Re: Blinking Oil Indicator

Yesterday I noticed shortly after starting that the oil level icon was flashing. I shut off the car and it would not check the oil level. I manually checked it (thankfully I have a dipstick!) and the level was fine, so I drove home. It eventually stoped flashing, and now works normally. What exactly is the flashing indicator indicating?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/22/2011 12:11AM by IFlyLow. (view changes)

According to the owner's manual:

"The oil level should be between the minimum and maximum marks.
The difference between the two marks is approximately 1.25 liters.
If the level falls below the minimum mark, the segment underneath flashes".

Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

... that the oil level indicator sending unit is faulty?

Or the dipstick reading occular unit is faulty....

Grant

The whole icon was flashing, not just the oil level. It might be important that now it works, but it is showing overfilled. I did add a quart a few days ago, but the dipstick is still showing the oil at the correct level. Basic troubleshooting would suggest it has something to do with the oil I added, but I am confused because the dipstick is normal.

Even a relatively small raise of a wheel can make a noticeable difference in the oil level indicated.

the car was somewhat level. I have started the car quite a few times since then, and it seems to work pretty consistently. I plan to change the oil next weekend. Is there anything I should look at while it is drained? Not sure where the oil level sensor is, or if I need to get at it from underneath.

yet. You can check the wiring and connector to see if you can spot anything amiss.

When you change the oil use this to check the dipstick and the oil level sensor system.

Drain the oil hot. Allow IIRC 20 minutes of drain time.

Next, if the oil change capacity is say 8.25 quarts (with filter, for the 2.5l engine) or 8.75 quarts (with filter, for the 2.7l/3.2l engine), add the exact amount of oil. Be precise. Rely upon the bottles for the 8 count but use a measuring cup for the 1/4 quart amount.

Now you know how much oil is in the engine and it is the recommended amount as per the manual.

Now you check the oil level with the dip stick. If it reads wrong, then the dipstick is wrong. (Or you are not checking the oil level correctly.)

But assuming the dipstick measurement provides you with the expected oil level then follow the steps to make a measurement of the oil level using the electronic oil level system.

If the in-dash oil level display disagrees with the dipstick level the electronic oil level system has a problem. The problem almost certainly is in the sensor/sending unit, but you'll need a professional Porsche tech's take on this.

At every oil change the dipstick (if present) and the electronic oil level system need to be checked for proper function. This is important. And for the newer models, the ones with no dipstick, it is critical the electronic oil level measuring system is checked. If it reads wrong then one can't trust it to know if the oil level at some point later is still ok. If the sensor reads low when the oil level is still ok you end up overfilling the engine. If the sensor reads ok while the engine oil level drops and becomes low, you end up driving the car with the oil level too low. There is warning light but this really should not be relied upon to let you know the oil level is low. The level needs to be checked regularly and the oil level kept within the recommended level at all times.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Thanks for the info. As much as I love technology, not having a dipstick (my X5 is the same ) doesn't make sense to me.

I miss having a dipstick. I don't change my own oil/filter and I am always wary, with any car, of having it overfilled with oil. That was done once on my Boxster. The dash oil level indicator will only show it to be full. A dipstick allows you to see if the oil goes over the max line. With my 08, non-dipstick, I give specific instructions for an oil change to put in 1/4 quart less than required and I will top it off myself. Maybe that's overkill and more trouble than it is worth, but I sleep better that way.

1999 Arctic Sivler/black/black (sold)
2008s Silver/black/black - so predictable
2011 Outback
8/24/2011 first Grandson

Hey, I like having a dipstick, too, but then again, there isn't one for the gasoline tank.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2011 08:19AM by Laz. (view changes)

this when full.



If the narrow top bar is filled, you oil level is too high.

Yes, as Gunter shows (thanks, why had I not noticed that?), there is a "bar to high" for the oil level readout. But, still, if I run out of gas it is an inconvenience. If I run out of oil, or run way low and the digital sensors are on the fritz, I may have a seriious problem. In my 99 I looked at the digit readout pretty much prior to each start up. And, I also checked the dipstick with each car wash - at least once a month. Maybe its just an (in)security thing. O2 sensors go bad, couldn't the oil level sensor?

