Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: 24_Valve on 11 August 2010, 22:25:16

Title: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: 24_Valve on 11 August 2010, 22:25:16
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...
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: Iain on 11 August 2010, 22:33:47
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 :y
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: dbr on 11 August 2010, 22:50:54
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
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: Andy B on 11 August 2010, 22:54:20
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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.  :y
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: 24_Valve on 11 August 2010, 22:54:58
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?
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effectively it will create 'pressure' in the internals
could it cause any external leaks? (rocker gaskets are fine as far as I can see)  :)
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: Andy B on 11 August 2010, 22:58:36
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.... 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
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: Iain on 11 August 2010, 22:58:39
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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.  :y

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

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
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: 24_Valve on 11 August 2010, 23:21:25
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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??
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: megaomega123 on 11 August 2010, 23:29:28
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  :D
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: 24_Valve on 11 August 2010, 23:33:49
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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  :y 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  :y
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: 24_Valve on 11 August 2010, 23:42:58
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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  ;)
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: Broomies Mate on 12 August 2010, 00:06:39
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.
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: 24_Valve on 12 August 2010, 00:31:13
thanks  :y
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: kcl on 12 August 2010, 06:25:55
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...  :y
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: Bionic on 12 August 2010, 07:14:33
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
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: Kevin Wood on 12 August 2010, 09:36:55
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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...  :y

Agreed. Half a litre is not worth worrying about.

Worst case with that level of overfill its that the oil will get thrown around the block a little more than usual due to crank windage and the excess oil mist will get drawn out through the breathers and burnt, so keep an eye on it and make sure the breathers stay clear.

Kevin
Title: Re: Engine Oil Overfill !!!
Post by: manc on 12 August 2010, 20:03:07
Agree with previous post, ˝ litre isn't going to do much damage, especially if it's not high speed and load driving you're doing.
If you really want to get the excess out cheaply why not get hold of a 50ml plastic syringe (Chemist?) with some vac hose on the end and suck it out of the dipstick tube. Best to do when oil is warm and will take a while!