Thread: oil level?
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Old 01-06-2017, 05:26 AM   #5
10/10ths
"50 Years of 550 Spyder"
 
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Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: The Road
Posts: 918
Check the oil...

....only after car has been sitting on level ground for THREE days.

Otherwise, you will never get an accurate reading.

Also, due to the semi-dry sump oil system, flat engine configuration, and huge oil supply, these cars are VERY forgiving of low oil levels.

Do NOT worry about being a full quart low. It won't hurt the car.

As long as there is oil on the dipstick anywhere, and you have at least one notch on the electronic display, you are absolutely, totally fine.

But, if you OVER fill the oil by one notch, bad things happen.

Err on the low side on these machines. I know it's hard to believe that, but it's just the way these wacky things work.

If you are on a road trip, you CANNOT trust the dip stick or indicator at a gas stop. Too many people check their oil at a gas stop, see a low level, and drop in a quart. They end up OVER filling the oil and blowing out the Air/Oil Separator or oil seals.

This happened to Car & Driver Magazine, the over filling that is, not blowing out the seals.

Resist the temptation. Don't worry, drive happy.
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