Maximum safe Oil Level on dip stick question

[mike sampsel]

Car is a 78 SC 3 liter 112 K miles.

My oil level is precisely half way between min and max on my dip stick
temp gauge above the halfway point so I'm sure it is hot enough.

My oil level gauge is just barely above the top of the red.

I want to heed the "do not put in too much oil" warnings through out the forum.
I added 10.3 qts for a fill without changing filter (filter change a couple of days ago another story)

Wonder if a level 3/4 of the way above the minimum (still below the max when running and hot) on the dipstick is okay?

[Craig]

Mike, I've always heard halfway between the min and max is perfect. Any more than that and oil can 'slosh' into the airbox. I also remember hearing that the difference between min and max is about 2 quarts or so, so there is plenty of leeway on the dipstick. Even at minimum, there is still 9-10 quarts in there.
Craig

[LIRS6]

Originally Posted by mike sampsel

My oil level gauge is just barely above the top of the red.

Ditto - for 31 years

Keep it around the middle of the dipstick and you should be fine

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by Craig

Mike, I've always heard halfway between the min and max is perfect. Any more than that and oil can 'slosh' into the airbox. I also remember hearing that the difference between min and max is about 2 quarts or so, so there is plenty of leeway on the dipstick. Even at minimum, there is still 9-10 quarts in there.
Craig

This^^.

Plus, don't rely on the oil gauge as they are notoriously inaccurate. Check regularly with the dipstick before each day's drive, and ignore the oil level gauge except to note where it typically is when the engine is warm, running at idle, and the level from the dipstick is correct. A radical variation from the typical gauge reading warrants a check with the dipstick.

[Quickstep192]

It’s always seemed odd to me that the dash gauge is inaccurate. Porsche are such sticklers for detail, it’s hard to imagine that they’d put in a gauge that doesn’t serve much of a function and even odder that they’d continue to do it.

When my gauge is at the half-way point (pointing straight to the right), my engine is overfilled. When the engine oil is at the right level, the gauge is just a tinch above the red area on the gauge.

Is there any way to calibrate these?

[Jack Stands]

The sender unit is just a variable resistor with an attached lever arm float, so you could potentially bend the arm. However, I’d just get used to where it usually reads and watch for changes. Unless the oil level is very low, the scavenge pump does a good job of keeping the tank filled.

[rwest]

There's a thread on fixing these, unfortunately the photos are longer showing.

Oil Level Sending Unit: How to Service / Repair / Maintain

[mike sampsel]

well thanks for the loads of good stuff and info.

Funny how an oil service (not done by me in ~ 86) charged for 13 quarts of oil. The service manager told me his p-car customers did not like seeing the needle in the red! The 13 quarts pegged the gauge in the white!

I will go with the consensus of center on the dip stick.

Interesting Porsche has a max on the stick which really means split between min and max. Oh well ...

[proporsche]

hi Mike
if you have the time a will..you can remove your oil level sending unit .There is an adjustment so it is synchronized with you dash gauge.

Ivan

[Canada Kev]

My interior oil gauge is almost always bang on to what the dip stick says.

I run my oil at about the half way point between the marks on the dip stick. Any more than that and it uses it up fairly quickly. If I leave it at the half way point, it'll slowly go through that oil between half and the lower fill line. By the time it's ready for an oil change it just reaches the add line.

The space between the min and max is the operational area. The max is just that: the maximum amount of oil, don't fill past here mark. If it's above the min mark you're good. Just like your tach. Just because the red line is at 6200 doesn't mean you should rev it to there on every shift even if you're just going to the 7-11 for a Slurpee.

[proporsche]

Canada Kev.......... same here always the same on gauge and dip-stick on mine;-)
Ivan

[HarryD]

I recently installed a new sender since my old one has been dead for years. The new one read high. I took it out, aligned it with my new one and bent the new sender arm to match. Now reads dead on.

[mike sampsel]

^ Harry,

Did you purchase the Porsche sender or a different one?

[HarryD]

Originally Posted by mike sampsel

^ Harry,

Did you purchase the Porsche sender or a different one?

It was a Porsche unit.