Go Back   986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners > Porsche Boxster & Cayman Forums > Boxster General Discussions

Post Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 03-30-2016, 03:56 PM   #1
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 50
Garage
Oil Overfill/White Smoke

2002 Boxster no manual!!! Was out of town three months and when I returned my battery was dead and the dash oil light was on once started. Checked the oil and could not see any on the dipstick (poor eyes too). I added 5 quarts and it took without a problem, oil light now off. My eyes still couldn't see oil on the dipstick, so two days later thinking it must have been very low, I added a few more. Now when I start I get a cloud of white smoke and also a intermittently while running (i.e. after shifting, etc) and leave a cloud behind me.

I was thinking AOS, but the white smoke only began after adding additional oil. Will excess oil cause this?

Also concerned why the oil level dropped while the vehicle sat for a few months. No oil on the garage floor.

How much oil can possibly be overfilled without it overflowing back out while pouring?

No I didn't pour it into the coolant!!!

I know too much oil is bad, but how bad?

samg1965 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2016, 04:02 PM   #2
98 Arctic silver 986
 
tommy583's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Upstate, NY
Posts: 1,441
Garage
Ummm yeah it might be overfilled. You should probably drain the oil and start over. By the way it should take a little under 9 liters.
tommy583 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2016, 04:07 PM   #3
Registered User
 
cornontherob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 273
Garage
The oil capacity is around 9.2 quarts. So if there was oil in the car at all, then you definitely overfilled it.
cornontherob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2016, 04:15 PM   #4
Registered User
 
Ja986s's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 8
8 quarts with filter change puts me at the half mark on the dip stick. Too much oil can damage the diaphragm. in your AOS. Pull the engine cover and look for oil residue around your intake.
__________________
2000 Boxster S / Borla exhaust / Underdrive Pulley / EBS sump baffle / Gbox detent
2006 Cayman S (Sold)
1990 964 C2 (Sold)
1978 911 SC (Sold)

Last edited by Ja986s; 03-30-2016 at 04:22 PM.
Ja986s is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-30-2016, 07:23 PM   #5
Certified Boxster Addict
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 7,669
Quote:
Originally Posted by samg1965 View Post
I was thinking AOS, but the white smoke only began after adding additional oil. Will excess oil cause this?
Yes, this is a common symptom of overfilling the oil.


Quote:
Originally Posted by samg1965 View Post
I know too much oil is bad, but how bad?
It can range from nothing to engine failure. As the oil level increases, more oil vapor gets pulled into the AOS and passed through to the engine intake; this is why the engine starts smoking more and more.

As the engine burns heavy oil vapor, the injectors can become covered in oil deposits and the cats can become contaminated - both can be expensive to repair.

At some point of increasing oil levels, there is the risk that liquid oil, not just oil vapors, will get past the AOS and into the intake. If this were to happen, it could cause hydrolock in a cylinder and damage the engine.
__________________
1999 996 C2 - sold - bought back - sold for more
1997 Spec Boxster BSR #254
1979 911 SC
POC Licensed DE/TT Instructor

Last edited by thstone; 03-30-2016 at 07:29 PM.
thstone is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2016, 05:36 AM   #6
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 50
Garage
Thanks

Thanks guys for your input!!! This morning I I took a ride around the block and no white smoke. I drained ~3 quarts out and still no white smoke. I'll keep an eye out and will likely change filters as I'm guessing is saturated. Hoping no damage was done!!!
samg1965 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2016, 07:57 AM   #7
01101
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: CT
Posts: 587
Quote:
Originally Posted by samg1965 View Post
Thanks guys for your input!!! This morning I I took a ride around the block and no white smoke. I drained ~3 quarts out and still no white smoke. I'll keep an eye out and will likely change filters as I'm guessing is saturated. Hoping no damage was done!!!
What? No.

Start all over. Drain all the oil, and replace with the correct amount before driving this car any more.
alm001 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2016, 08:12 AM   #8
Registered User
 
kk2002s's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: S. New Jersey
Posts: 1,239
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by alm001 View Post
What? No.

