it go at CC? And in case you didn't see my vids I put in the other thread about CC, here they are:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBoXEMZBeIA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw-Ye0_SU3Y

 

[asjasj]

Thanks Steve......hoped that was what you were going to say. Your sensor oil leak was in the same area and hence would have caused the same embarassing symptom!

I did find your videos - looks good. Annoyed I did not remeber that day - I could have come along to say hello and watch.

My laps on Sunday were behind the safety car as they were a 'parade' rather than a track session at my motor clubs 100 year celebration. First one went to this plan OK and since I was at the front I had to behave. Second one - after a freely flowing champagne VIP reception at lunch time - was slightly less strict. Several comments were made about the speed of the pace car having picked up considerably. I was near the back and unfortunately made a tardy exit from the pitlane this created a a nice bit of free space ahead for playing in! My brother was driving a car infront of me and my wife the one behind so all in all in turned into a bit of a hooligan session[]

Saturday was a sprint - round of PCGB championship too. I competed in my Impreza. Vey slippy first thing as damp. Second practice OK. First timed improved again but one of my class speared his car into the barrier very hard. Then some clown laid oil around half the track just before PCGB guys were due out. Final timed run I improved to set another PB...after a break since 2005 when I last used this car at Combe.

 

[Steve Brookes]

Sounds like a fun weekend []. Melv mentioned the oil on track problem in his Speed Championship thread.

 

[Miller]

Hi Steve

It is the exhuast, the 'smoke' is white, if this makes sense, it stops as soon as I start driving, I wondered if this could be a symptom of my over enthusiastic topping up with oil? I have only owned the car for a few months so not 100% sure of the service history, other than I beleive it has been regualrly serviced. A local specialist has checked the car over and given it a clean bill of health.

Bill

 

[Steve Brookes]

ORIGINAL: Miller

Hi Steve

It is the exhuast, the 'smoke' is white, if this makes sense, it stops as soon as I start driving, I wondered if this could be a symptom of my over enthusiastic topping up with oil? I have only owned the car for a few months so not 100% sure of the service history, other than I beleive it has been regualrly serviced. A local specialist has checked the car over and given it a clean bill of health.

Bill

White smoke is characteristic on start up, especially on cold mornings because of the increased fuel to air ratio. It then goes away when the engine is up to operating temperature. So I would say that yours could be running a bit rich all the time. This could be due to a bad O2 sensor, an aftermarket chip in the DME (that you might not know has been fitted in the past) or something else that I don't know about. I would ask a Porsche specialist to investigate this further if you're worried about it.

An oil overfill can lead to oil getting in to the inlet manifold, mixing with the air and leads to blue smoke coming out of the exhaust. On the assumption that you haven't put too much extra oil in (i.e. you didn't add more than a litre when it might have already been at the right level), it should soon burn off.