Checking 355 oil level

The good news is I don't think the oil pressure issue is related to oil level, and I SUSPECT its a bad gauge or sender. However I support your call to park the car until the shop can put a mechanical gauge on it and positively check the oil press. If the oil pressure is truly that low, then there are only a few things you can hope for short of a major overhaul...However, I give you 9 chances in 10 that its NOT an overhaul issue. Good luck!

 

Posters here are right. The amount of oil has nothing to do with the oil pressure unless you are critically low on oil...in which case its too late.
Your oil pressure gauge should move up when you rev the engine especially when moving on the road. If it dosnt then you have a problem with the oil pump. Also cheap and the wrong viscosity oil will show a lower pressure especially when its hot. When your pump is working right and the oil is the right viscosity...you should be up around 90-100 on the oil pressure gauge when excellerating under load. On a very hot day it will be a little lower but always pushing past center on the gauge. When idling hot it will be down around the 30 to 40 area.

 

Thanks Gerry. All the more reason to go ahead and stay outta the car until the major is done.

 

I was thinking about your issue and there may be one cause for this which would cause both high oil level and low pressure. That is if the "pressure" stage of your oil pump is damaged, plugged or otherwise not all it can be. If that is the issue, its not great news, but since you have not lst ALL oil pressure, the engine my be undamaged and you just need an oil pump. The BAD news is that the pump is generally scored or damaged by chunks of metal riding around in the oiling system and they had to come from SOMEWHERE! It may also just be a gasket on the pressure side that has failed allowing pressure to bleed off slightly. Or maybe a pressure relief spring has gone south....oh, this is not helping is it?
Probably just the gauge!!
Whatever it is, PLEASE report back with the findings once you have them, we all learn from this stuff!

 

Thanks apex. I will go grab a pistol and a bottle of whiskey now. No need for a suicide note as the reason is clearly posted within this thread...

 

The other thing is that the reading on the dip stick is way high...but that depends on if you took it the right way but my guess is that its high. Get a turkey baster and pull some out even if its just for one drive to the shop. High oil levels can do damage to some sensors that can cost a few buck to change.

 

Dont worry. It probably isnt that bad.

 

how long of a hose do i need connected to the baster to reach?

 

You dont need a hose as the whole baster will fit into the hole. Just keep a bottle in your other hand to dump the oil into.
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+1 Take out 1 quart and re check after its hot again.

 

yep....get the engine fully warmed up, turn off the engine and check.

 

And look for any main bearing babbit material or piston rings in the oil....keep the bottle of whiskey and pistol close by in case you do! Just kidding, man its 99.9% a sender or gauge!

 

You wont find any when pulling oil from the tank. If and I say if there is any material, you will have to look in the bottom of the engine....oil pan.

 

Will do after work tomorrow and will repost the pic of the new reading. Thanks everyone. And please cross your fingers that I won't be experiencing worse case. I might add. The engine winds up and sounds good and strong. Not going to push my luck though.

 

It was just a little suicide Joke Gerry, I know there wont be anything in there!

 

Thanks. I know the difference between a dry sump and a wet sump. The question originally asked about the markings is not irrelevant though just because its a dry sump. (I can't take out the dipstick and make my OWN marks, and still get the right read, can I?)

Your point is well taken that the oil can (will) drain from the tank after shut down and cause a lower read the longer you wait. However, it's conceivable this could be considered by the factory, the marks moved lower on the dipstick, along with a note to measure when cold. (Now they didn't, and the factory recommends checking just after shut down, so it's neither here nor there).

Ultimately though, the only point I was trying to defend is that the marks do matter, and wet or dry sump doesn't change that. As long as you check when the factory says check, and trust they've marked the dipstick accordingly.


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Point taken. My post wasn't meant to be directed at you personally. I was offering the explanation for folks who may not have clearly understood why the timing of checking the oil is more important on dry sump cars than "regular" car.

 

I know I said I would pull/suck a quart out of the engine using the turkey baster. But, I am just to dang tired tonight. I will try in the morning. It does make me feel better that my techinician (well he doesn't actually belong to me) who has an impeccable reputation for ferrari fixin here in Tulsa. Listened to the engine and didn't detect anything harmful. Now he didn't know anything about the oil being to high. he assumed when he asked if I checked and I told him yes that I knew what I was doing. :>( I do appreciate EVERYONES opinion on this matter. Thank you. The tecnician also is going to leak it dn and "smoke it" ? As part of the overall testing befor the major.

 

Ok so, was made a fool of or did I misunderstand? I went to suck out a quart or more of oil with the baster and none to be found. Engine cold. Also. What is that in the pic? with cap on. And also could someone tell me if that is the way my coolant is supposed to look? Thanks...
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The tank with the cap is your power steering fluid.
My coolant is blue so I'm no help with that question.

 

As was explained earlier, the oil drains out of the tank after the car sits for a couple of minutes, hence checking the level immediately after shutdown. You'll have to start the car to get oil circulating back into the tank before you can remove some.

Coolant looks normal to me.

 

Warm the engine up a little....not all the way and then check your oil and remove what you need to get it to the proper level.

 

Warm it enough to see the oil temp needle move or the water temp to come to normal.

 

Thanks Everyone!@!!! :>) DOM for everyone! Just don't break the bottle over my car!

 

Your coolant looks fine, perhaps a little weak and old so a flush and refill at the shop should be part of the service. I do mine, and the brake fluid at every annual, its cheap.