SC OEL Gauge Sticking

[wannaporsche]

My OEL gauge worked perfectly until it got back from the P-shop this last time. They did an oil change and immediately I noticed that the gauge starts climbing while I'm driving and then eventually pins at the top of the range. Obviously, when I cut the power it drops back down - so I don't think it's the gauge itself, but when I restart, it goes back to the pinned top position.

If before restarting on a cool engine I open the fill cap and jiggle the dip stick, I can hear a float drop down with a light 'thunk'… then the gauge resets itself at the bottom and again creeps up as the engine oil warms. Oil level is normal...mid-stick. In other words I feel like like the sender and gauge are OK, but the float inside the oil reservoir is gunked up and causing the misread.

I know these are finicky, and have read all the 'how to replace sender' threads, but I'm wondering anyone's had this same issue, and if so is there's an easier fix anyone's devised? It's kind of annoying having the gauge pinned...

[78_sc_targa]

Did you ever find a solution to this problem?

I have the same issue.

[Cooper911SC]

The oil level gauge floats around during driving. Typically they drop to the bottom during acceleration.

If the cars are run VERY HARD for extended periods of time the temp. gauge will climb and the oil level gauge will float to the top. The oil pressure gauge will also drop as the oil begins to get less viscous.

To use the gauge the car needs to be at operating temp. with engine idling for at least 30-45 seconds on flat ground. The needle will equalize and stop at some
point. This will be the "oil level reading"
If you are new to 911s it is reccomended to check the gauge as well as the dipstick the first few times to see what the baseline is between what is showing on the dipstick vs what is showing on the gauge.

On our '81 911 and '95 993 the gauge reads pretty accurate at 1/2 when the cars are 1/2 way between the full and min. marks on the dipstick. This equals about 1 quart down.

Hope this helps. Not sure about the OP hearing the sender float "clunk" when rattling his dipstick in the filler neck...

Cooper

[78_sc_targa]

Thanks for the reply.

The problem I am having is the same os the OP's. The oil level gauge is pegged when the car is running and cold. If I pull the dipstick out, the sender float falls and the gauge reads non-pegged until the temp rises and then is pegged again.

It seems the sender float and the dipstick are interfering with each other?

[bigbrain28]

My issue is weirder still... 79 CS (with an '85 Carerra 3.2L) and the OEL only ever moves to ONE place (other than down when off) and that's just above red. Does that indicate a faulty sender in the res tank also?