Oil Overfill - How Serious

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Jul 5, 2004 | 07:24 PM

BostonVette

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From: Woburn MA

Oil Overfill - How Serious

I just went through my normal oil change ritual and was surprised went I poured the oil into the recycle container.

I'm pouring the spent oil into the recycle container and I'm lucky if I have 5 quarts. Apparently the car was tilted back and I didn't get a full drain.

So...I check the stick and sure enough I'm over the cross- hatched area. It's up to the little double bend area on the stick. I'm guessing I'm a quart over. :mad

The car was down, the jack's away, I'm all cleaned up

I don't want go thru the hassel of of trying to drain a quart out so I try to siphon from the dipstick tube

Ain't happening...

So, Any suggestions? If I leave it overfilled are there any serious consequences.

Thanks

Lazyboy

[Modified by BostonVette, 12:35 AM 7/6/2004]

Jul 5, 2004 | 07:42 PM

Oldvetter

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Joined: Feb 2002

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From: Waldorf MD

Re: Oil Overfill - How Serious (BostonVette)

Owner's manual says to add an extra quart if you are going racing. There was some problems with foaming oil during LS1 development, I know they fixed it.

I'm guessing you could get by with one quart overfill, it will probably just "blow it out", but really, why bother? "Bite the bullet" and rejack it up and drain some out, not really worth the risk.

[Modified by Oldvetter, 7:42 PM 7/5/2004]

Jul 5, 2004 | 07:52 PM

Patman

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From: Guelph, Ontario

Re: Oil Overfill - How Serious (Oldvetter)

Immediately after you shut down the engine, pull out the dipstick and check it. If you see a lot of tiny bubbles on it, then the oil is getting aerated, so it's too full, so drain a little bit out. If the oil on the dipstick looks normal, then you've got nothing to worry about.

[Modified by Patman, 7:55 PM 7/5/2004]

Jul 5, 2004 | 07:58 PM

Miaugi

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Joined: Dec 2002

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From: Montreal Qc

Re: Oil Overfill - How Serious (BostonVette)

How many miles since the last time you changed the oil? The car uses some oil and you will probably never get it all "back" unless your changing it too soon.

One quart more should be ok, but maybe follow patman's suggestion.

Jul 5, 2004 | 08:03 PM

mfh4

Instructor

Joined: Jun 2004

Posts: 137

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From: Grand Ledge MI

Re: Oil Overfill - How Serious (BostonVette)

If you DO wish to siphon oil out of the dipsick, see West Marine.... a marine store in most major cities (check the web). I'm a sailboat owner and used a special unit they sell ($12 I think) to pump oil out of an inboard engine (previous boat) each time I changed the oil. A number of boaters use this on boats where it is extremely difficult to get to the drain plug.

MFH4

Jul 5, 2004 | 08:21 PM

QUIKAG

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From: Dallas TX

Re: Oil Overfill - How Serious (BostonVette)

I'll add an extra quart when I hit a lapping weekend at a roadcourse. After the weekend, it's still about a quart over and I don't drain it out. What I do make sure to do is drive the car easy when I first start it cold (like I always do) until oil temperature is above 150 degrees or so. At that point, the oil pressure will drop quite a bit as the oil thins out as it heats up.

Has always worked for me and the car runs like a champ after a LOT of hard, hard miles on road courses, autocrosses, drag strips, and triple digits runs.

Jul 5, 2004 | 08:24 PM

Bill Dearborn

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From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)

Re: Oil Overfill - How Serious (BostonVette)

Don't worry. I run a quart over all the time since I autocross and track the car. My 03 Z is sitting in the garage a quart over right now. It has been that way since the middle of May when I did my first track event. I have over 1000 miles on the car since then and the oil level hasn't dropped and the pressure is fine while I am driving. I did the same on my 97 for 6 years and never had a problem with it either.

Not sure what year you have. But the dispstick changed somewhere between 97 and 03. My 97 came from the factory with oil up to the first notch witch put it at exactly one half quart overfull. The 03 dipstick is different and oil level up to the first notch is one quart over.
Bill

[Modified by Bill Dearborn, 8:28 PM 7/5/2004]

Jul 5, 2004 | 08:26 PM

BostonVette

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From: Woburn MA

Re: Oil Overfill - How Serious (mfh4)

Thanks for the replies.

I'm a little encouraged now that it should be no big deal.

The car is a 2000 coupe with 50K miles

The oil was last changed about 5K miles ago. I use the onboard alert or 5K miles whichever occurs first. I don't believe the car consumes much oil, at least when filled properly. However now I believe I will be pumping more than normal into the intake.

I'll chech the foaming condition, that's sounds like a fair indicator.

As far as using the dipstick siphon, the problem is getting a tube down the tube. There appears to be a restriction that prevents anything other than the flat stick from getting through.

Thanks guys, I'll leave it alone for now