Procedure for Checking Oil Level

Yes. When cold that corresponds to the bottom of the dipstick.

 

Ron, a finer point is NOT to keep your oil level near the max. Search crankcase ventilation on this forum. EDoug

 

I have also been taught that with dry sump engines; you should check oil level while the engine is running. This poses a little more risk with front engine cars but in the case of the Testarossa series, not so much since you can access the dip stick to the reservoir from the side.

 

You’re not supposed to keep the oil near max? What is a good level, maybe halfway? I tried searching crankcase ventilation but nothing popped up. Could you link a thread?

 

What you should have been taught is to do it the factory way. Ferraris way is NOT with the engine running.

 

The car holds 3 1/2 gallons of oil. A quart or 2 low means nothing. Overfilled is a disaster.
Dont even consider checking it below 170-180 degrees. Warmed up means oil temp, not water temp.
Dont bother screwing cap on while checking.

 

MIN to MAX is 2 liters (or 2.1 qts) -- see "Lubricants and Liquids" in Section 1 of your OM. Put 1 qt in and call it good.

 

Can't go wrong with Mobil 1 0w-40 euro

 

I suppose next you'll ask "How often should I change my timing belts?" Seriously, on the oil question everyone seems to have their own opinion/favorites. IMO, you need to consider your particular usage. In my case, living in the thermally hot hellhole of Central Texas and never storing/starting the car below 50 deg F, I used to run a 50/50 mix of (normal) Mobil1 10W40 and Mobil1 15W50 just to get a ZDDP level closer to what oils were in the 1980s. If you're in Southern California, and might be going up to the mountains occasionally and storing/starting in the 20s~30s F deg range, the Mobil1 FS 0W40 that Dominick mentioned would probably be a much better choice (and is a good general choice IMO) -- it has a decent level of ZDDP; whereas, the Mobil1 High Mileage 10W40 does not. Mobil seems to not even make the "normal" Mobil1 10W40 that I used to use (maybe it got "replaced" by that Mobil1 FS 0W40). You can see the specifications for the various Mobil1 products here by clicking on the "Mobil1 Product Guide" link down in the text:

https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants/for-personal-vehicles/our-products/products/mobil-1-fs-0w-40

 

As a side note, they now make Castrol GTX classic 20/50, which has high zinc levels...

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