Too much oil, does it matter

[lisbon_road]

Sometimes maintain an old friend's Mk3 Astra, a 1.4 multipoint one.

 

I've just changed the oil and reckon I put a litre too much in.  I had to give it back quick as I could only have the car for a limited time, does anyone think it will matter?

 

If it was mine, I'd sort it out immediately, but it isn't and fixing it would mean having to get it again (sigh) which is a general hassle.

 

 

Despite 197K miles, it doesn't burn a lot of oil at all so it.  I never have quite worked out why the so called 'Ecotec' ones get through more oil than the average fish and chip shop but the 8 valve ones hardly touch it.  That's my experience anyway.

[derskine]

Believe it can lead to blown gaskets.

[skattrd]

Maybe one for the stupid question thread but yes it can matter.

This is why dipsticks have a maximum level.

[Jikovron]

In my experience it can in worst case lead to severe oil leaks and banger racing style oil clouds .

 

I had one experience of this  when I was young and abit thick regarding routine maintenance whereby my car became a sort of self fulfilling closed circle of disaster in the situation that an oil leak prompted me to add oil, but without a dipstick i basically just kept adding little bits as an oil leak got worse which I thought was inline to consumption.

Then it started burning oil which then made me think that the engine was showing tiredness so kept on adding more!

 

then when I did an oil change it overflowed a washing up bowl so I made a replacement dipstick and normality ensued with no harm done.

[2MB]

My mate had a 1.4 focus. He said it was reluctant to rev and giving poor mpg after a 'service' and I drained about 2.5l out to get it to the Middle of the dipstick. It worked a lot better after

[red5]

Yes. Drain excess off asap. Too much oil reduces the amount of space available for the pistons to move into on the two down strokes per complete cycle  - this causes excessive crankcase pressure the moment it starts.

[spike60]

If it starts burning it it won't do the catalyst any good.

[Alan_Green]

I know you are talking about a petrol, but here is (an amusing) consequence of overfilling a diesel while we are on the subject:

 

[lisbon_road]

OK OK I get the message!

 

I knew really, just don't want to have to go round there and start messing about again.

 

I don't think the cat has worked in years.  (The front shocks are gone, the rear brakes need attention. One of those stories).

[Split_Pin]

Volvo FL10s have a long, serpentine dipstick behind the cab due to the distance from the sump. The actual level markers are only in the bottom fraction though. Ask me how I know what happens if you accidentally fill the oil right up to the handle.

[willswitchengage]

[HillmanImp]

Its more euthanasia when its a Vauxhall, its putting us out of its misery etc etc.

[Uncle Jimmy]

Yep, not a good move. You'll probably get away with it though. The crankcase ventilation should just burn off the excess oil. A new air filter and plugs may be required shortly.

[Junkman]

Release excess oil, or replace engine.

These are your alternatives.

Take your pick.

[Doctormop]

Apparently Elvis Presley was known to put too much oil in his cars, having destroyed 3 different engines on his Cadillac Fleetwood General Motors sent their chief engineer, a massive Elvis fan to put him right.

After explaining that the excess oil made it impossible for the internal parts to connect with each other and work effectively the engineer asked if his hero understood.

Legend has it that the king thought for a moment, curled his lip and said;

'A little less lubrication a little more traction please'

[Partridge]

^^In my maths class when I was a teenager we used to say "A little less multiplication, a little more fractions please."

[dollywobbler]

Remember my old mechanic mate had a customer who complained about the engine being sluggish. The oil had been filled almost to the rocker cover! He released the excess, sent it on its way and it came back a few weeks later with the same problem. Turns out the owner thought the dipstick tube was just a holder. They were filling it up, then stabbing the dipstick through the oil filler until it stopped and filling to there. 

