Frequently Check the Engine Oil Level in Your Porsche

Porsche has been the leading name in luxury sports cars and coupes for decades now. With their powerful engines and sleek aerodynamic designs, it’s not hard to see why. With iconic favourites such as a 911 and new innovations year on year, it’s clear why many drivers will drive no other vehicle.

However, one thing which will certainly prevent your Porsche from having that iconic punchy engine is low engine oil, reducing functionality and potentially damaging your engine beyond repair. In this article, we will take a closer look at the function of engine oil and discuss the signs and symptoms that the oil in your Porsche is running low.

What does engine oil do?

Engine oil is a useful liquid that serves many purposes within your Porsche. Its main function is to keep the moving parts of your engine well lubricated. Lubrication helps ensure these parts stay moving and also creates a shield around the parts, preventing them from grinding against one another.

Secondly, your engine oil works alongside the coolant in your vehicle to help ensure the engine doesn’t overheat. It does this by both reducing the friction of the moving parts and ensuring this heat is spread out throughout the engine and not focused all in one place.

Finally, your Porsche’s engine oil works as a cleaner. Engine oil is tacky, so it is able to pick up dusts and contaminants that have entered the engine system to help keep it from clogging.

Signs that your Oil is Running Low

If you experience any of the issues listed below then it is likely your Porsche is suffering with low oil levels. Ideally, you should keep your engine oil permanently topped up as part of good ongoing maintenance practices, but sometimes life gets in the way. Therefore, if you notice any of the following symptoms, check your oil levels as soon as possible.

1. Oil Pressure Warning Light

Your Porsche has a variety of warning lights on the dashboard that the onboard computer will illuminate if it senses an issue. In regards to oil levels, your Porsche has an oil pressure warning light that will illuminate if the pressure within your oil system becomes too low.

2. Burning Oil

Smelling burning oil is potentially very dangerous and should not be ignored. In fact, for your own safety, you should stop driving immediately. Smelling burning oil means that there is a leak somewhere in your engine, as the oil has dripped onto the hot parts and is burning on them. You can confirm this worry by letting your vehicle cool down and then checking the oil level. If the oil level is low, then it’s almost certain that you have a leak.

3. Clunking Sound

If your engine oil is running low, then you may notice clunking, grinding, or knocking sounds coming from the engine. This is because your engine is not properly lubricated, meaning that the moving parts inside it can rub against one another, both making noise and causing damage.

4. Poor Efficiency

Porsches are always designed with fuel efficiency in mind, but when the engine oil is running low, it is likely your vehicle won’t perform as efficiently as it should. To be properly efficient, your engine needs every part and system to be working correctly. Therefore, if oil is leaking, the engine will likely have to work harder, meaning that your fuel efficiency will drop.

5. Overheating Engine

If your engine is regularly overheating, then you may have low oil levels. As we mentioned, the oil in your engine keeps parts cool by preventing heat buildup from friction as well as helping the heat levels to distribute. If this issue becomes severe enough, it is highly likely that not even your engine’s coolant will be able to keep temperatures down, resulting in an increase in overheating and further engine damage.

Import MotorWorx

As previously mentioned, keeping your oil levels topped up should be part of your ongoing maintenance practices. However, if you’re not comfortable doing this yourself or you are worried about leaks or related issues, then you should seek professional servicing. If you are a Porsche driver living in or around Lawndale, Culver City, West Los Angeles, and South Bay, CA, Import Motorworx are on hand to help with all your Porsche’s needs.