Oil Level Gauge having a mind of it's own.......

[Kevin Frost]

Was bothering me that the gauge isn't consistent in it's reading. The past few days it just lazes around in the red. It also can bounce around at times! I have done a level check & it is actually above the fill mark?
Has great oil pressure, 5 bar at 4k> & 1-1.5 bar at tick over.
Is there a sensor that can go faulty giving a crap reading? Would like to fix it as it bugs me.

Many thanks & kind regards, Kevin.

 

[graham tompkins]

Hi Kevin,
It's normal I'm afraid. The oil level gauge on the 911 is an oddity. It's only relevant on level ground on tick over, to show oil level ... Ish. On the go, it's all over the place. You'll learn to ignore it. Pressure is what you watch.
All part of 911 learning bud
regards
Graham

 

[Kevin Frost]

Thanks Graham. I am going to do another oil level check this morning just to satisfy me curiosity. The gauge has been reading in the red though on tickover but had sufficient oil?

 

[chrishak]

The oil level gauge will be in the red until the oil gets hot and expands - if it registers a level when the engine is cold, you've over-filled it and that is as bad (if not worse) than under-filling. Run the engine until both the oil pipes under the drivers sill (on a RHD car) get hot, which indicates the thermostats have opened. At this point, at idle, the gauge should be about 3/4 up the scale and the dipstick should be similar.
It can't be emphasised enough, the level should only be checked with the engine hot, running and at idle. Any other situation will give erroneous readings.

 

[Kevin Frost]

Thanks Chris []
Today seems to be a different day in the life of the gauge! Full of energy & bouncing around like a bouncy thing!!!
May sound daft but it only came alive when I took the filler cap off this morning to check?? Then, completely woke up.
Strange car

 

[chrishak]

They have a life of their own, I grant you that!

 

[Kevin Frost]

Also took the car over to Zentrum to discuss them looking after it Nice place & nice people

 

[RICHOT89]

Yes they have a life of their own!!

When I purchased my car some years ago, the guage was so erratic, I changed it!!! - A new (Porsche unit) was fitted and it behaved exactly the same - takes many miles to register anything, then can be 'full', then 'empty' but when checking the oil level when hot, on a level surface and with the engine ticking over, all is OK.

So, as others have said, regard the gauge as just a guide.

Happy motoring!

 

[graham tompkins]

Hi Kevin,
yep it's one of the 911 oddities for sure. There have been many cases of overfilling due to not understanding how the gauge works .As Chris says, not pleasant, messy, and potentially damaging.
( bit like a vindaloo and too many beers....blowback)
next idiosyncracy you will run into is the heating and ventilation system . Don't worry, we've all been there.
regards
Graham

 

[chrishak]

Hi Kevin,
yep it's one of the 911 oddities for sure. There have been many cases of overfilling due to not understanding how the gauge works .As Chris says, not pleasant, messy, and potentially damaging.
( bit like a vindaloo and too many beers....blowback)
next idiosyncracy you will run into is the heating and ventilation system . Don't worry, we've all been there.
regards
Graham

Not to mention 'where should I locate the jack' ??

 

[Kevin Frost]

next idiosyncracy you will run into is the heating and ventilation system . Don't worry, we've all been there.
regards
Graham

Am already scratching my head at this Chinese puzzle

 

[DaveH911]

Kevin
You wont go far wrong with Mike and his team. I won't go anywhere else.

 

[Kevin Frost]

Kevin
You wont go far wrong with Mike and his team. I won't go anywhere else.

Thanks Dave, Things like this are always good to hear

 

[Kevin Frost]

Sorry, Double post

 

[sesame]

I agree with the oil level checking advice already given.
To run my preferred level I personally top up the tank (when the oil is hot and engine running) so the level needle matches the same height up the gauge as the oil temperature needle. This system works out for me as I then find that as the oil temperature needle rises the level needle rises in unison when checked at tick over (and matches the level on the dip stick too). Unfortunately for me at my last top up I added a little more oil than usual so they are a bit out of sync as the level is a bit higher than the temp needle in the attached photo.

Steve

 

[911 targa]

6weeks away in France missed the car badly but as everyone says the oil level gauge is a device to to stress the owner and increase the PC s coffers
Paul

 

[Kevin Frost]

The gauge is still troublesome. Does have a weird quirk, It tends to "Sleep" for a couple of days, then, when I check the oil level, take the cap off & dip the oil, it will wake up?????? Any ideas on this one?

 

[graham tompkins]

Hi Kevin,
Itzabugga ,this pesky gauge has driven many owners to distraction, so don't feel alone.
you could replace the sender unit, pretty easy and not wildly expensive and see if that improves its unreliability. Check this out
http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/101_Projects_Porsche_911/19-Oil_Level_Sender/19-Oil_Level_Sender.htm
The book by the way 101 projects is very good. Not overly technical and covers a load of topics.....101 believe it or not. Widely available.
sender is cheapish,, same can't be said if you repace the gauge.
if it wakes up after you remove the cap, I can only guess that the pressure change when you do so somehow unsticks the float? Also this would seem to rule out an electrical connection/ continuity issue
hope this helps
regards
Graham

 

[Kevin Frost]

Thank you Graham