quick oil question please.
- Thread starter j4mou
- Start date
Dave Wilkinson
New member
If I understand you correctly, I'd guess it's a bit late to be checking the oil level!! The oil light indicates low pressure, not low level so I'm guessing it's been getting lower by the minute. Can you seriously suggest that the oil has not been changed in 2 years and you haven't checked it or topped it up in that time??? I suspect none of the other readers responded out of disbelief.
Dave
Dave
944s have an oil level light (belowthe fuel/temp dials) as well as a pressure light (below the oil pressure gauge).
If the oil level warning light has come on then the level is around halfway down the dipstick. It's around 1.5lt between top & bottom on the dipstick.
Assuming it's the oil level light that's on I suggest you buy some fully synthetic 10w40 & top it up, then book it in for an oil change and/or service at your local indy. It's potentially a DIY job but if you've never changed the oil on a car before a 944 isn't the easiest to pop your cherry on [
]
If the oil level warning light has come on then the level is around halfway down the dipstick. It's around 1.5lt between top & bottom on the dipstick.
Assuming it's the oil level light that's on I suggest you buy some fully synthetic 10w40 & top it up, then book it in for an oil change and/or service at your local indy. It's potentially a DIY job but if you've never changed the oil on a car before a 944 isn't the easiest to pop your cherry on [
]
j4mou
Member
seeing its done under 1000 miles in two years and I have owned the car for just 2 months I havent seen fit to change it as when I got it the oil level was bang on. it seems these cars use oil.
I have just replaced the oil completely and opted for fully synthetic silkolene 5w 40, I found it really easy compared to others I have worked on.
are you always that rude to everyone computamedic?
I have just replaced the oil completely and opted for fully synthetic silkolene 5w 40, I found it really easy compared to others I have worked on.
are you always that rude to everyone computamedic?
appletonn
New member
j4mou, what is the oil pressure gauge reading when the car is properly hot, as opposed to just warm?
I use Castrol Edge 10w/60 in mine,as the 60 bit refers to the viscosity of the oil when hot and mine has done a few more miles than your newly rebuilt unit!
After a good run on a warm day (ie today!), mine shows fractionally under 3bar, so I figure that the thicker hot viscosity of the oil is helping my oil pressure when hot, bearing in mind it has done almost 135000 miles....[]
Glad to hear it has all worked out OK - these cars are great to work on as you are finding and I love the depth of engineering in them[]
I use Castrol Edge 10w/60 in mine,as the 60 bit refers to the viscosity of the oil when hot and mine has done a few more miles than your newly rebuilt unit!
After a good run on a warm day (ie today!), mine shows fractionally under 3bar, so I figure that the thicker hot viscosity of the oil is helping my oil pressure when hot, bearing in mind it has done almost 135000 miles....[
]Glad to hear it has all worked out OK - these cars are great to work on as you are finding and I love the depth of engineering in them[
]
sawood12
New member
J4mou - These cars do use oil. The handbook suggests upto 1ltr per 1000 km. Regarding oil change frequency, again the oil is bound by an annual and time limited schedule which is 12000 miles or 12 months whichever is sooner (well it is for a turbo at least). It is prudent to adhere to this even if you do low milage oil degrades over time as it is mixed with petrol, products of combustion and water therefore reducing its effectivity.
Just to also warn you that you should also adhere to the timing belt change schedule as if your life depended on it. The schedule is 40k miles or 4 year (though i'd err on the side of caution and change at 35k miles and 3.5 years). The timing belts on these cars are 100% reliable if they are replaced according to the schedule and properly.
I agree, the oil change is an easy job. There is nothing particularly complicated or difficult about any aspects of maintenance on these cars compared with others. I just find access is a real pain in the neck.
Just to also warn you that you should also adhere to the timing belt change schedule as if your life depended on it. The schedule is 40k miles or 4 year (though i'd err on the side of caution and change at 35k miles and 3.5 years). The timing belts on these cars are 100% reliable if they are replaced according to the schedule and properly.
I agree, the oil change is an easy job. There is nothing particularly complicated or difficult about any aspects of maintenance on these cars compared with others. I just find access is a real pain in the neck.
appletonn
New member
As I sit here nursing my sore hands from fitting my b***** brake ducts today, I couldn't agree more.... ...about the access that is...[8|][
]But then you drive it, and everything is forgiven[
]Echo the point about the belts though - you really do not want any of them breaking on you for the sake of a couple of hundred quid....[&:]
You should check your fluids regularly & yes they generally do consume oil at high revs, up to 1lt per 1500kms is considered acceptable consumption iirc (it's in the manual).
I'd say his response was pretty reasonable if you had owned the car for the two years since the rebuild & done lots of miles, which is certainly the assumption I made when I read your original post.
Check the oil after each trip if you use the car infrequently & you should be able to get an idea of how much oil it consumes & ditto with the water, air in the tyres & anything else. If you do less than a few thousand miles per year changing the oil annually would be a good idea. Recommended service intervals include time as well as mileage, check your car's manual for details.
appletonn
New member
Hmm, a mate of mine had an STI and it did look a bit tight for access under the bonnet!
I'm surprised that you are getting 5 bar when really hot as I don't think the manual claimed that when they were new, but all sounds like you have got a nice tight engine.
They do use oil, but mine has dropped barely a centimetre on the stick in 1200 miles of enthusiastic driving.
I'm surprised that you are getting 5 bar when really hot as I don't think the manual claimed that when they were new, but all sounds like you have got a nice tight engine.
They do use oil, but mine has dropped barely a centimetre on the stick in 1200 miles of enthusiastic driving.
Well not sure what the temps are you guys are used to? Guess it gets pretty cold in winter, but our cars need oil of higher viscosity compared to modern cars. Check your handbook. Of course we deal with higher temps out here, but even in winter we use 25/w 50. 25w/60 other months or track. If you're going to use a lite synthetic, make sure it has plenty of ZDDPs otherwise we have seen way too much engine wear with the proliferation of these 'synthetic' oils.
sawood12
New member
My handbook says 5w40 is just about right for our climate. And don't forget our cars have oil thermostats and oil coolers which controls oil temps better therefore will keep the oil within it's intended operating range. Bear in mind that even back in the '80's the engineering of these cars was years ahead of it's time.
sawood12
New member
Well i've got a pretty top spec oil in there so hopefully it has got enough ZDDPs (whatever they are!). Are you saying that we should deviate from the Porsche recommended grades of oil? When I was referring to handbook, I was referring to the pukka Porsche handbook, which doesn't specify different grades of oil for different ages or milages of cars.
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