BronsCon
join:2003-10-24
Cleveland, OH
 ·Cox HSI
| Too much oil
For whatever stupid reason, I thought my car took 5qt of oil and, rather than refer to the sticker right on the air filter cover, which states that it takes 3.7qt (allowing 0.3qt for the filter, that's 4qt).
Exactly how quickly should I remove this excess quart of oil from my vehicle?
What can happen if I don't? |
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Postal
Postage Due
join:2000-08-30
Ventura, CA
| I was told by a local mechanic once that if there's too much oil in the engine that the crank shaft can beat into it and make if 'foam up' and not circulate through the engine properly.
I don't know if one quart is enough to cause this or not though.
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Next time you wave at me, use ALL your fingers. |
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seaquake
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-23
Millersville, MD
clubs:  
 ·Verizon FIOS
| reply to BronsCon
Years ago when I had Valvoline do my oil changes they put in one quart too much. They realized this after checking the dipstick and decided it was best to drain and refil with the correct amount of oil.
If it were me, I'd spring for the $3 per quart, drain the existing oil and do it right. $12 is a small price to pay vs. a costly engine repair. |
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BronsCon
join:2003-10-24
Cleveland, OH | With the exception of my use of $6/qt synthetic, i tend to agree after googling around a bit.
Damn me for pouring in that 5th quart! |
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3SGTE
ST215W
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-23
there
clubs: | IF you are careful with the drain plug, it really isn't that hard to drain out only some of the oil.
Annoying, yes.
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Striving for Parfection. |
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Ken Peterson
Premium
join:2000-12-08
| said by 3SGTE  :IF you are careful with the drain plug, it really isn't that hard to drain out only some of the oil. Annoying, yes. Agreed - this is the way to go. |
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mattmag
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-04-09
NW Illinois
clubs: | reply to BronsCon
Dittos from me also. Remove the plug *just a little* if you can, and catch what comes out in a measured container so you know when you are there. |
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BronsCon
join:2003-10-24
Cleveland, OH
·Cox HSI
| reply to BronsCon
Resolved
Well, here's what I did.
I need a new oil pan eventually. I finally traced where my slow (1qt/year -- I used the extended life oil and changed the filter at 6mo, I accounted for the 1/2qt held by the filter) leak was coming from.
When I bought the car last June, the guy told me someone had jacked it up by the oil pan and he thought it was cracked. The leak was so minor (again, 1qt over 12mo) that I didn't worry, but since I was under there anyway, I figured I'd investigate this time. It turns out the pan is not cracked, but the drain plug hole is oblonged a bit. That's all background, let me tell you what I did.
I ended up draining all of the oil out into a brand new and clean change pan, so as not to waste it (I'm what you would refer to as functionally broke today, yesterday I would have bought new oil and two weeks from now I would have HAD to, but tonight it just wasn't in my budget). I did this because I'm going to try a thin neoprene washer as a seal between the aluminum crush washer (which I do change every time I remove the plug, except this time, since it's been in place only a day and I was able to remove it with my finger) and the oil pan.
I then measured 1qt of that oil back into a bottle (stupid me bought 1gal and 1qt), wiped everything around the oil pan so I can tell if the gasket fixes my leak or not (here's hoping), replaced the drain plug and the oil.
Checked the level after 10min and, right on, at the top mark where it should be. I'll keep that extra quart to top off if I ever need to. Or maybe I'll just buy 3qt in 3mo when I do my next change.
What's really stupid about all of this is this is the 3rd oil change I've done on this car since I got it and the first time I've overfilled it. In my defense, my Comanche (damn me for ever selling that bad boy) did take 5qt. After 8yr of changing it every 3mo, 5 just became my magic number I guess.
A little more history on my time with this vehicle, a '91 Accord with just over 160 on her: the day I got her, I stopped at the parts store, picked up a quart of engine flush (was a quart low, how perfect), 4qt of 5w30 and 4qt of 0w20 and headed home. Dumped in the flush, ran her for 10min, jacked her up and drained her. Poured in the 0w20, ran her for 10min and drained her. (Sorry if I'm offending any female readers, this car's my baby, I have some big plans for her if I didn't kill her with my recent screwup) I did this to flush out whatever nasties the previous owner let build up in the engine, then to rinse out any remaining flush or loosened sludge. I let the engine cool for 10min (really, jacked it up a few more degrees and let it drip for 10 more minutes), changed the filter and poured in 4qt of Mobile 1 Extended Life (12k mile).
Oh that was one happy car. I changed plugs and wires the week after and, what a difference.
4500 miles later, I changed the filter, replaced the Fram (I don't like Fram but it was cheap at the time and I was broke after buying the car) with a K&N (K&N filters sound good but, not worth it, I'll never buy another). Tru to my original intent, I did this oil change at the 9k mile mark (12k mile oil), which is a good thing since the K&N filter had clogged up on me (as did the Amsoil I used on my Comanche once, only that bad boy crudded up after only 100 miles).
