motor oil level

[spark00]

thanks MN. another stupid question here but when is the best time to measure the oil level? before starting the engine, just after engine warm up, or some delayed time after engine is shut off after operating?

[Brucelee]

I miss the dipstick. Of course, that used to be my nickname, at least to my brother it was.

[SD987]

N4Ally2, I think JWilson provided the first and best response to your post...check your manual.

Some corrections to the other responses.

On your 987, the difference between the min and max marks on the segment display is 1.2 liters, with each segment corresponding to approximately .4 liter (which is 1.7 US Cups). Never add more engine oil than required to reach the maximum mark as noted in bold font on page 112 of your manual.

The factory fill on the car is 10.4 liters and the oil change quantity without filter is approximately 7.5 liters or 7.75 with filter. That being said, it will probably take more (obviously depending on how long and under what conditions that the engine is drained). On my previous 987 the dealer added 9+ liters. This dealer has little motivation to misstate the figure as a) I was watching them change the oil b) oil changes are free at Pioneer if you bought the car there.

It's pretty amusing that one would try to argue that a dipstick is a better way to assess oil levels than electrically. The level-ground condition obviously isn't a factor in a comparison and the engine off, oil drain/temp are accounted for more precisely using the electronic gauge in the 987. It won't allow a check if the engine is running and if you've ever tried performing an oil check after the car has been run awhile you'll see a mighty long wait time. That's the whole point of having the countdown feature which tells you how long you're going to be waiting to get an accurate reading. Obviously the nicest feature of the electronic gauge is that it actively monitors the oil levels, letting you know if it's low. I've never had a dipstick alert me to low oil levels.

N4Ally2, don't be surprised if your 06S is a heavy oil consumer. I don't know how many miles you have on yours but both my 987s consumed oil until about the 15k mark. Also keep an eye on the coolant. As I've posted elsewhere, the 987 can also be a coolant consumer during the first 15k and the low-coolant sensor doesn't seem to work so well.

[eslai]

I concur with SD987's remarks. My car used to drink oil quite fast.

27000 miles now and my car has stopped consuming oil, coolant levels seem fine. It actually stopped consuming oil around 13,000 miles so again, SD987 is on the money, as far as I can tell!

[Brucelee]

I am still a dipstick fan. Check it in the AM after after sitting overnight.

What's the fuss?

But that is just me. It took me 10 yrs to get with the whole Compact Disc thing.

On the other side, I was on the INET back in the mid 90s.

[n4ally2]

okay guys. I have taken out the excess oil and the car is running fine. Now, for my original question. I found the answer. If you look at the original thread, i asked if smoke would come out if there is excess motor oil in the engine. That is true. When I started the car, a cloud of white smoke came out of the exhaust pipe. So I think that is the smoke. From now on, I will be real careful putting fluid in my car.

[RandallNeighbour]

You can also expect a little puff of smoke at startup in your boxster when it has been sitting for a few days to a few weeks... even with the proper amount of oil in the engine.

[n4ally2]

thanks Randall. If oil is sitting in the engine, what should I do? I assume the oil will burn itself off and that just need to happen, right?

[eslai]

Originally Posted by n4ally2

okay guys. I have taken out the excess oil and the car is running fine. Now, for my original question. I found the answer. If you look at the original thread, i asked if smoke would come out if there is excess motor oil in the engine. That is true. When I started the car, a cloud of white smoke came out of the exhaust pipe. So I think that is the smoke. From now on, I will be real careful putting fluid in my car.

I doubt that was the excess oil that made that white puff of smoke, unless you're talking about a HUGE cloud. Generally oil smoke is black, not white, and it would smell like burning oil.

I would expect that you'd see the effects of an overfill more during hard driving.