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Another oil level question

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by blainewest, Jul 11, 2006.

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  1. blainewest

    blainewest Formula Junior

    Aug 26, 2005
    729
    Kelowna, BC
    Full Name:
    Blaine W
    #1 blainewest, Jul 11, 2006
    I was checking the oil level in my 75 308gt4 the other day. Did it as per the owner's manual instructions (the correct '75 North American Version manual)....which in a nutshell says check the oil with the engine warm "just after its stopping" and before the oil discharges from the oil radiator.

    WOW...this is a pathetic attempt at comprehensible and useful instructions! In law school we were taught to draft concisely such that there is as little room for alternative interpretations as possible. I understand the french version actually reads "immediately" as opposed to "just after".

    What does "just after" mean?? How long before the oil "discharges" from the radiator?? Why isn't there simply a line to measure the oil "cold" and fully discharged from the radiator?

    The factory instructions are seemingly useless: I shut the car off, get out of the driver's seat, undo the latch, lift the hood, pull the dipstick (maybe 11 seconds elapsed) and...no reading. Put the dipstick back in ...literally 3 seconds later and the oil level is between the dipstick min and max levels. If I wait 15 minutes the level is 1/4" above maximum.

    What is going on here? I've read many previous posts and I am still confused. Is the 11 second mark "just after" or the 14 second mark "just after"? I'm going to drain the oil (warm), assume that about 1 litre of the old oil did not drain out (as per Rifledriver's advice), replace with 8 litres of new oil, run it 'til warm, check level "just after", make note (for what it's worth), let engine sit overnight, take cold measurement, scribe line on dipstick and use this as my cold level.

    For those of you who've taken note or made "cold marks" how far above the max line is the oil level once it's cold (assuming the correct amount of oil is in the motor)?

    Is my proposed precedure acceptable? Thanks for the help!
     
  2. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 29, 2001
    18,055
    USA
    #2 f355spider, Jul 11, 2006
    Several years ago, a bunch of us did a little "study" measuring the oil level at various intervals after shutdown on the 308 series on the Ferrarilist.com. Taken at 30 second intervals from shut down, the oil level indeed would fluctuate considerably over the first few minutes....starting to stabilize around approximately 5 to 6 minutes out. I would estimate that your most useful and consistant measurement is likely around that 5 to 6 minute interval. You might be able to search the archives at www.ferrarilist.com for specifics.

    I forget, but isn't the 75-76 series a dry sump? I believe our tests were on the 77 to 79 model years.
     
  3. WaltP

    WaltP Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
    1,512
    Cape Canaveral/Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Walt P
    #3 WaltP, Jul 11, 2006
    I have a "cold check" mark on my dip stick, added is right after I got my 308 (5 years ago)and I did exactly the way you describe. I find it more comforting to measure it before I get ready to start it than to run it with a possibly low condition just to see if it's full. Also I find it easier than checking when I get home from a drive.
     
  4. ProCoach

    ProCoach F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Sep 15, 2004
    5,465
    VIR Raceway
    Full Name:
    Peter Krause
    #4 ProCoach, Jul 11, 2006
    GT4 are all wet sump (no separate reservoir).
     
  5. blainewest

    blainewest Formula Junior

    Aug 26, 2005
    729
    Kelowna, BC
    Full Name:
    Blaine W
    #5 blainewest, Jul 11, 2006
    WaltP..how far above your "max" mark is your "cold" mark? What year car? Dry or wet sump? Thanks again.
     
  6. WaltP

    WaltP Formula 3

    Nov 1, 2003
    1,512
    Cape Canaveral/Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Walt P
    #6 WaltP, Jul 11, 2006
    1980 GTSI,
    I actually did it so long ago I don't remember how far above the normal full mark it is. I never look at the old mark anymore. I'll try to remember to look whae I get home from work tomorrow,
     
  7. alberto

    alberto Formula 3

    Aug 25, 2001
    2,404
    San Diego
    Full Name:
    Alberto
    #7 alberto, Jul 11, 2006
    I've been through this too. I measured the oil level on my 328 immediately after shutting down. Nothing, no oil reading. Wait a minute, halfway there, about 5 minutes, it reads full. Not sure what to make of it other than I know the car does not leak oil, so the only oil loss is any consumption in the engine. Given the mileage, it might be 1/2 or 1 quart low, but no way it is empty or so low that only the oil filter releasing oil back into the sump (assuming for the sake of argument that the check valve in the filter has failed) would account for the increase. My assumption is that the oil is in the overhead cam area, etc. and just by design needs some time to drain back to the sump for proper measurement.

    Alberto
     

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