Oil level/fuel gauge

[gwl123]

How long should I wait before running my '89 911? The oil level gauge seems to be at the red spot for a long time at idle (7mins) . Non-issue or should the pressure gauge be more important? I also noticed my fuel gauge not moving. How accurate is it?

[ossiblue]

Your oil gauge should register something within a few seconds of start up. The fact that it doesn't indicates some problem, probably in the sender. That being said, most owners don't rely on the gauge at all and you should depend on the dipstick for your oil level. And yes, the pressure gauge is much more important than the level gauge.
As far as the gas gauge, it should move once the ignition is turned on. If it doesn't move at all, most likely the tank sender is faulty or there is a poor wire connection. Least likely is the gauge itself, but that too is a possibility. Do a search on both of these topics and you will fined lots of trouble-shooting hints and repair info. As to the accuracy of the fuel gauge, that varies, but they tend to be accurate enough to keep you out of trouble once you get a feel for what the needle is telling you.

[2.7RACER]

The oil level gauge is designed to be used when your car is stopped, level, idling and warmed up.

When driving your Porsche oil is constantly recirculating from the engine, through the oil cooler circuit if sufficiently warm, through the oil filter and back to the oil tank.

As a result of varying rpms, temperatures and vehicle motion, the actual oil level in the tank will move up and down as well as slosh around in the tank.

This makes the oil level gauge move up and down while the car is in motion.

However once stopped, on a level surface, idling and warmed up, the oil level stabilizes in the tank.

At this time the oil level on the dip stick will read the current operating oil level.

It should be mid way between the upper and lower marks on the dipstick.

The gauge will read at it's mid point when the oil level is at the midpoint of the dip stick.

The oil level gauge will read in the red if the oil level is below the low point on the dipstick.

There may still be oil showing on the dipstick below the low mark, however the gauge range is from the lower to the upper dipstick mark.

Conversely the gauge will read full if the dipstick reads at the upper mark and above.

It is important to check the gauge by stopping on a level surface, engine temp to normal, idling.

Check the dipstick and compare it to the gauge reading. Midway on the dip stick, between the upper and lower marks should read midway on the gauge.

Oil at the lower dipstick mark should read at or very near the red on the gauge.

Oil level on the dipstick at the upper mark should read at or near full on the gauge.

Once you have established the oil level gauge agrees with the dipstick you can use the oil level gauge as a guide to the oil level.

NOTHING replaces actual dipstick oil levels. The oil level gauge is a guide only.

NEVER trust the oil level gauge until you have verified that it agrees with the dipstick when stopped on a level surface with the engine warm and idling.

The oil level gauge is a guide to actual level.
It is NOT designed to be used while the car is cold, or in motion.

It is normal for the oil level to be low after the car has been sitting for several hours.

The oil slowly, very slowly, drips into the engine from the oil tank once the engine is turned off.
This happens over a period of several hours.
Older cars this may happen a bit quicker.
This is perfectly normal.

[Paulporsche]

Once you are sure of your levels and pressures do not wait for the car to warm up before driving. The factory recommends that you start it, and once the revs stabilize, start driving, keeping revs under 4000 until the engine reaches normal operating temp of 176 degrees F. Stabilized revs doesn't mean going from a high rev, say 1500 @ start, down to 900. It means any sputters or coughs. If your mixture, WUR and AAR are all working correctly, then this should happen almost immediately.

[Joe Bob]

The oil LEVEL gauge is best ignored.....it would have to improve to just suck. Check your oil when the engine warm, running and on level ground. Now oil pressure is important as well as temp....usually when THOSE look goofy, it's a sender....