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[CaptainZok]

The couple next door have a 1.8 passat, Yesterday whilst out shopping the low oil warning appeared on the display.
Laura our neighbour decided to fix it and as she was at the supermarket bought some oil and proceeded to top it up.
Unfortunately she didn't know how much to top it up with (or how a dipstick works apparently) so she bought a five litre can and put the whole lot in. 
So last nights little job was to drain out the excess which we managed quite easily, after we found the bloody sump plug hidden under the undertray.
The car seems to run ok, maybe a little tappety but seeing the state of the breather system with perished rubber hosing I was thinking a good clean up and some short oil changes would be in order.
The question is what damage if any should we be looking for or has she had a lucky escape?
I'm assuming the perished breather has caused the original loss of oil but saved any damage from over pressurising the crankcase.
Still better she tried to top up the oil than run it dry and muller the crank.

[Kevin Wood]

Thought you were going to say she went back into the supermarket for some Mazola. 

Was it the oil level light or oil pressure?

If it's been driven with low oil pressure it may well be toast but if it was just the level I can't see it coming to any harm. Without a strip down all you can do is listen for any nasty noises that weren't there before.

Sounds like the breathers need sorting.

Kevin

[CaptainZok]

Thought you were going to say she went back into the supermarket for some Mazola. 

Was it the oil level light or oil pressure?

If it's been driven with low oil pressure it may well be toast but if it was just the level I can't see it coming to any harm. Without a strip down all you can do is listen for any nasty noises that weren't there before.

Sounds like the breathers need sorting.

Kevin

Luckily it was a level not pressure warning Kev.
Strangely it was still on after the overfill incident.
Disconnecting the battery seemed to clear the warning though, no doubt we'll be cleaning the breathers when the new hose is fitted. I wonder if you can buy carb cleaner in 5 litre can.

[amigov6]

Reminds me of a time at a filling station years ago, i saw a lovely young lady with the bonnet up trying in vain to drip oil into the dipstick hole (she had taken the dipstick out). I asked if she needed help only to be rubuked so i removed the oil filler cap & placed it on the rocker cover.
    She realized her mistake, smiled, blushed & said "Sorry & thanks". She was gorgeous bless her.

[KillerWatt]

The question is what damage if any should we be looking for or has she had a lucky escape?

If any damage had been done in the short time it was driven while overfull, you would have known about it before you drained the excess off.

Still better she tried to top up the oil than run it dry and muller the crank.

Too much oil can do just as much damage as too little.

[waspy]

I knew a lass that was going through a really bad divorce & her head wasn't were it was supposed to be. She knew how to check & top up the oil, because she'd been doing for many years. She checked it & decided to buy 5 litres. She poured the whole lot in & then bought another, she poured most of that in too, before it came out of the filling neck. She then realized what she'd done & phoned her garage with a very red face. They came out & removed the sump plug. A very expensive top up.