996tt - how much oil should I expect it to drink?

[gixxer1000]

After a mere 2 months of Porsche ownership I am clearly still a numpty so please forgive the muppet questions.

How much oil should I expect my 996tt to use up? I've had it 2 months and driven around 1,400 miles. Today the "check oil level" (or whatever it says) light came on so I checked it and it was at the bottom recommended level. I've now filled it to the top recommended level so all is well, but given that the car was serviced before i got it I guess I am a bit surprised to have had to put a good glug of oil in already.

Is this normal?

Thanks,
gixxer

[996tt_stevo]

lol, It's normal, the Turbo drinks it!

I take it you got some today.

[slippydiff]

gixxer1000 said:

After a mere 2 months of Porsche ownership I am clearly still a numpty so please forgive the muppet questions.

How much oil should I expect my 996tt to use up? I've had it 2 months and driven around 1,400 miles. Today the "check oil level" (or whatever it says) light came on so I checked it and it was at the bottom recommended level. I've now filled it to the top recommended level so all is well, but given that the car was serviced before i got it I guess I am a bit surprised to have had to put a good glug of oil in already.

Is this normal?

Thanks,
gixxer

As I recall, the cars handbook states the "check oil level light" reminder is just that, a reminder. I think it flashes up the check oil level message on a cycle basis ie number of miles , cold starts etc.
The handbook states that just because it has requested you check the oil level won't actually mean it'll be low.
I take it you checked the oil using the prescribed technique ?
ie engine hot, level ground etc ?

[supermono]

I've never seen the check oil warning, but perhaps it will come up if you don't check it for ages -- I tend to check mine very very regularly.

I have the accurate records if anyone is interested but from memory I'm putting in about half a litre every couple of thousand miles or so. Consumption dropped considerably after the last service but I think the oil looked a bit crappy before that due to I believe lots of town driving before I got the car.

SM

[mogv8]

Seems a tad high consumption if it was on the high level marker to start with, but was it ?

Its usual to consume oil, but I check it frequently so have never seen the warning light appear.

[Steve_M]

It actually states in the handbook how much oil you can expect to burn, the GT1 engine burns plenty in the turbo and GT3.
Think the turbo is around 1L for every 1000 miles but don't quote me, check your handbook.

[rumplestiltskin]

Don't know what it is, but its a lot!
Seem to be topping mine up all the time, as does a mate of mine with a 996TT.

Always check under the car for any leaks of course, but as a rule they do drink a lot of oil which is quite normal.

R.

[gixxer1000]

Sorry folks, I must have been half asleep when I posted this - I've actually had the car for 3 months and driven 2,600 miles. I have to say I don't recally whether it was at the top level when I picked up the car, but they did service it so I'd hope so.

I hadn't checked the level (using the prescribed technique) at all since owning it, so when the "check oil level" message appeared I was a little surprised. Anyway, sounds like this is normal so I will have to stock up on oil.

Thanks all for your help and guidance.

Gixxer

[rods]

Driving style is also significant,motorways or euro hoons=less,town driving = more.

[superlightr]

I put in about half a litre every 4000 miles.

[supermono]

You know if I was writing the software for these cars I'd just automatically have the oil check run quietly behind the scenes every time the car was up to temperature, idling and on the level.

Then it'd a)have an instant reading if you wanted to see it and b)save from having to remember the last time the user checked it and go through the reminder pantomime.

SM

[Vesuvius 996]

supermono said:

You know if I was writing the software for these cars I'd just automatically have the oil check run quietly behind the scenes every time the car was up to temperature, idling and on the level.

Then it'd a)have an instant reading if you wanted to see it and b)save from having to remember the last time the user checked it and go through the reminder pantomime.

SM

They do this, almost!

Whenever you stop for fuel, the gauge on my 996 shows the level for 20 seconds when you start up again. i.e. measurement taken with ebgine hot on the level.

[supermono]

Interesting, mine doesn't... I wonder if there's an option? Is yours a tt though? I know Carreras have a different system....

SM

[Vesuvius 996]

2000 Carrera.

Sorry, different system, although tbh I think mine works great!

[egbert]

personally I don't fill it up to the top bar and I don't think the OPC does either, somewhere around the middle is fine.

[dunnred7]

turbo and gt2 use about the same based on my experience of both cars.... about 0.5 litre per 1000 miles - monitored my turbo very accurately over 15k miles (out of paranoia), don't bother really with the gt2, but have gone far enought to know it uses a bit - top up with about 1/4 litre whenever I remember, but take care not to overfill using dashboard gauge you can do this with the motor running....