xcaliber501

Hello everyone,

This week I started getting some "Check Oil Level" messages. I purchased the car a few months ago but up until now I had not been driving it much. When I opened the hood and checked the level I found the oil to be very high indeed. Obviously the dealer put too much in when they changed it. Normally I would take it back to them, but they are about 40 miles ways so I figure I would take care of it myself. With that in mind I had a couple of questions;

First, How critical is it that this gets taken care of? I know this needs to get done but I don't have the tools I need to do this right. Can I go a week or so or do I need to stop driving the car now?

Second, Is there a way to drain the oil without lifting car and removing the drain plug?

Thanks all.

cadyshac

You might go to a local Harbor Freight or auto parts store and find a hand suction pump with a tube small enough to put down the dipstick tube. Other than that you are going to have to get under the car to remove the drain plug or oil filter. It's hard to tell from the pic but I don't think I would drive it 40 miles like that. Maybe you could drive it to a local shop and explain the situation. If you do make sure they are familiar with how to properly lift or jack a Vette.

crusher1

Yeah thats a tad high. Go under and remove the drain plug and let some out. Or suction as mentioned above.

All will be good

J.Moore

What does the other side of the stick show? One side is usually higher than the other. Go by the low side. I wouldn't be worried about that little bit over, I doubt it is even a quart.

According to some folks overfull will blow all the seals out of the engine.
That little bit over is causing Oil Warning Level Light to be on? Strange, as mine has been over about that much without triggering the warning light.

Just read my OM and it says there is a "low oil level" message but doesn't mention high oil level warning.??
Yea, call dealer that did work and tell them whats up.

FortMorganAl

That looks quite high to me and that is not good. If the oil gets high enough to contact the crank it will foam and you will eventually lose oil pressure. Even if it is below the crank when parked cornering sloshes oil around. I would never drive a car with that much oil. You only need a socket wrench and a pan to drain some oil. I'm on Medicare and can still reach the drain plug without a jack. Raising it by driving up on some boards should be enough even if you are overweight. This is the easiest to change car I have ever owned.

xcaliber501

Yeah, sorry for the crappy photo. If you can see the 3 holes? I believe the level should be at the middle hole. The hole to the left indicates high oil. The oil level seem way higher than that. I would guess it is at least a quart over. I agree a little over probably does not make much difference, but this seem a lot higher than that.

I am not getting a warning light. I get a Check oil level message and it just comes back on when I clear it. I dont mind draining the car myself. I just don't have the proper means to lifting the car yet and was wonder if I can wait til the pucks get delivered or should I get this corrected now.

xcaliber501

Can I also ask, where the oil pressure should normally be indicated in the dash gauge? Does it vary much during normal driving?

dryadsdad

Stop. This isn't a DIY issue. Call the dealer and demand he address whatever's going on. IF you do a DIY and then end up with a damaged engine, you own it because you meddled.

If the dealer does 100% of the work, then he owns it. What do you wish if you end up with major seal damage or a seizure?

J.Moore

The third hole in your pic to the left is FULL so you are not 'very high' on oil. I thought the oil warning messages in the DIC always mean "low" oil issues? Is the other side of the stick reading the same ?

airmed2

Is this a dry sump car? If so, did you check it cold, or run it to temp., shut down, wait, and then check it?

xcaliber501

Ahh OK thanks for the clarification. I am at work ATM so I can't check it. I'll have to do that once I get home.

I am not sure how much pull I am gonna have with the dealership. This is after all an 11 year old used car. Purchased at a Ford dealer no less. Even if I did, I would have to drive the car 40 miles back...

mikeCsix

In the owners manual, it is recommended for wet sump cars to ADD an extra quart of oil for road track events - hpde events. This will not hurt or damage the engine. I've done it several times without worry or any ill effects.

A very easy way to remove excess oil is to just change the oil filter.

xcaliber501

Here is what I found in the owners manual.



I did not see any mention in the manual about overfilling the oil for track day events. For now I will simply not drive the car until I can get the excess oil removed.

****************** never mind, I found it.

duckvett

Your profile says this is a 2007 Convertible, so it is not a dry-sump engine. That eliminates one possibility. Can you see the oil filter? Does it look old or shiny new? Could the Ford dealer perhaps have not changed the filter and then put 6 quarts in? That could explain the one quart over.

windyC6

Yea you may have to get down and drain some. But contrary to some post that act like its no big deal...it can make a heck of a mess trying to just let the plug out long enough to drain a tad of oil. Some people say they can reach the plug easily without lifting the car....I dunno....they must have arms 6 foot long....good for them. You also don't want to use the normal wisdom of draining it while its hot. Much better draining a little bit when the engines cold. Oil runs slower and no chance of getting burned. Just imagine trying to get a plug back in while hot oil is blasting out !!!!......OUCH !!!!.....Good luck....

xcaliber501

Yeah, I agree. I see this turning into a sloppy mess real easy. I will probably just buy some new oil and filter and change out everything. At least that way I know exactly what I have in there. For all I know the Ford dealer might have put in dino oil...yikes....

cmonkey713

Easiest way to do it. If you drain too much out just pour it back in until you get the correct level.

cadyshac

Cheap insurance and a very good idea.

Nice Ride

Based on my understanding of the dip stick oil level indicator. One quart of oil is needed to fill the hash marks from the bottom hole to the top hole on the dip stick. Accordingly your reading as displayed reflects approx. 1/2 quart overfill. It could be worse and I don't think 1/2 qt. is a problem. Chevy would not make that amount of oil critical to engine failure. I had the dealer do an oil change on my 2013 427 a couple months ago. I checked the oil level and it was over full slightly higher than yours shows. Carried the car back to the dealer and had them drain all the oil and replace the filter. My car takes 10.8 qts. I asked the dealer to only put in 10 qts. which is approx. one quart less than is called for and give me the additional qt. to take with me to add as needed. When I got home I checked the oil level and the oil was right on the bottom dot indicating a quart low. I added 1/2 quart, ran the car to temperature and rechecked the oil level. Oil reading is slightly above the middle dot which is where I want it.

Sayfoo

It is a little high. I don't think this is a catastrophic situation. But, I would probably get it out. The easiest/cleanest way would be to drive your car up on some blocks to gain some more clearance. You can build them up pyramid style to gain height. Then loosen the drain plug and let a little out. If you drain it into a clean pan, you can then add some back in if you let too much out.
Another thought. As mentioned above, you can get a hand vacuum pump from harbor freight for $10+- and suck some out. I've also used a small hose through the dip stick tube to syphon oil out. If you use a clean hose, you have less chance of swallowing some.
Or, pay the kid at the gas station to let some out.
**You DID check the oil level with the car level, right?
If you checked it with the car tilted, you'd get a incorrect reading.