Oil level after an oil change (981)

[Davey P]

Just wanted to ask a fairly basic question - I had my car serviced at Dove House Motors yesterday, and when I got home the oil level indicator showed this:

Is that acceptable, or should it be higher?  For the past year the green marker has been 1 bar down from the top every time I checked it (i.e. 1 white bar and 4 green).  Just thought I'd check on here to see if other people think that is acceptable, before I phone them.  Note, the invoice states a charge for 8 litres of oil, which I assume is correct?

Cheers in advance for any advice 

[Scubaregs]

Halfway up, looks fine to me mate. 

[718as]

Looks good, check it again in a month or so.

[rowbos]

Were you on level ground when you measured?

 

[iborguk]

Well it’s in the range but yeah I’d have expected it to be at the higher end.

[iborguk]

16 minutes ago, rowbos said:

Were you on level ground when you measured?

 

Him or the car ? 😁 Maybe it needs a diagram ?

[Scubaregs]

Google seems to think it's ok.

[Paul P]

If that was a dipstick it would be smack in the middle of the "ok" measurement - and as such, I would say probably OK - certainly I wouldnt be running for the top up if that was an "in between services" reading.

The guage is measuring a few hundred cc's - it's not showing you have 4 litres of oil in an 8 litre capacity - it's measuring the "top" 

But for a warm fuzzy feeling, if that had been me servicing the car I would have stuck a 100cc in or so after the test drive just to bring it up nearer the top - going to call it "bit of pride in my work and a bit of finishing off" - and as such I would expect the same from somewhere that I had a good working relationship with. 

But that's just me.

[GTSMarky]

It's acceptable and in limits, but I run mine at the top of the 4th bar - why wouldn't you?

[Liberty]

52 minutes ago, GTSMarky said:

It's acceptable and in limits, but I run mine at the top of the 4th bar - why wouldn't you?

Why would you?

[Davey P]

Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated as always 

I've topped it up a bit now, just for my own peace of mind, but I won't bother phoning them about it.  The concensus seems to be that it's fine with a reading bang in the middle, so that's good enough for me, cheers.

[Araf]

2 hours ago, GTSMarky said:

It's acceptable and in limits, but I run mine at the top of the 4th bar - why wouldn't you?

Probably as any spirited cornering could see oil surge into the AOS and give spectacular clouds of smoke.

 

I love @Paul P's comment.  Absolutely spot on.  

3 hours ago, Paul P said:

The gauge is measuring a few hundred cc's - it's not showing you have 4 litres of oil in an 8 litre capacity - it's measuring the "top" 

 

[iborguk]

718 styley - look mum no graduation lines 

 

[Davey P]

15 hours ago, iborguk said:

718 styley - look mum no graduation lines 

 

Oooh, very slick, and makes mine look old fashioned and a bit cr*p - GUTTED! 

[½cwt]

54 minutes ago, Davey P said:

Oooh, very slick, and makes mine look old fashioned and a bit cr*p - GUTTED! 

You'll have to buy another one.  This time without the optional steel roof! 

[½cwt]

16 hours ago, iborguk said:

718 styley - look mum no graduation lines 

 

We moan about weeds on drives, complain about wheel centre alignment, but that hair - Unacceptable!

[BBB]

2 minutes ago, ½cwt said:

We moan about weeds on drives, complain about wheel centre alignment, but that hair - Unacceptable!

I actually tried to wipe it off my ipad screen 😔

[iborguk]

1 hour ago, ½cwt said:

We moan about weeds on drives, complain about wheel centre alignment, but that hair - Unacceptable!

Wondered if someone would pick up on that and sure enough. At least it's not curly. 

 

[Scubaregs]

It will disappear on its own, hair today, gone tomorrow.

[muddypaws]

Spooky.

I took exactly the same picture of my oil level today & was about to post the same question about 'half way up' oil levels!

Useful to see the opinions; I'll recheck in a few weeks methinks

[Greenman]

The difference between full and too low is around 1.7 litres on the 981 so each segment represents around 400ml. 
 

In theory having it a bit lower will allow the oil to warm up more quickly -> less wear, less fuel etc.   Given the semi dry sump arrangement you would be struggling to cause any starvation issues even with just one segment showing.   Having said all that, I tend to try to keep mine around the 3 or 4 level, mine does use some oil when driven hard so I don’t want to see it too low without noticing.

[andygo]

9 hours ago, Greenman said:

The difference between full and too low is around 1.7 litres on the 981 so each segment represents around 400ml. 
 

In theory having it a bit lower will allow the oil to warm up more quickly -> less wear, less fuel etc.   Given the semi dry sump arrangement you would be struggling to cause any starvation issues even with just one segment showing.   Having said all that, I tend to try to keep mine around the 3 or 4 level, mine does use some oil when driven hard so I don’t want to see it too low without noticing.

2 sectors down is 800ml or nearly a litre or 2 pints. I think I'd rather have the oil level where it should be TBH.

[Davey P]

I've added half a litre of oil now, and will check the level again next time I use the car.  Thanks for all the comments chaps, much appreciated as always 

[muddypaws]

7 hours ago, Davey P said:

I've added half a litre of oil now, and will check the level again next time I use the car.  Thanks for all the comments chaps, much appreciated as always 

Ah - you've twitched; I'm going to have to had the 1/2litre I've got kicking about in the garage now & recheck 😉

[Paul P]

10 hours ago, Davey P said:

I've added half a litre of oil now, and will check the level again next time I use the car.  Thanks for all the comments chaps, much appreciated as always 

Ironically - the fill capacity for a 981 with a filter change is 7.5 litres - and you bought 8 as part of your service - so I hope the half a litre was in a bottle they gave you.....