Start all over. Drain all the oil, and replace with the correct amount before driving this car any more.
+1+1+1

You are playing Russian Roulette arbitrarily adding and removing oil.
The Filter will be saturated. It is suppose to, it sits in oil and oil flows through it.
You need to start from a know baseline, new filter, new oil, filled to the correct level on the dip stick

You'll sleep better
__________________
2002 S - old school third pedal
Seal Grey
kk2002s is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2016, 11:40 AM   #9
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 50
Garage
I was thinking just that on my way home a few minutes ago!!! Oil is cheap!!! Thanks!!!
samg1965 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2016, 11:41 AM   #10
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 50
Garage
You're right!!! Thanks
samg1965 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2016, 12:04 PM   #11
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 50
Garage
I'm still not comfortable with the AOS something funky is going on. Would a faulty AOS cause my oil light to go on giving me the false impression that I needed oil? I don't know why the oil would run out after 1000 miles with no trace, although the car did take everything I poured in. Unless the mechanic who did the 60K service put the wrong amount in. It was an indy shop.

Last edited by samg1965; 04-01-2016 at 01:37 AM.
samg1965 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-31-2016, 01:17 PM   #12
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Emerald City
Posts: 885
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by samg1965 View Post
I'm still not comfortable with the AOS something funky is going on. Would a faulty AOS cause my oil light to go on giving me the false impression that I needed oil? I don't know why the oil would run out after 1000 miles with no trace, although the car did take everything I poured in. Unless the mechanic who did the 60K service put the wrong amount in. It was an indy shop.

I know these are seemingly simple questions and routine tasks, but I'm a new owner and not much of a techy.. My tool box consists of four credit cards and a yellow pages!!!
A bad aos would cause white smoke and oil usage in an extreme case. You probably need to take it to your mechanic. If your engine hydrolock, your credit limit needs to be much higher.
jdraupp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2016, 01:36 AM   #13
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 50
Garage
jdraupp.... yes taking into mechanic... noticed coolant level quite low too... Just had a 60K service done 1000 miles ago. Car sat idle for 4 months during winter and lost oil... lost coolant... no puddles or stains on the garage floor... white smoke... not over heating... AOS??? Head Gasket??? I cannot view if one is mixing with the other. I had a new water pump/thermostat installed just after the 60K as well. I've had more problems after the 60k service!!!
samg1965 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2016, 04:44 AM   #14
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: It's a kind of magic.....
Posts: 6,261
Quote:
Originally Posted by samg1965 View Post
jdraupp.... yes taking into mechanic... noticed coolant level quite low too... Just had a 60K service done 1000 miles ago. Car sat idle for 4 months during winter and lost oil... lost coolant... no puddles or stains on the garage floor... white smoke... not over heating... AOS??? Head Gasket??? I cannot view if one is mixing with the other. I had a new water pump/thermostat installed just after the 60K as well. I've had more problems after the 60k service!!!
These engines never blow head gaskets as the multilayer steel gasket is actually stronger than the cylinder or engine case alloys. While there is no coolant in the AOS on Boxsters (unlike the 996 cars), the AOS can fail due to over filling the sump with oil.

If there is no coolant in your oil (or visa versa), I would top up the coolant when doing your oil change, and just keep an eye on the level; you may have just had an air pocket clear from the water pump swap,
__________________
Anything really new is invented only in one’s youth. Later, one becomes more experienced, more famous – and more stupid.” - Albert Einstein
JFP in PA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2016, 05:17 AM   #15
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 50
Garage
Thanks JFP in PA.... I like the $40 answers better than the $2000 answers!!!I'll be curious to see if the white smoke returns after topping the coolant off. It hasn't smoked since I've drained the oil overfill, but I've lost coolant at the same time. Not sure what caused what effect..... It's raining today, wil revisit tomorrow!!!
samg1965 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-01-2016, 03:22 PM   #16
Registered User
 
stelan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Austin
Posts: 395
Yes please do as advised, drain all oil, let it sit for a while while draining, add 8 or 9 quarts max if changing the oil filter and that's it, the oil light turning on it was probably an electrical gremlin due to low battery or something when I bought my 99 it was leaking from spark plug tubes and doing a couple of strange things, the previous owner had over 14 quarts of oil in the engine and it was destined to blow the engine if I did not rescue the poor thing, lol
stelan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2016, 02:36 PM   #17
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 50
Garage
Stelan thanks.... I am hearing the same thing you told me... If the battery dies and remains dead for an extended period of time, much of the programming goes out of wack (i.e. my radio doesn't power on now and have to reset it on a computer at the dealer). Could have possibly caused the oil light to go on.

samg1965 is offline   Reply With Quote
Post Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -8. The time now is 02:45 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page