 

Diesels happily run on engine oil, which is why overfilling is very, very bad news - as per that first video. Disco TD5s can leak fuel into the engine oil, which eventually gets it high enough level-wise to get sucked into the turbocharger, at which point the engine revs itself to death. Isuzu Trooper 3.0s could also do this until a recall was issued. Petrols don't like running on engine oil so much though.

[stuboy]

pistons will slap on the oil it toooo mucho

[Bren]

I used to know of someone who complained an oil change on his TR7 took hours.

 

He complained that the dipstick tube was too narrow.

[dollywobbler]

I used to know of someone who complained an oil change on his TR7 took hours.

 

He complained that the dipstick tube was too narrow.

 

Ha! A 2CV friend once said the same thing! He's better now...

[Stanky]

I changed the oil in a former colleague's Punto where the sump plug was welded in and refused to be removed, so I had to use a hand-pump to suck the oil oil via the dipstick tube. It took ages and I doubt I got it all out, but we got there in the end. It was easy to refill it via the approved orifice though

 

She rear-ended someone in a big way shortly after and the punto was written off.

[pompei]

My memory may well be letting me down but I recall kits for the DIY'er to change the oil by sucking the old oil up through the dipstick holder. I can't help thinking that this would be a bad idea ...

[bigfella2]

I always seem to overfill my oil every time I do an oil change, only probably by 200ml. I just pinch a 50ml syringe and a bit of tubing and draw it out. But I work in a hospital. Should imagine you could get stuff to fix it from a chemist for a couple of quid if its bothering you.

[Stanky]

I got my hand pump thingy from ebay, I think it was sold as being ideal for servicing engines on canal boats, as the sump is pretty much the lowest point of the whole thing, so the only way to get the oil out without removing the engine is to suck it back out the dipstick tube. Coalnotdole may be able to elaborate perhaps?

 

from experience, it depends on the diameter of the dipstick tube as to whether its possible, and unless there was a really good reason not to take the sump plug off (like it being welded on, or the engine being in the bottom of a boat) I'd never bother.

 

However, they are useful for pumping out other stuff, such as petrol out of petrol tanks - since it cost all of £5 I considered it money well spent.

[philibusmo]

If you overfill the oil then it floods over the tiny nuns and kittens that live in the engine and they drown.

 

Well done.

[nisfan]

had to service mums focus, took out sump plug drained oil, went to remove shitty childlock ratchety oil cap,,, wouldnt come off, had to fill through dipstick tube.

[lisbon_road]

Clean 5L oil container, cut hole in side, drain out put most back.

 

Raining, wet grass, but job done. 

[Taff]

Remember my old mechanic mate had a customer who complained about the engine being sluggish. The oil had been filled almost to the rocker cover! He released the excess, sent it on its way and it came back a few weeks later with the same problem. Turns out the owner thought the dipstick tube was just a holder. They were filling it up, then stabbing the dipstick through the oil filler until it stopped and filling to there. 

 

Diesels happily run on engine oil, which is why overfilling is very, very bad news - as per that first video. Disco TD5s can leak fuel into the engine oil, which eventually gets it high enough level-wise to get sucked into the turbocharger, at which point the engine revs itself to death. Isuzu Trooper 3.0s could also do this until a recall was issued. Petrols don't like running on engine oil so much though.

 

chieftain tank engines were prone to this as well, the injection pump seals would fail and off it would go. Makes a huge mess and takes days to rectify. I don't miss that aspect of it at all.

[Bobthebeard]

I too spend far too much time fretting about stuff like this. Did I put enough antifreeze in, is there too much oil, does the transmission fluid need changing because it is three months overdue etc.

Life has taught me that the things you worry about seldom cause any real problems. The problems come from the things you never even considered.

[Matt]

 This thread may have saved my butt, It made me find a way of opening the Swifts bonnet without using two people and I discovered the oil level had dipped a bit below the minimum mark. Changing the oil tomorrow anyway so I've just topped it up so it's above the minimum mark, no point it using a load of oil to get it right up to the max mark when it's coming out tomorrow.