lost most of the oil

[porsche4me]

so my 1977 911S with a 83 = 3.0 liter motor was in a body shop for a long time --(3 years)--

car ran well before it went in andthe motor was warmed up for the first year ,about once every 90 days ----

Year 2 they could not run the motor - so they turned it over by hand 12 rotations every 90 days --

Middle of year two ( just found this out now) it lost a lot of oil on the shop floor --- I don't know how much, but, now he tells me a small lake.,..

they stopped turning it over - until this month they turned it over by hand before they gave it back to me -

I checked the oil this week and its low --- very low - I called the shop to ask about it and they told me about the oil loss 16 months ago ---

WHat do I do now ??? refill it to see where it came out --

-- I laid under it today and where I would guess there should be a big mess if the main seal on the transmission side would have leaked it all --- i don't see oil all over....... there is a drip on each valve cover bolt - a drip on the oil drain plug......

i rotated the motor by hand today but only to see that it was not frozen ....

what should i check and what step should i take before i try to start it ????

thanks

[Rot 911]

My immediate guess based on the information given is that it ran out past the rings (the infamous smoking on start up) and pooled up in the cylinders. Oil level got high enough that it escaped out an open valve and onto the floor. Possibly through the exhaust, but that is just a WAG. I'd pull the spark plugs and turn the engine over to make sure you don't hydrolock a piston. Then expect a lot of smoke the first time your start the engine!

[juanbenae]

have you pulled either the case or oil tank drain plugs? do that and see how much oil comes out of the thing. if it has the loop cooler up front that oil will remain in place until the thermostat opens. i might expect 9-10 quarts to be recovered from the motor & tank alone. find that out and report back. if only hand turned since the oil loss i might not expect much of an issue.

[fasterlaster]

Also keep in mind that it doesn't take that much oil to look like a lot when it's on the floor.

[LakeCleElum]

Drain what's left. IF it rotates over, it's not hydro-locked. Pull the muffler and drain it the best you can....Put in 8 quarts and start it up. Be prepared for lots of smoke for a long time.

Once it's warm and you can check the oil level, I'd go on a good long drive.....Carry spare plugs in case you foul some.......

[porsche4me]

wow this is great news ----- i have been making plans for a main seal and my first 911 engine drop --- i have a few dozen 914 engine drops ( not to many installs, mostly parts cars) ------

So tomorrow - empty oil , count the quarts - add 8 and start her up......

[Laneco]

Remember to turn it over by hand before you hit the starter - OK? The advice you have here is good. If I were a betting person, I'd put my money on the exact advice given (oil past an open valve, into the exhaust/floor, etc).

If it's in the exhaust, it will kill every mosquito within a mile for about 45 minutes... I should know, I've done it - LOL! You are going to want to CLOSE the heater vents in this process.

angela

[porsche4me]

[porsche4me]

[safe]

Originally Posted by porsche4me

I checked the oil this week and its low --- very low - I called the shop to ask about it and they told me about the oil loss 16 months ago ---

You have to check the oil level running, after a few weeks or even days most oil is in the engine and you won't see anything on the stick.

But after 3 years I would drain the oil and fill up with new anyway. Usually you can do that with the car on the ground it you have a slim drain pan.

[Flojo]

And I'd change the oil- AND fuel filter too, before running.
remember: the car sat for 3 years?!

the oilfilter is old anyway and the fuel filter might have its inside swollen up due to the hygroscopic effect of fuel.

maybe endoscope the inside of the tank too (rust?!), before letting that old fuel be sucked by the pump...

[safe]

The 911 has at least 12 quarts of oil with an external cooler. If it lost that oil on the floor no one would classify it as a SMALL lake...

[T77911S]

i bet they punctured one of the oil lines running to the loop cooler. you just dont loose a "lake" of oil from a 911 sitting without some help.

the motor sitting for all those years is not the problem. the problem lies in the CIS.

[porsche4me]

Thanks for all the info ---- very encouraging --i checked up and down the long pipes from engine area to the trombone cooler--- no oil at all .....

I will today look in the tail pipe------------

the "lake" was in the middle /rear of the car - I asked about the lake - and if they did anything around the time of the lake and the owner admitted that the car had not moved or been touched in 6 months.

He was not sure who long it took to make the lake - as my car was over in a remote part of the shop that held a few long term projects and his daily business really picked up for a 20 month period....

[Porchdog]

I had a buddy bring over a portable generator that was "locked up". It turns out that it was oil bound - it had been overfilled by .4 Qt. Capacity was .6 qt, he put in 1 qt, oil traveled through the breather to the air cleaner to the cylinder.

Something less than .4 Qt. made a 6 foot by 6 foot "lake" on my shop floor when I opened it up.

I would suspect the oil lines - especially under the motor. In any case, as long as it has oil at a reasonalbe level it should be OK to crank it and see where it leaks. I'd put big sheets of cardboard under it first.

[ClickClickBoom]

Oil system:
The oil tank is higher than the pump inlet. While the pump gears are close they are not a perfect seal, and as such will allow the oil in the tank to flow into the crankcase, seeking the lowest possible level. Enough oil in the crankcase will rise up to the cylinder level, and past the rings and out the exhaust valve and into the exhaust. 3 years is a long time, enough to allow the oil tank to drain into the crankcase

[T77911S]

my oil would drain into my crankcase in my 77, but i never had any leak out, and i had very bad rings, lots of oil blow by when running.

damage to an oil return tube? the rubber oil line from the tank to the engine cooler could leak. there is also a line that runs under the motor to the drivers side of the engine.

[theiceman]

you could guess all day long .. oil is cheap .. do as advised, drain what is left and start over with hand cranking it first. if it starts to spew out , find leak repair and replace oil again if necesary .. you miht consider a short oil change interval anyway if its been sitting around that long .. just put a cheaper oil in the first time just in case ... save your Brad Penn Gold for when you know its all under conrol

[porsche4me]

Ok so here is the update --- pulled engine drain plug first --- 6.5 quarts and man they come out fast ----- oil tank next --- .5 quarts --- oil filter dry so the total was 7 Quarts......

turn her over by hand with all the plugs pulled - no oil shootin out .......

have the rubber hose to put the plugs back in ---- and one cross thread middle one on the left side --- and I have now read 3 hours of crossthread spark plug hole stories and I AM NOT HAPPY ---

all kinds of people say YOU CANT CROSS THREAD IT BY HAND ----- but i swear that i did it --- not even one turn in - and it stopped ---- took it out still in rubber hose ----

put it that plug in a another hole --- no issue ---- tried another plug into that same hole same thing, one full turn than stop ----- SO now I have bought a powerhouse Back Tap

Powerbuilt 640811 14mm Back Tap Thread Repair Tool | eBay

waited years to drive this thing guess a while longer now

[Uncle Enzo]

I dont see how you possibly cross threaded by hand and even more so with a hose. I bet the threads simply need to be cleaned.