Beating Oil Overfill Dead Horse....Again!

[fast eddie]

Hello!

Got the oil and filter change at the dealership last week. 997 SC2. The indicator reads overfill. Ran it for +/- 100 Mi thinking,,,,,,,"they couldn't overfill it that much, after all, it's the dealership, right???!!!"

Welllll,,,,,,The indicator still reads overfill!*#%@!!!

Soooooo,,,,,,,I got this syphon pump, see, and tried to run it down the oil fill tube......No joy....... It didn't reach the sump.

Therefore, I still have overfill and don't know how much overfill.

The manual clearly says, "Do NOT overfill".

I've probably got huge bubbles of oil in the direcrt injection chambers, right?

My valves are all going to get impregnated with burnt grunge, right?

My spakplugs are probably fouled, right?

If you can't trust the dealership, who can you trust?

Would you find someone to drain some oil?

Would you take it back to that dealership?

If it were your $90K baby?

Am I worrying too much over bull****?

The exhaust doesn't look too bad.....

I cant sleep!!!!!!

Somebody reply,,,,,,,please,,,,,,,,OK?

[MWS]

I don't think it will cause any problems. Call the dealership that did the work and ask them if you can bring it by for them to drain a little oil out until it measures full not overfill!*#%@!!!

Don't get angry with them until after they correct the problem. Once you are satisfied that everything is OK, then you can tell them how unhappy you are.

Don't burn any bridges you may need to cross later.

For what it is worth, about ten years ago I had a Chrysler Mini-Van that I took to Wal-Mart for an oil change, The idiots there failed to drain the old oil out of the crankcase. They added five quarts of new oil to what was a full crankcase of oil. This did not damage the engine. I ran it "over full" like this for a couple of hundred miles before I discovered the problem. I was plently angry and have never taken a car back to Wal-Mart for an oil change.

You would think that an oil change would be something that would be simple to do. I've always been afraid they might strip the oil pan drain plug or put the filter on too tight/loose; but failing to drain the old oil out before putting the new oil in really amazed me.

MWS

[White987S]

Take to the dealership and get corrected. No big deal. I think this is very common with dealerships, and certainly not acceptable. I think they fill with the correct measured amount but they don't wait the proper 20+ minute drain time, hence you get overfilled by a couple hundred millileters.

[renos]

If you put the quantity according to the manual it ends up overfilled. Perhaps the oil cannot be 100% drained.

I specifically ask them for 7 liters only during an oil and filter change, which is safe, and I top up later accordingly if required.

[355bhp]

I don't think it will cause any problems. Call the dealership that did the work and ask them if you can bring it by for them to drain a little oil out until it measures full not overfill!*#%@!!!

Don't get angry with them until after they correct the problem. Once you are satisfied that everything is OK, then you can tell them how unhappy you are.

Don't burn any bridges you may need to cross later.

For what it is worth, about ten years ago I had a Chrysler Mini-Van that I took to Wal-Mart for an oil change, The idiots there failed to drain the old oil out of the crankcase. They added five quarts of new oil to what was a full crankcase of oil. This did not damage the engine. I ran it "over full" like this for a couple of hundred miles before I discovered the problem. I was plently angry and have never taken a car back to Wal-Mart for an oil change.

You would think that an oil change would be something that would be simple to do. I've always been afraid they might strip the oil pan drain plug or put the filter on too tight/loose; but failing to drain the old oil out before putting the new oil in really amazed me.

MWS

The manual makes the point of not overfilling because of the opposed layout of the motor. But I agree 100% about not jumping all over the dealer until they rectify the overfill. And White987S's idea of specifying a little less than the correct amount is a sound one. This is one more reason to avoid dealer service depts for the simpler maintenance taks.

[wvicary]

Take it back and get the level corrected as you don't know how over full it is. Too much oil can damaged the catalytic converters.

[fast eddie]

Take it back and get the level corrected as you don't know how over full it is. Too much oil can damaged the catalytic converters.

Thanks to all for your replies.

Took the car to an independent shop in Pompano Beach, FL. FOREIGN AFFAIRS, the owner's name is Bob Varela.