Quote
Bobtesa
Yes, as Gunter shows (thanks, why had I not noticed that?), there is a "bar to high" for the oil level readout. But, still, if I run out of gas it is an inconvenience. If I run out of oil, or run way low and the digital sensors are on the fritz, I may have a seriious problem. In my 99 I looked at the digit readout pretty much prior to each start up. And, I also checked the dipstick with each car wash - at least once a month. Maybe its just an (in)security thing. O2 sensors go bad, couldn't the oil level sensor?

I agree about the dipstick. It would be nice to have both. Unfortunately, manufactures seem to be doing away with it. Our BMW doens't have a dipstick either. With it, you have to check the oil while you're on the road, driving, so there's no way of checking it while stationary. At least I like the Porsche system that automatically checks and shows the oil level after filling up. (at least it does on my 06). And I can check the oil before heading out on a drive/trip instead of having to wait until you're underway.

Guenter
2014 Boxster S
GT Silver, 6 Speed Manual, Bi-Xenons, Sports Suspension (lowers car 20mm), Porsche Sports Exhaust, Porsche Torque Vectoring, Auto Climate control, heated and vented seats, 20" Carrera S Wheels, Pedro's TechNoWind, Sport Design steering wheel, Roll bars in GT Silver
[www.cyberdesignconcepts.com]

by any significant amount over that you are frothing the oil and building up too much crankcase pressure. Much better to be one bar or even two too low and gradually work up.

I'll be honest, I check the automated level gauge maybe once every 6 months. Car doesn't burn oil ever and I do watch for drips. And when I want to check, I use the dipstick. Old school. Or just old.

I'd rather face the challenge of that long dipstick and reading it in bad light than trust a sensor. Made my living too long at the intersection of hardware and software to totally trust computers.

.. dipstick big time to sanity check the sensor, or to see or feel the condition of the oil.

Grant

ignition advance? And ignition points?

BTW, the dipstick has one moving part.

I learned a bit more about the electronic oil level measuring system today. I hope soon I'll have more details. An obliging Porsche tech said he'd try to find a tech writeup on the system that he received at the new model rollout some years back.

Anyhow what I learned is the electronic oil level measurement system has no moving parts. A tube with holes drilled through it runs straight down through the top of the engine into the oil sump. At first I thought 'float' but no moving parts. Best I can tell -- I'll have to wait to see what the tech write up has to say before I have some confirmation -- is the oil level measurement is done via a micro-power radar.

Cool.

I asked about the variation in the level reported when the correct amount of oil is added to the engine. The tech said there is no variation. The readout is in the case of the Turbo 7 segments, that is with the level at the max line.

I asked about how many of these fancy measuring devices the shop has replaced. He said he could remember one. And it didn't read high or low. The failure was it provided no reading at all.

I know alot of owners miss that dipstick but frankly it is history and about time, too. Good riddance.

Sincerely,

MarcW.

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2011 08:12PM by grant. (view changes)

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

marc wrote:

"Anyhow what I learned is the electronic oil level measurement system has no moving parts. A tube with holes drilled through it runs straight down through the top of the engine into the oil sump. At first I thought 'float' but no moving parts."

By the way, the magnetic float makes a lot of sense, but certainly is vulnerable to sticking, if not likely.

I'm so confused.

Grant

... first hand knowledge of this, but I was told that they used a Halls Effect Sensor.
Could be that they don't.
Some sensors just measure the density change as the oil goes up or down.
Halls Effect Sensors have no moving parts either.
Let's see what MarkW finds out.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro.

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

... but I wouldn't consider it a "moving" part.
It's actually the oil that moves, the magnet sits on the surface of the oil.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Points required lots of upkeep and were notoriously unreliable. How unreliable is a dipstick?

I'll go one further, carburetors. People bemoan the complexity of Fuel injection, i think its a darn miracle!

And you never identified how the sensor lets me see or feel the condition of the oil, or get a drop to do a pH test, or......

From what you say, the systems should b very reliable. But again, i;ll put that radar chip ( or hall sensor) up against a piece of spring steel in a long term reliability race any day. The 1 vs 0 moving parts does not exactly capture the relative failure methods too well.

Its very nice to know its well engineered though. As i noted, i really do like the fact that it lets me - and all of us - check our oil far more frequently than we otherwise would. And i would guess that's Porsche's rationale.

Thanks for the info!

Grant



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2011 08:19PM by grant. (view changes)

Regarding the first: there's no perfect insulator, right? Ok, piezoelectric seems the least plausible.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2011 08:42PM by Laz. (view changes)