Oil Level Check

Do you trust the Ferrai Manual, written by the designer of the car (poorly translated to english) or do you trust Wikipedia that is self-admitted to be written by non-experts whose text have been modified by 10 other people?

Make sure it is on level ground, the oil cap is hot to the touch (too hot to touch), turn the key off, run back to the oil tank, uncap it, and check the level to be between the low and hi marks.

 

Jeff- You can try it both ways and see if the readings differ. A little birdie told me they will be about the same. If you wait too long, though, you are guaranteed to get a false low reading. Make sure you have a rag for the cap or it will blister you.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

I am never satisfied with just one dip of the dipstick, therefore the idea of turning the engine off and then checking the oil level within 15 seconds does not work for me.
I prefer to do it with the engine running, as that is the true operating condition.

 

Why would you use procedure from a 348 to check the oil on a 355??????????
Why not use the directions for the Ford Fiesta?

 

The oil level can be checked either with the engine running, or immediatly after shutdown when hot.

Probably best to do as the manual suggests.

The reason the owners manual says to check that way is for the simple fact they do not want an owner poking around the engine compartment with a running engine and possibly hurting themselves.

Kinda the same reason your coffee cups have written on them "caution contents may be hot"

Regards, Jim

 

dipping is just fine...

regards, Jim

 

Come on now...it does NOT say 15 seconds. It says IMMEDIATELY and it that gives you anxiety I say delegate the job to someone else who doesn't get stressed out so easy. The whole concept is that oil runs back into the pan and if you wait 5 or 10 minutes the stick will read higher. There are much more important issues to worry about.

You may want to run a quick test by jotting down the readings after shutting down the engine at intervals of 30 sec, 1min, 2min 3min etc. Do it once, i.e. don't start the engine up each time.

 

Really does not drain back that fast, really is not a big deal. if the hood is up and you shut the car off, you can check relativly quick. even if it drops, you are only talking a slight bit when you have a min-max window on the stick.

level should be between the min-max line, NOT AT THE MAX LINE.

Also, the level drops over time as the stick is in the resivoir tank and not the pan.

Regards, Jim

 

I have checked the oil in my 348 both ways and got the same reading. So I just check it with the car idling now.

Here is what you do.

Drive the car, then when you get home leaving it in neutral and idling. Now pop the hood and check the oil while it's idling. Then leave the stick in the oil tank, lean inside the car and shut it off, now go back and quickly check the oil again. Same reading.

Try it for yourself.

 

On a 355 the return oil coming into the tank will splash the stick, that is why you shut it off. Check it right after you shut it off and you will get the most accurate reading.

 

Also, check the oil HOT, the level will rise as it gets hot. So if you top off cold it will rise and be too full and the tank breather will feed it to the intake. If you don't get it really hot, just make sure it is at the MIN mark as has room to rise.
You have time to check it and top off if needed before the oil starts to slowly fill the sump and the tank level goes down.

 

I go by what the manual reads, not Wiki

Besides, what does Wiki know about Ferraris

 

I don't know a heck of a lot about modern Ferrari's but I have never in my life heard of anyone checking the motor oil in a car while running and expecting an accurate reading.
The 308 series I believe has about four different oil checking procedures over the range, depending on the year. Why not read the freaking manual and do what it says.
By the way can anybody tell me the diameter of the crush washer, and the size of hex wrench required for my car? I'm too lazy to actually look in my owners manual.

 

That's why you wipe the stick, then dip it back in.

 

Well know you have.

It's because it's a dry sump. There isn't a pan for the oil to pool up in.

Like I said, try it for yourself and see.

 

I always check my oil on my 355 spider with the engine running. I drive it first for 20 minutes, then when I get home I make sure it is on level ground. With the engine at idle, I use a glove to remove the cap, wipe the dipstick, and put it back in without tightening it. Remove the dipstick and correct reading is between min-max. I have had my car for 3 1/2 years and put almost 30,000 miles on it. The 355 holds 10 quarts of oil, honestly, a half-quart low will not cause any problems, however, I would not over-fill it.

 

Actually, the owner's manual does not give you these specs, but I hear what your sayin'.

 

ALL aircooled Porsches for example are checked while running as they are also drysump. Racecars are also checked while running if they are drysump. Nature of the beast.

 

Thats all fine and dandy but my question remains. What does the official Ferrari Manual that comes with the car say to do. Why ask the question, search the internet, and post a long thread about a subject that is well covered in the "Owner Manual"? I am a little bit familiar with a dry sump, and certainly no authority, but I still have never seen any printed instructions for any car that says to check the oil with the car running. I would be interested in seeing that just for my own information.

 

It is true the 360 manual says clearly to have the motor idling with fully warmed up oil on a level surface, and I would think any other dry sump ferrari is checked the same way. This is also the only accurate way to get the reading on an air cooled 911- all 3 manuals said so for the 3 911's I had owned.

At least on the 360, a good tip is that sometimes you get oil "foaming"- bubbles and stuff that make the reading hard- the tip is after a good drive w/oil fully wamred up, get to a level surface and turn the car off for 3-4 minutes. Then re-start the car and keep it at idle- go check the level w/motor idling. The few minutes off let the bubbles/foam settle, and starting the car and just keeping it at idle (no revving) and no moving the car gives a cleaner reading.

Many 911's were way overfilled because someone at a gas station checked the oil level with the car off and added several quarts to try to get a reading...I'm sure this has happened in the ferrari world as well.

 

Not true at all. Many Ferrari dry sump cars have the return hose spraying on the dipstick so checking while running is meaningless.


There has been one good piece of advice made in this entire thread and that is to just do it Ferrari's way for the particular car in question.

It is no surprise to me that so many of you internet experts would argue otherwise.

Pretty Fing stupid.

 

I never check the oil level in my Mondial t, so don't have these worrying issues with when is the best time to check it.

Only joking.....the first time I checked it seemed very low but of course I hadn't read the manual. It says to warm the engine and then stop it, and check the oil straightaway. If you leave it a few minutes the level drops to "low"