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[24_Valve]

Needed to top up by 0.5L to bring my dipstick up to max line (was mid way between min & max) so got my 1 litre bottle of oil and poured in half of it... then realised I was using my 2 litre bottle  so I've now gone and overfilled by 0.5L above Max! been running the car and noticed an oil leak low down (not rocker covers) Have I done any harm by overfilling??? Never overfilled any car in 15yrs of driving...

[Iain]

Too much oil is as bad as not enough oil,get it out and back to the correct level asap,i would recomend without driving it again until its rectified

Too much oil will not allow things too move as they should,effectively it will create 'pressure' in the internals,you might be lucky but get it out soon mate

[dbr]

mid min max...i thought was a litre. thats what i normally put in and it takes it to the line.  but if too much is in i would take it out

[Andy B]

Too much oil is as bad as not enough oil, ......

not quite ....  too much oil will tend to blow seals. None or not enough will do a lot of expensive damage to white metal bearings etc. 

[24_Valve]

Thanks mate, I will try and drain some off. Bit of a nightmare cos I can't do anything under the car (bad neck) is there any cheat working from top of the car?

effectively it will create 'pressure' in the internals

could it cause any external leaks? (rocker gaskets are fine as far as I can see) 

[Andy B]

.... is there any cheat working from top of the car?  ....

Do you know anyone with one of these? 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pela-6000-Vacuum-Oil-Extractor-Pump-6-L-/190426282267?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Sporting_Goods_Sailing&hash=item2c564a791b

[Iain]

Too much oil is as bad as not enough oil, ......

not quite ....  too much oil will tend to blow seals. None or not enough will do a lot of expensive damage to white metal bearings etc. 

Blow seals,leak oil over floor,no oil in engine, buggered so just as bad!
 

The oil will find a weak point and get out from there,so once you have the excess out you will need to keep a really close eye on it

[24_Valve]

Do you know anyone with one of these? 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pela-6000-Vacuum-Oil-Extractor-Pump-6-L-/190426282267?cmd=...

nope, but might have to buy one though... looks like a handy peice of kit  If I have blown a seal are there any usual suspects, so I don't get ripped off by a greedy mechanic & are they easy to replace without a major strip down??

[megaomega123]

Can't you just let half a litre out the sump, clean up and then check for leaks? I personally don't think that half a litre would increase the oil pressure massively but that is just opinion.
Maybe the leak was there before overfill and you have only noticed it because you have checked more thoroughly after overfill.
All above hypothetical 

[24_Valve]

Posted by dbr: Today at 22:50
mid min max...i thought was a litre. thats what i normally put in and it takes it to the line.  but if too much is in i would take it out

you might have a non-OE dipstick cos the GM stick is exactly 1.0L between Min & Max line on yours and mine  MID shows "oil lack" if it hits Min line & 1.0L takes it to Max. This is for L reg - T reg, guessing your '97 Mig is a P/R reg 

[24_Valve]

v6miggy Posted: Today at 23:29
Can't you just let half a litre out the sump

don't think I can access sump bolt cos I'm waiting for Op on my neck.. but thanks for the advice & probably did have slight leak before I overfilled, certainly nothing noticable.. the top up was just routine from slight oil consumption 

[Broomies Mate]

In my opinion, half a litre (less than a pint) of oil above the Max line isn't going to be catastrophic.

Would be ideal if you could lose some, but if you cant, then dont worry yourself too much.  I've seen far worse.

[24_Valve]

thanks 

[kcl]

As said, half a litre is nothing, there is naturally some kind of tolerance in the sump, the dipstick is showing the "recommended" levels. Also, oil getting a bit below min-level will not immediately destroy the engine.

I'd say that overfilling more than 1 litre would be an issue but even that would not blow any gaskets... 

[Bionic]

Easiest way to get the excess out if its only 500ml is to take off the oil filter and change it.
I only ever have my oil level to midway between the marks, (VX oil) because if I fill it to the 'high' level it develops an oil leak that lies on the top of the sump lip at the front.
Before anyone comments on possible leaks many have searched for it, including some of the respected oofers, and not found any at all. A mirror and light have been used to see if any is running down the engine front, sides or back and there is not a sign of any, they are all bone dry. All seals and joints are genuine VX ones and there is no warping of any components. The only thing I have not been able to get to is the seal at the bottom of the dipstick tube. That is my next project and it will be done using VX parts.
Until then the halfway level mark works fine and causes no leaks.
GudLuk