They removed 1L of oil to bring the level to the correct quantity. They had the car on the lift twice since the only way to remove oil is via the drain plug. It is a trial and error procedure. They did not charge me for the service.

The oil removal had to be done and Varela and his shop were a class act.

Keep you 911's out of the trees!!

[shocky]

Take it back and get the level corrected as you don't know how over full it is. Too much oil can damaged the catalytic converters.

Thanks to all for your replies.

Took the car to an independent shop in Pompano Beach, FL. FOREIGN AFFAIRS, the owner's name is Bob Varela.

They removed 1L of oil to bring the level to the correct quantity. They had the car on the lift twice since the only way to remove oil is via the drain plug. It is a trial and error procedure. They did not charge me for the service.

The oil removal had to be done and Varela and his shop were a class act.

Keep you 911's out of the trees!!

[shocky]

If there is no smoke coming out of the exhaust, don't worry about it!

John

[White987S]

If there is no smoke coming out of the exhaust, don't worry about it!

John

WOW! This is really poor advice. Maybe you missed the part were they drained an extra litre out of the car. Tell you what, John, go put an extra litre of oil in your car. Send me the receipt, and I send you a 100% reimbursement for the oil.

[Tool Pants]

I am with John on this. People get freaked out if they thing there is a drop too much or too little. If the engine was overfilled way, way too much, then you would notice it immediately. It would get sucked into the intake and you would have a smoke cloud behind you immediately, not 100 miles later.

But for you oil freaks. If you need to drain some oil you unscrew the plastic filter cannister ad dump the oil out. There is 1 1/2 cups of oil in it. Screw the cannister back on. Start the car and check the level. Repeat if you want to remove more.

[RFM]

Agree with Tool Pants but only for M96/97 engines and Cayenne, all others have the filter on top of the engine (like fast eddie MY09 C2 DFI)

[White987S]

I am with John on this. People get freaked out if they thing there is a drop too much or too little. If the engine was overfilled way, way too much, then you would notice it immediately. It would get sucked into the intake and you would have a smoke cloud behind you immediately, not 100 miles later.

But for you oil freaks. If you need to drain some oil you unscrew the plastic filter cannister ad dump the oil out. There is 1 1/2 cups of oil in it. Screw the cannister back on. Start the car and check the level. Repeat if you want to remove more.

So, Tool Pants, are you advocating that people add an extra 1 litre of oil to our engines? Or just keep over-filling until we see smoke pouring out?

[shocky]

The problem is Tool Pants, that for a number of people, this is their first Porsche ( I'm been doing them for close to 40 years, 08 C2 #10). When you put that much money in a car, you want everything to be correct. You hear strange noise, see something, hear something you freak. Relax, most of this is nothing and a one quart overill will not hurt the car! Just my thoughts.

John

[fast eddie]

Yeah.......

And all this because they just HAD to get rid of the oil dipstick!

Why couldn't they just engineer a dipstick???

I could have sucked out oil from the sump through a dipstick pipe...

The freaking oil sensor will last 4 years and one hour exactly.....

Then, it will require dropping the engine to install a new sensor......

I want a dipstick!!!!...

How can you race a car engine without a dipstick?

Can we reverse engineer an oil dipstick??

Somebody needs to design a retrofit kit to install a dipstick!! :huh:

Very cutting edge concept.

Dipstick.

[Q-Ship986]

I am with John on this. People get freaked out if they thing there is a drop too much or too little. If the engine was overfilled way, way too much, then you would notice it immediately. It would get sucked into the intake and you would have a smoke cloud behind you immediately, not 100 miles later.

But for you oil freaks. If you need to drain some oil you unscrew the plastic filter cannister ad dump the oil out. There is 1 1/2 cups of oil in it. Screw the cannister back on. Start the car and check the level. Repeat if you want to remove more.

I think the max level is dictacted by more than what the engine can tolerate on a level surface when idling or driving in a straight line. Don't know, just saying. I'd drain out to within tolerance if it was my car.

Anyway, the best thing about this is the measuring cup... we had the same one.