In the end, all seems well now. A little smoke as the remaining oil that leaked from the K&N burns off of the exhaust and all else is good. I took her out on the freeway and, again, like a brand new car.
Thanks for the advice, guys. I've been here a while, read everyone else's screwups and laughed at most of you and tonight it's my turn. Glad (in a twisted way) to finally be a part of the fun. |
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Anonuser
join:2003-01-03
Milwaukee, WI
| reply to BronsCon
Re: Too much oil
My 1976 Alfa Romeo Spider I'm restoring, with it's 4 cyl 2.0 L takes 7 quarts. After the 4th quart (which my 3.3L 6 cyl Xterra takes) I was starting to get the cold swets, even though I knew it was 7 quarts, but wow...
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»KmanScooters.com Home of Wisconsin's Most Affordable Cars, Motorcycles and Scooters |
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caddyroger
Premium
join:2001-06-11
Graham, WA
·Comcast
| reply to BronsCon
said by BronsCon :For whatever stupid reason, I thought my car took 5qt of oil and, rather than refer to the sticker right on the air filter cover, which states that it takes 3.7qt (allowing 0.3qt for the filter, that's 4qt). Exactly how quickly should I remove this excess quart of oil from my vehicle? What can happen if I don't? Take the oil filter off and drain it. Depending on the size of oil filter you might have drain a couple of times.
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Caddy |
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THUD300
Part Of A Complete Breakfast
Premium
join:2002-06-07
Decatur, IL
| reply to BronsCon
Another possible consequence of too much oil in the crankcase: some engines will ingest excess oil into the air intake system. The excess oil can create a residue on the intake valve stems causing them to stick open, creating hard starting and rough idle.
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Your actual mileage may vary. Operators are standing by. |
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popper
join:2006-05-30
Baton Rouge,
| reply to BronsCon
To remove excess tranny fluid I inserted a small rubber (or plastic...can't recall) into the dipstick housing. I then inserted the tube end of a bottle sprayer into the rubber hose and pumped it into empty container. Home DePot sells empty spray bottles (the zep's are good). |
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alwaysanon
@mdsnwi.ameritech
| reply to BronsCon
My ex back around '85 had been taught to check and add her own oil. She opted instead to just add a little every week. After a few weeks of this the engine started to have problems and barely ran. This was a Toyota Corolla, 4 cylinder. What happened was oil blew past the rings into the cylinders and burned out 3 of the spark plugs due to burning oil, which burns very hot. When troubleshooting I checked the oil and it was filled a good inch or so past the high mark on the stick.
I changed the oil, changed the plugs, and it was back in service with no other damage.
I do believe the possibility of the crank foaming up the oil as someone else mentioned is quite real. |
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ttiiggy
Premium
join:2001-03-27 | reply to BronsCon
I took a paint pen and WROTE on the valve cover beside the oil fill how much oil I am supposed to put in.
Good thing it isn't a show car, eh?  |
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ttiiggy
Premium
join:2001-03-27 | reply to alwaysanon
said by alwaysanon :
My ex back around '85...
I assume there are other reasons why she is your ex.  |
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Grumpy
Premium
join:2001-07-28
99999
clubs:
 ·AT&T Yahoo
| reply to BronsCon
Re: Resolved
said by BronsCon : someone had jacked it up by the oil pan That's the stuff legends are borne of |
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3SGTE
ST215W
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-23
there
clubs:
| said by Grumpy :That's the stuff legends are borne of Ha! "borne" - very punny!
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Striving for Parfection. |
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BronsCon
join:2003-10-24
Cleveland, OH | reply to Grumpy
I'll be replacing the pan in May. In the meantime, it's losing so little that my only concern is that I might be down to half a bag of oil-dri by then. |
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Billa9b0ng
Premium
join:2002-04-08
Altoona, PA
·Verizon Online DSL
| said by BronsCon :I'll be replacing the pan in May. In the meantime, it's losing so little that my only concern is that I might be down to half a bag of oil-dri by then. You plan that far in advance? wow |
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BronsCon
join:2003-10-24
Cleveland, OH
·Cox HSI
| I do when I don't have $$ for the pan right now and I get 3 checks next May.
I should be able to drop the $30 for a good valve cover gasket before then, though.
Also, sometime relatively soon, I need to reseat a metal plug just below my oil filter. There's a factory oil cooler option on my engine, which I don't have. When installed, it has a hose that connects where the pressure switch normally installs and the pressure switch gets moved to below the oil filter. I can't tell whether the oil on/around that plug is from the previously improperly installed filter or if it leaking from that plug so, my next day off, I intend to pull it out, clean the threads, wipe some RTV on it and screw it back in. It's probably a good idea to take care of any potential oil leaks ASAP, especially when it costs nothing to do so and sits about 9in above the exhaust. |
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