On my first oil change I put in 5 quarts of oil. I was expecting it to go down because of the OMP so I checked it everytime I filled up with gas and the dipstick said full everytime. After I drove 1000 miles and the level not changing on the dipstick, I came to the conclusion that the OMP wasn't working so I started using a premix with a 1/1 ratio. I continued to keep an eye on the dipstick level for the next 2000 miles. I was about 50 away when I drove home today so I decided to do an oil change. I went and bought my 5 quarts and an oil filter. When I drained the engine, ONLY 2.5 QUARTS CAME OUT!

When I began filling it up i went in half quart increments and checking the dipstick level in between. The dipstick said full after only putting in 1.5 quarts.

I thought I might have the wrong dipstick or something but from the bottom of the rubber to the end measures 13 inches like an 88 N/A dipstick is suppose too. (I have an 88 N/A by the way)

Does anyone have any idea what the hell is going on?
And if no one does, is there any other way to keep track of my oil level other than the dipstick? (dumb question i know but I'm desperate)

Thanks,

 

if your OMP wasnt working, your car will tell you *by going into limp mode*. my omp went out so i said to hell with it and got a ecu chip and block offs..

If you are doing your oil checking right, that is pretty weird... something is not right.

 

I know I'm confused as hell. I've been around cars my whole life and my dad is a gear head. I had him check it too just in case i was somehow doing it wrong. He came to the same conclusion.

Im no longer worried about the OMP at this point because the oil dropped 2.5 quarts in 3000 miles and I have checked for leaks and there weren't any.

 

Your s4 OMP should be functioning fine, its mechanically operated. It wouldn't be going into "limp mode" as mentioned above, only s5 electric ones do that. But that is really weird, I actually started my car after doing replacing the pilot bearing two weeks ago without the oil filter on (doh! I wanted to hear the header!) and obviously lost a lot of oil, but the dipstick still read that it was full as well. I changed the oil of course, but it still weirded me out. Hope we can get an answer!

 

i would also think you might be using the wrong dipstick. i was having a similar problem and never knew that there were different length dipsticks.

 

ok..oil changes can vary on amount of Oil that comes OUT,due to Consumption(rotary will eat a quart about every 2000 miles.).
Now you put in 5 quarts.Good.(the Engine and cooler hold Six).
If the Car is not showing signs of Smoke,or Oil Leakage,and your Oil is Going Down Considerably,that is a Puzzler.Have you checked between your transmission and the Keg?.for a Leak there?.

 

That was my first notion. I checked some threads and apparently the people that measured theirs was 13 inches like mine. I would like some factory data on it but that probably doesnt exist. I know the turbo dipstick is shorter than the n/a but thats all i have read.

I have actually. I pulled that rubber plug out of the inspection hole and looked up there. It is dry as a bone. It should be though. I did a clutch replacement 3000 back also and replaced the rear main seal and that o-ring back there ( i think the o-ring sealed the area near the planetary gear(name?) or something.) while i was at it. I'm not really worried about it going down. The only reason why I thought the OMP wasnt working in the first place was because my dipstick was giving me a false reading.

 

Think with your dipstick jimmy!!!

 

Well I have an 88. If my oil gets a bit to low the buzzer comes on when making Left hand turns.. That buzzer can be an Engine saver

 

Sounds wierd but did you check the oil after you drained it?

 

When you fill the car with oil does the oil read over the full line?

 

Go look at where the dipstick enters the engine. There should be a short tube about four inches or so long that is pressed into the engine housing. Your dipstick enters this tube going into the engine. IF the tube is missing, then the dipstick goes further into the pan than what it should be going.

 

you must have not drained the oil completely. remember there is quite a bit of oil in the cooler and half a quart or so can get stuck in the rotors hollowed area. as stated above, i'd check the oil level after you've drained it. also after you do your oil change. run it for a minute or so then let it sit for about 5 min then check the oil levels.

 

Slight correction: the Turbo has the tube I mentioned but the non turbo does not use this tube. You can see how if the turbo car did not have the tube, then the oil level would read high but really be low.

EDIT: Well I went and looked at series four parts fische and darn if it does not show both type engines getting the tube and dipsticks. They call out two different part numbers for the tubes and dipsticks, so I don't know. I may have to go lift the hood on a car and see what's happening.

 

What happenned to the original Hailers? I want him back, I liked him better. Once you hit 20k posts does your name have a 2 and your post count reset?

 

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Didn't you read the rule book in the FAQ thread on this site????? You hit 20K posts and they add a number 2 to your handle and send you a check for $7.99 for each and every post you made. That includes the ones in the Lounge and on the FC3S site also.

Orrrrrrrrrr...............it could be my laptop went kaput and I couldn't remember my loggin. Has some thing also to do with my original login having been on AOL (we all make mistakes) and now I'm with another browser and it does no good to ask for a new login because they send it to AOL. Something like that. I'll remember the login in the next week or so.

I've muddled the dipstick problem. Should have stayed out of it. BUT when I made one of those na to turbo engines, I had sent the housings out to be lapped. When I got 'em back I forgot to reinstall the TUBE for the dipstick. So it always showed too much oil when in reality it was waaaay to little oil in the pan. I got those oil level low lights all the time cornering. I ALMOST replaced the level sensor and the only reason I didn't was I'd of had to pull the pan off to get the clearance to do that. So while thunking about it, I realized what the problem was. No tube for the dipstick. Put one in and filled the pan up to the full level on the stick. Been happy since.

That's why I mention the TUBE and the different size/length dipsticks. See free online parts fische for the different part numbers for the dipsticks and TUBES for Turbo and non turbo engines. No lengths are given there. Just part numbers.

You guys really and truly need to read the FAQ threads about the prize money for the number of posts you make.

 

You mean check it when its completly drained or after I filled it back up?

Right now, yes it does, just slightly though


I know I didnt drain it completely, I wasnt expecting too. Thats why I only put 5 quarts in. I checked the oil right before I drained it and it showed slightly above the full line. The 2.5 quarts that I drained plus the 1.5 quarts that you have accounted for in the oil cooler and the rotors still only adds up to 4 quarts. It should not be showing full when I am missing 2.1 quarts.

I have ran the car since that because I had to go to work and I checked it when I got home. It still shows slightly above full.

Here's the twist, after I put in the first 1.5 quarts and it showed full, the level on the dipstick stayed at the exact same level everytime I checked it while I put in the remaining 3.5 quarts.

 

Does your dipstick enter a short tube when being installed in the engine?

 

Unfortunately yes it is there. I really wish the answer would be that simple though. haha