--Brian

P.S. Don't let LN/Raby find out that simply adding an extra quart is AOK...such advice negates the value of their $300 kit to add only 0.5 qt., see here.

Edited September 25, 2009 by Q-Ship986

[Loren]

I am with John on this. People get freaked out if they thing there is a drop too much or too little. If the engine was overfilled way, way too much, then you would notice it immediately. It would get sucked into the intake and you would have a smoke cloud behind you immediately, not 100 miles later.

But for you oil freaks. If you need to drain some oil you unscrew the plastic filter cannister ad dump the oil out. There is 1 1/2 cups of oil in it. Screw the cannister back on. Start the car and check the level. Repeat if you want to remove more.

P.S. Don't let LN/Raby find out that simply adding an extra quart is AOK...such advice negates the value of their $300 kit to add only 0.5 qt., see here.

Two different approaches. Jake's kit (as does the B_K kit add a small extension to sump (lower the engine) and provide oil at the pick up point.

While overfilling is just that 'overfilling'. You can usually tell an overfilled car at the track by the smoke they emit coming out of every turn.

[Q-Ship986]

P.S. Don't let LN/Raby find out that simply adding an extra quart is AOK...such advice negates the value of their $300 kit to add only 0.5 qt., see here.

Two different approaches. Jake's kit (as does the B_K kit add a small extension to sump (lower the engine) and provide oil at the pick up point.

While overfilling is just that 'overfilling'. You can usually tell an overfilled car at the track by the smoke they emit coming out of every turn.

Right, oil volume added at the bottom of the sump (LN/Raby, B-K kit) versus simply filling the sump further (overfill). My lame attempt at tongue-in-cheek commentary.

--Brian

Edited September 26, 2009 by Q-Ship986

[box01s]

But for you oil freaks.

Oil freaks who track their cars are well advised not to overfill the engine oil unless you want to over-pressure the crankcase causing a possible AOS (air-oil separator) failure, which is characterized by smoke ~ mosquito spraying style ~ coming from the exhaust via oil entering the fuel/air intake tubes or a possible RMS (rear main seal) failure, characterized by oil dripping from the bottom of the engine where the transmission/engine join.

Porsche, and all other automobile manufacturers, state in their operator's manuals "DO NOT OVERFILL" the engine oil and transmission fluid/gear lube. There is a reason not to overfill the engine, flat six or not, and transmission. Ignoring this simple advisory is simply not good advice, especially in a high performance cars that tend to be driven somewhere near their maximum capability.

However, for those oil freaks who simply cruise down the boulevard ~ pimp style ~ no worries ~ keep on cruisin. Smoke from the tailpipe of a cruiser is cool, except when you have to replace the catalytic convertors.

People are going to do what they want to do regardless, but there is no good reason not to follow the manufacturer's recommendations when it comes to engine and transmission oil levels.

[peterbigblock]

But for you oil freaks.

...People are going to do what they want to do regardless, but there is no good reason not to follow the manufacturer's recommendations when it comes to engine and transmission oil levels.

Couldn't agree more. Is it possible that nothing bad comes of it? Sure. Likely, even? Maybe. This makes it the subject of easy internet speculation. But is there anything bad that comes from NOT overfilling it? Nope. Err on the side of caution when you're talking maintenance. Sure you can save a few minutes and maybe a few bucks not having someone drain a little oil out.

Hey, it's your Porsche...

[fast eddie]

But for you oil freaks.

...People are going to do what they want to do regardless, but there is no good reason not to follow the manufacturer's recommendations when it comes to engine and transmission oil levels.

Couldn't agree more. Is it possible that nothing bad comes of it? Sure. Likely, even? Maybe. This makes it the subject of easy internet speculation. But is there anything bad that comes from NOT overfilling it? Nope. Err on the side of caution when you're talking maintenance. Sure you can save a few minutes and maybe a few bucks not having someone drain a little oil out.

Hey, it's your Porsche...

The level best advice I've seen is. "tell them to put only 7 qts in, I'll check it and fire for effect". :rolleyes:

Interesting viewpoints.

Ed