Ok, here is what happened-- (seems like I have been here before back when I was much younger and just got caught doing something very wrong)
I have been getting things sorted on my 997TT in preperation to go to the Porsche Palooza this weekend over in Eureka Springs. I noticed my oil level was one bar down from maximum and was going to add 1/2 quart to top it back up, but finally decided to just wait until it needs a full quart. So I just put an unopened qt. in my trunk. So on to the stupid part-- I decided the car was needing a good wash so got out my two buckets and gave it a good rinse and washed with mitt and dried it off. Perfect---until I popped the rear deck lid to blow off the water in the engine bay with my leaf blower. there is always water pooled around the various fill openings. this is when I noticed I had not replaced the oil filler cap. Since the oil fill opening is in line with the lip of the body/deck lid opening it could have collected some water. there was no water beads in the fill spout that i could see and the level in the cluster still shows one bar low *** before I am hoping no water drained down into the oil. I have a 4 hour drive to the event tomorrow and we will drive 600-700 miles over the next 5 days going and coming back. Here is my question-- will any small amount of water that might have entered my oil system be cooked out by prolonged operation at normal temps? My annual oil change is coming up in two months and I don't mind scheduling it sooner. Thanks for any advice you can give me on this.

 

Hard to say how much water got in there but we all know that water and oil don’t mix. If you drive it, it will turn to sludge and gunk up certain areas inside. Are you able to just change the oil now before even starting it. That would be your safest bet

 

I called my independent shop today and visited with the owner about this. He told me that he has seen water coming out of the sump When performing oil changes quite often. He told me this is caused from condensation from short drives without fully warming of the engine oil. He thinks since the level hasn’t changed it should be fine. I will take it in next week for an early oil change.

 

Exactly why short drives are disastrous to an engine long term. I work on cars on the side and I can tell by removing the valve cover and spark plugs the way it’s driven. Moisture gets into PCVs or ventilation valves too and causes premature wear.

Next oil change, make sure to run it hot or normal operation temperature then drain

 

My shop is a 60 mile drive for me and they are great about scheduling so I drive up and the drain plug comes out within a few minutes. Again, I never park my car till it has achieved its normal 200 degree mark.

 

Short drives/trips are not good for an engine mainly due to the accumulation of water in the oil, but the shop reporting water coming out of the oil drain hole suggests to me the shop is draining the oil cold.

Not good.

This is one reason why in all the Porsche references I've seen the engine is supposed to be hot, up to temperature, before the oil is drained. This is to ensure any water in the oil, anything in the oil, is throughly mixed/blended so as much of these contaminates are removed as possible at oil drain time.