Checking Mondial t Engine Oil Level

Testing with the oil over 170 degrees is the only valid test.

It should be between the low and full marks.

 

If you check it cold, incorrectly, there will be no oil on the dipstick, as it is in the sump. With the oil warm and the water hot, the level will show correctly immediately after shutting off the car on a level surface.

 

Basically, take the car out for a run then when you put her away, get your cloth ready, open the engine deck, then shut off the motor and race around to the rear and check the oil level.

How about telling us the serial number. color, and miles for the registry? No obligation to do so of course...

 

With all due repect to everyone posting here, some of this advise is just plain wrong. You should check the oil as described in you models owner manual. For example the 1983 308 manual states that you should run the engine until warm and then wait 15 minutes to check the oil level. On my car you will not get an accurate reading until about 15 minutes. It seems other models reccomend checking right after shutdown. READ THE MANUAL!!

 

None of it was wrong. He owns a Mondial t which is a dry sump car and has very different testing methodology than your car with a wet sump. If you had read the original post and knew what a Mondial t was you would not be suffering that confusion.

 

My mistake, I thought we were looking at the same QV engine. But the fact remains that people still ask for directions for checking the oil that are outlined in the owners manual. The procedure varies from model to model as you have stated. I have seen people advised to check the oil in a QV car right after shutdown. This will result in you adding possibly 2 liter's too much oil.

 

took me some time to understand 'shutting off the engine after properly warmed up and immediately checking the oil'

not quite the best explaination I found: even continually asked Ferrari mechanics and others and it was always the same....

BUT

the best way I've found [and I can still be wrong which I'm sure someone will point out]
is:
- Run car for 20-30 min./after a good run, where the oil temp is at operation temp.
- Pull over with engine still running.
- open engine lid,
- pull out dipstick, wipe it, place it back
- within 5 seconds, have someone turn off the engine [or yourself ..not a big deal],
- pull out dip, check it--within 5 seconds--and that seemed to be a much better reading.
I was always getting bad readings when I didn't quite put in a cleaned/wiped stick...now it seems to be much better reading.
BTW, finding that I'm down about 1/2-1 qt on a long run of about 500 miles, which I understand isn't unusual....
my engine got its 30k last June.