Oil Level / Pressure

[man_on_an_island]

Hi

I keep a relatively close eye on the oil level in my car as I know they do use it up. I had noticed that it often reads significantly higher when its been sitting in the garage undriven for a little.

Last weekend, after about 3hrs or so on the road I arrived at my destination and went off for a walk on the beach (for about 30 mins). When I got back I checked the oil level (which read about half - way lower than I'd seen it before - the car was on a dead flat surface). So I topped it up with a couple of little pours - up until it was reading about 2/3rds full. I stopped there as I wanted to make some allowance for the level being higher in real terms as shown when the car hadn't been driven for a while. I drove home for an hr or so and parked it.

Last night I re checked it (wanted to make sure it didn't need another top off) and saw that it was absolutely full to the top (at the very top of the graph). I also noticed that the oil pressure seemed to be hitting the top of the dial with relatively little rev load as I drove it. So now of course I'm worried that

1) its over oiled - and what can I do about it

2) that the oil measuring mechanism is wrong / unreliable / erratic to say the least.

Any advice guys?

Steve

Edited April 10, 2009 by man_on_an_island

[Loren]

Easiest thing to do is remove the oil filter and pour the oil out of it - about 1/2 liter.

[355bhp]

I keep a relatively close eye on the oil level in my car as I know they do use it up. I had noticed that it often reads significantly higher when its been sitting in the garage undriven for a little...

...Last night I re checked it (wanted to make sure it didn't need another top off) and saw that it was absolutely full to the top (at the very top of the graph). I also noticed that the oil pressure seemed to be hitting the top of the dial with relatively little rev load as I drove it...

I do an oil level check after each gas fill-up and only after the car sits overnight. The most it's used so far is about a half-quart (.4 liter) every 1000 miles or so. The car is driven daily, and except at idle, the oil pressure pointer is always pegged to the max.

[bovine]

Steve, I've found my 997 oil level is very sensitive to ground level. If leaning to the right slightly it reads lower then if leaning to the left. A small amount of lean in mine can move it by 2 segments, ie 0.8 liters! How do you know your ground is so level? Do you always park in the garage facing the same direction? If you've got a slight sideways lean then your level may vary if you drive in forwards or reverse in to your garage. Pressure wise, mine when fully warmed up idles at about 2.5 bar, increasing to 5 bar with less then 3k revs. From what I've read not a problem at all, in fact can be a good thing.