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Low oil level gauge reading
EDIT: Please disregard the idiot title of this thread. I wish I could just delete it altogether. Thanks to those who helped below.
On the drive home from the mechanic yesterday, I noticed a really low oil level reading from the gauges. After manually checking, oil level is on the full side of the normal reading. It drove fine. Nothing felt out of the ordinary. Anyone know what could be causing this?
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Michael '91 Porsche 964 Last edited by MrNvgtr; 06-01-2011 at 04:39 PM.. |
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06-01-2011, 09:16 AM
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sudo apt-get purge 930
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Brandon, FL
Posts: 4,838
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Coolant temp? On your 911? Your oil IS your coolant... that and air.
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Mark 1979 930 Euro ***GONE AND DON'T MISS IT AT ALL*** "Worrying about depreciation on your car and keeping mileage down is like not ****ing your girlfriend so her next boyfriend finds her more appealing" --clutch-monkey |
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06-01-2011, 09:20 AM
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Ack! Duh! I knew I was going to look dumb posting this. The 911 is still new to me and unfortunately it's been sitting unregistered in the garage for most of the time.
Photos for a better discussion below. The car is sitting cold obviously. Ah, after looking at the gauges again, this must be the oil level? It was just above red yesterday. I'm guessing it's a faulty oil level sender.  Temp reading was normal in the center yesterday. 
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Michael '91 Porsche 964 |
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06-01-2011, 09:36 AM
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sudo apt-get purge 930
Join Date: Jul 2006
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1st pic right side is oil level. 2nd pic left is oil temp. 2nd pic right side is oil pressure.
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Mark 1979 930 Euro ***GONE AND DON'T MISS IT AT ALL*** "Worrying about depreciation on your car and keeping mileage down is like not ****ing your girlfriend so her next boyfriend finds her more appealing" --clutch-monkey |
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06-01-2011, 11:41 AM
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Location: New Orleans, LA
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if you don't have an owner's manual you should get one and read it, as it explains the gauges and some non-intuitive stuff (like checking oil level, which unlike most cars is done while idling). the oil level gauge is really only ever accurate when oil is warmed up and car is idling. Anything else it tells you nothing. The dipstick should be checked to verify level is correct.
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1982 911SC, Mocal oil cooler, Bilsteins, Carrera tensioners, backdated heat, factory short shift, Seine gate shift, turbo tie rods, pop off. 2005 Mercedes-Benz C230 kompressor sport 6-speed (daily driver) |
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06-01-2011, 12:07 PM
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Right, and amazingly I do know to check oil level when idling and warm. The oil was high within the normal range on the dip stick. Does this sound like a oil level sender issue?
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06-01-2011, 12:28 PM
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The oil level goes up and down with RPM, when were you reading the gauge?
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06-01-2011, 12:35 PM
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Quote:
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06-01-2011, 12:41 PM
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Schleprock
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Frankfort IL USA
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When you drive the car can you make the oil level gauge move? When you're accelerating and braking, the oil level needle should be wiggling up and down quite noticeably.
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Kevin L '86 Carrera "Larry" |
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06-01-2011, 12:48 PM
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06-01-2011, 12:56 PM
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Schleprock
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Frankfort IL USA
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That's odd. Typically a faulty sender will peg it full up or down (like in your first picture) but not somewhere in between. You can disconnect the sender wire on the tank (it's clearly visible in the upper rear of the right rear wheel well) and ground it to see if the needle moves that way.
Removing the sender with the tank in the car can be done. Just have to be extra careful about crud falling into the tank. I'm sure you can imagine/see that the oil tank area collects a LOT of road crap. You don't want any of that in your oil!  Or just ignore the gauge and check the oil manually via the dipstick on a regular basis.
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Kevin L '86 Carrera "Larry" |
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06-01-2011, 01:06 PM
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Michael,
Have you checked the oil level gauge while you are idling and warm (ie, just like when you check the oil on the dipstick)? The car should also be as leve as possible. I always check mine when I get home from a run, pull into the garage, and check the oil without turning off the car. You can check the oil and the gauge at the same time. HTH, Craig
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77 Ice Green 911s w/3.0 |
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06-01-2011, 01:17 PM
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Remove the wire from sender and touch it to ground momentarily. Have someone watch the gauge while you do this, the needle should go all the way to the top of the gauge.
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06-01-2011, 01:22 PM
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Ok I will try this when I am home later and report back. Thanks!
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06-01-2011, 02:01 PM
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I couldn't find any wires in the vicinity of the oil tank. I'm probably looking in the completely wrong area. I'm an idiot. However, from more reading here, it's nothing to worry about. I'll just continue checking my oil manually. When I start driving the car again, I'll worry about it again because it's kind of annoying when gauge needles aren't behaving as designed.
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Michael '91 Porsche 964 |
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06-01-2011, 04:34 PM
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nah, you're not an ijit, you're researching! here's mine, an 87 taken during an oil line change.
hth be extremely careful removing lead, they break sometimes. And pls don't wrench on the sender, they can be buggers too. 
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Dan '87 Targa Carrera 3.2 - Fabspeed Cat Bypass, M&K Muffler, SW Chip Venetian Blue |
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06-01-2011, 07:08 PM
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Member 911 Anonymous
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Is this a new symptom?
Check the contacts at the Oil Level Sending Unit (OSLU), if corroded, clean, buff and replace and place some 3M weather sealant to keep the elements from it. It sit in a very harsh environment. Does the gauge level change when you check the dip stick? Of course while car is warm and at idle? Here is my Tutorial on fixing the OSLU: Oil Level Sending Unit: How to Service / Repair / Maintain Jim
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'85 Carrera Targa Factory Marble Grey/Black * Turbo Tail * 930 Steering Wheel* Sport Seats * 17" Fuchs (r) * 3.4 * 964 Cams * 915 * LSD * Factory SS * Turbo Tie Rods * Bilsteins * Euro Pre-Muff * SW Chip on 4K DME * NGK * Sienes GSK * Targa Body Brace PCA/POC |
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06-01-2011, 07:20 PM
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Diss Member
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Quote:
Quote:
---- If the point hasn't been made clear enough: The oil level sender only gives useful information when the car is idling and the level has time to stabilize. If it works under those conditions just ignore it.
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- "Speed kills! How fast do you want to go?" - anon. - "If More is better then Too Much is just right!!!" - Mad Mac Durgeloh -- Wayne - 87 Carrera coupe -> The pooch. |
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06-01-2011, 07:27 PM
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^ +1 The oil level sending unit is bolted to oil tank above/behind the right rear wheel . On the other side of the inner fender opposite the oil filter would also describe it. There will be 1 wire attached to it , pull it off and touch it to bare metal on the chassis or engine. If the gauge reacts properly, make sure the wire fits the spade on the sender tightly. It could just be a dirty or loose connection.
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06-01-2011, 07:40 PM
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Quote:
  And a slightly better image using a flashlight.  Now I have to just take the time and clean the he'll out of this area so I can just figure out what's going on. |
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06-02-2011, 04:19 PM
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Marble Grey
