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can you put in too much oil?

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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 07:19 AM
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can you put in too much oil?

what happens if you put in too much oil after an oil change. im getting mine done again saturday but last time i had it done, i check the oil on the dipstick and it seemed to be way over the F on the stick. what can happen if theres too much oil?
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 07:47 AM
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Hmmmm I am not sure, but I am really interested in finding out. Does anyone know, or has ever done this?
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 08:49 AM
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Yes, of course you can put too much in. Drain the extra. When driving hard, the extra oil will find it's way out (and spill in the engine bay, or join the intake charge and burn in the engine). Most of the folks that do open track stuff underfill slightly (halfway between L and F on dipstick) to avoid the mess/smoke.

-Max
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 08:52 AM
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I know it was bad, jsut wondering whayt would happen. Thanks maxcooper

-josh
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 10:00 AM
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Originally Posted by drivelikejehu
..... i check the oil on the dipstick and it seemed to be way over the F on the stick....
Does your oil have a gasoline smell?
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 10:07 AM
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Originally Posted by recon fd
I know it was bad, jsut wondering whayt would happen. Thanks maxcooper

-josh

it'll start blowing out the vent in the oil filler neck and make a mess.
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 10:09 AM
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thats why yo ugotta do it urself. I think places like firestone and jiffy lube etc, over fill ur oil by a little to make up if ur car burns any oil and if you check your oil a few hundred miles down the road it still looks full.
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 10:16 AM
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I was told by world famous "getto dave" that if you push the car hard, i.e. track day, it will push it out the front seal. Last track day I slightly overfilled and was concerned, but nothing ended up happening..
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 10:26 AM
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ya too much oil will damage the engine..think about it the oil will not be sloppin around lubricating the engine..it will push it out the tube..and i agree with doin it yourself..my fc..i did it right in the parkin lot..reached under the car ,put a plastic jug i had cut the side out of,under it ,took the oil plug off and changed it,,simple,,..lube places rip you off,never know what type of oil you get put in..DIY,and you know..If you do go to a garage or lube place tell them how much to put in..you should know this..afterall it's basic maintenance..HAS to be done..Often!..drain off excess..or in the long run it will cost you more(rebuild)...

Last edited by misterstyx69; Jan 12, 2006 at 10:29 AM.
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 01:42 PM
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Too much oil will not cause any harm to the engine. Worst case, you can get some smoking and oil mess, that's about it.

4 quarts of oil is dirt cheap. Drain the oil and refill.

Dale
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 02:23 PM
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i thought it was 4 and a half quarts?? thats what steve kan told me.
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 03:50 PM
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Originally Posted by DaleClark
Too much oil will not cause any harm to the engine. Worst case, you can get some smoking and oil mess, that's about it.

4 quarts of oil is dirt cheap. Drain the oil and refill.

Dale
I've heard exactly the opposite.

IIRC Icemark said that putting to much oil in a car can be just as bad as not putting enough, I've also heard the same thing from a number of other reliable sources.
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 04:02 PM
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lol it really doesnt matter what it is... put 4 quarts in start it up let it get throught the system for a min turn it off and add accordingly. thats what i do... and i always have a extra quart in my rear bin just incase!!!
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 05:47 PM
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I know that too much oil will blow a piston engine...

...not sure about the rotary.

One day, my company garage was to change oil in my company car. They forgot to drain the old oil first and added several quarts of new oil.

About 15 miles down the freeway my engine started knocking something fierce. By the time I got to the garage it pretty much seized up. Reason? The high oil level reached the level of the crankshaft and the rotating crankshaft whipped the oil into fluffy foam. Once in foam form, the oil pressure droppped off and no more oiliing of the engine.
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 05:50 PM
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WARNING, to much oil DOES cause damage. Ask me how I know It forces oil through places where it should not be and it blew my turbo seal on the turbos. Now my car idles funny and has some other problems that were non-existent before I added to much oil.
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 06:54 PM
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Originally Posted by purerx7
WARNING, to much oil DOES cause damage.
Absolutely correct!

Originally Posted by arx6
The high oil level reached the level of the crankshaft and the rotating crankshaft whipped the oil into fluffy foam.
You're not alone on this one - I've luckily never done it, but I've sure seen it!

Dave
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 07:22 PM
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I agree with smoking and spillage.

The extra oil will find its way out through different places because of oil pressure. However, im not sure if it will damage the engine, i think it will prob damage engine related parts. And why would you wait for something to happen anyway?

Oil draining is soo easy, if you know its overfilled, just get under the car and drain some.
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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 07:29 PM
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I didnt fill it, a buddy of mine did the oil change while I was out of town, and I didnt bother to check if he filled it correctly. Due to him overfilling, he says he is going to get me a used set of non seq turbos but will see about that.
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Old Jan 13, 2006 | 01:32 AM
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I don't think it is smart to run the oil level too high in any car. However, it is a bit different for a rotary than it is for piston engines. On a piston engine, the crank is in the oil pan and the oil will get whipped up or put strange loads on the crank throws as they slap the excessively deep oil. On the rotary, there is nothing moving in the oil pan.

-Max
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Old Jan 13, 2006 | 01:36 AM
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hmmm

Originally Posted by purerx7
It forces oil through places where it should not be and it blew my turbo seal on the turbos. Now my car idles funny and has some other problems that were non-existent before I added to much oil.
Where are some of these places in the closed oil system, that the oil should not go?

-Rotary4tw
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Old Jan 13, 2006 | 09:57 AM
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Originally Posted by purerx7
I didnt fill it, a buddy of mine did the oil change while I was out of town, and I didnt bother to check if he filled it correctly. Due to him overfilling, he says he is going to get me a used set of non seq turbos but will see about that.

SO what are you doing to remedy this?

Your friend made a mistake, fix it since its your car. lol

Get under there and just do another (since its really cheap) oil change. It will stop making you paranoid.
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Old Jan 13, 2006 | 10:36 AM
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Well i already changed the oil and but the side effects of him adding to much are still their.
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Old Jan 13, 2006 | 10:42 AM
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im not sure about rotaries but when you put too much oil in a piston engine, it starts burning bad and youll have a batman style smokescreen following you for DAYS. It also ***** your cats.
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Old Jan 13, 2006 | 10:44 AM
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Originally Posted by purerx7
Well i already changed the oil and but the side effects of him adding to much are still their.

Rule number 2 in owning an FD. Dont let any friend work on or drive your car. lol
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Old Jan 13, 2006 | 12:28 PM
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Originally Posted by purerx7
WARNING, to much oil DOES cause damage. Ask me how I know It forces oil through places where it should not be and it blew my turbo seal on the turbos. Now my car idles funny and has some other problems that were non-existent before I added to much oil.
same with mine, when i got back home form NC I had no place to change my oil so I went to a oil change place. They left the old oil in and put in another 3.5 qts. AS I drove off I noticed the oil pressure spike some and then it drove like I had lost the motor. Took off the intercooler pipes and such and there was actually a small puddle in my intercooler!
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