Ok, probably a total newb question, but the manual states there should be oil on the dip stick when engine is cold. Mine shows 0 and I have added a quart and there is still nothing. Afraid I may over fill at this point if I add anymore. Should I just run the engine​​​​​​e for the 15-20 seconds as the manual states and see then? Ive never had a low oil/check engine light on. Im not very familiar with dry sump engines. TIA

 

do you suspect there's a reason that there was no oil and after adding a quart there is STILL no oil registering on the dipstick? that is something i would want to know before proceeding. or starting the engine for that matter. make, model, mileage would be helpful.

more questions...

do you suspect a leak?
what prompted you to check it now?
when was the last time oil was checked?

 

Sorry, 2011 Vantage 4.7
No leaks at all under the car
Im confused as to just how much oil should register on the dip stick cold.

 

it WOULD be a good thing to know, wouldn't it?

it's possible that the value is inconsistent i suppose. after all it's bottom is at or below the crankshaft so it's level will always be dependent on oil pumped UP into it. it's essentially an overflow tank like that used by the coolant system. ...it's complicated.

i have another make of sports car with what is purported to have a dry sump lubrication system. they have made oil level checking entirely electronic (dipstickless ). and is a PITA, in that one must wait for several minutes, it seems, after each start to see the oil level indicator on the dash.

 

Definitely, I'm just wondering since its been sitting for a few weeks without starting, possibly drained out of the tank? Didnt think that was possible?

 

it's possible. and if so, may very well be the reason that the car needs to have been running at a prescribed rpm for a certain time and only checked 30 seconds after stopping the engine. although it doesn't really explain WHY they think the tank should register SOME level of oil at all times, does it? **headscratch**

frankly, the explain for checking the oil level is, IMO, overly complicated and vague if not outright contradictory.

 

i've been wanting to make a habit of checking the oil level on the dipstick BEFORE starting the engine and when cold for a while now, but have forgotten. this thread now has me convinced that knowing the level when cold is a useful thing to know. testing it when hot is problematical in that that oil filler stick is hot as hell once the engine is warmed up. not something i will be wanting to deal with on a regular basis, like when i get gas.

if it turns out that it is INCONSISTENT i'll know for sure that the aston prescribed testing procedure is the only valid way to do it. but if i see that i am getting consistent results (whatever they may be, assuming i know that i have the proper amount of oil in the engine) i will be very skeptical of the necessity of doing checking the oil using aston's prescribed method when the engine's cold.

 

Agreed- I just ran the car for 15-20 seconds as they indicate and the level is a little high now, not much but still. This leads me to believe that checking the oil when the vehicle hasn't been driven in a while is inaccurate and pointless at best.

 

i just read this article: Tech Tip: Checking Oil Level In Your Dry Sump Oil System (dragzine.com)

from it, i gather that the oil filler tank on a dry sump system like the one on the vantage serves as more of a reservoir of oil than a traditional oil pan. and consequently, it's level is not critical and nothing of significance is going to happen if it has a bit too much oil in it. too little, OTOH, could present problems.

so to FINALLY give you what i consider a responsible answer to your initial question. i would put enough oil in the engine compartment oil tank to register on the stick. THEN proceed to test the level as prescribed by aston. not surprisingly, this is pretty much what aston states in the user's manual.

...imagine that.

 

Interesting, thanks for the insight. I still get worried about over filling it as I did once when I was a novice working on a 911 and overfilled it and it smoked out the shop lol

 

Do NOT follow that advice. If you haven’t driven the car in a long time, oil will not register. It will keep draining into the crankcase until it is empty. If you were to add oil till it registers, it will be grossly overfilled. Unless you have a puddle of oil under your car, it is safe to assume that there is still oil in it sufficient for a proper oil check procedure.

 

Thanks! This is what I was thinking, I know its definitely bad to overfill any engine

 

Has anyone tried the Recommission procedure from the manual to 'charge' the canister? Basically it gets the oil flowing through the engine without allowing it to start. There is much less stress on the engine during cracking than under the load of the cylinders firing. I don't think I would crank for too long though to avoid overheating the starter motor.

• Press and hold the accelerator pedal hard to the floor (this temporarily stops fuel injection during cranking).
• Fully press the brake (SportShift transmission) or clutch (manual transmission) pedal down. Insert the vehicle key into the ignition control and move through to engine start.
• Allow the engine to crank until the oil pressure symbol in the instrument cluster goes OFF (showing oil pressure in the engine).

The above is from the 2012 Owner's Guide. The procedure may vary for other model years.

 

That makes a lot of sense honestly, I forgot about that section in the manual

 

Spoke to my dealer after a recent oil change on my vantage. My question was how do you check the oil level after an oil change?
His answer was. We never check the oil level via the dipstick in the oil tank. We put in the prescribed amount of oil and release the car to the customer.