GTA6T7

Well, I can't explain why I did it but I overfilled my oil after the last oil change. I drove the car about 1/2 mile at low speed before I realized what I had done. I syphoned about a quart and a half out. I then drove that car for about a half hour and everything looked good. The gauge was good and the dip stick was halfway up the spiral when the car was fully warmed. I parked the car for a couple weeks. This morning I decided to go for a drive. I noticed that there was a lot (maybe 1/8 quart of oil on the garage floor. I could see it was dripping from the engine cover. I drove the car thinking I needed to burn it off. The car ran fine. When I returned I pulled the engine cover and it was very wet with oil. Looking at the engine the rear bottom of the engine was wet and in place dripping with oil around the valve covers and the vents. The front of the engine was dry. I cleaned everything off and ran the engine at idle on jack stands. Everything is dry.

I am hoping this was an overfill situation and the car has purged some oil and not something more serious. I'd appreciate any experience and advice. Thanks

95_993

If it's on the right side, it's likely you may have spilled some oil while filling as well. The oil likely ran down the engine tin and along the right side of the engine. A slight overfill doesn't usually cause any damage other that some getting into the intake and smoking a little.

GTA6T7

It's possible I spilled oil when syphoning the oil out of the fill tube. I can't say it was on the right. By the time I saw it, it was dripped out of the opening in the engine cover.

GJSPIN

First, pull that engine cover off and clean it thoroughly along with the under carriage (heat exchanger),etc. This will take a fair amount of time to get all the oil off. You also want to look in the engine compartment where you siphoned it as that needs to be cleaned too. If not oil will continue to seep onto the right heat exchanger. Now that you have the engine cover off LEAVE IT OFF AND STORE IT. Plenty of threads on RL on the merits of leaving it off and with you living in HOT SW FL that's reason in itself. Good luck with all!

pp000830

Hi GTA,
The result of an oil overfill is the excess oil is ingested into the intake and may contribute to the clogging of the emissions air injection system located by the exhaust valves. Problems caused by overfilling are the result of constantly overfilling the oil. One incident is really of little consequence. Don't worry too much, just drive the car and avoid overfilling it going forward.
Andy

SwayBar

I would not recommend doing this. Those threads showed nothing definitive with zero proof that removing the cover is good.

With the cover in-place, high-speed air-flow under the engine is maintained which then creates a low-pressure zone, or partial-vacuum, under the engine. This vacuum will then help suck air thru the engine, working with and aiding the high-pressure created by the fan.

The end-result is more air-flow past the cylinders in a given amount of time, thus improving cooling efficiency versus removing the tray.

GJSPIN

First, Tony Callas at PCA clearly recommends this. While the cover may have been designed that way the reality is at slow speeds and stop and go traffic the heat is trapped in there. Last, there is NO DISPUTE that leaving in place helps to conceal leaks.

GTA6T7

I cleaned everything and went for a long drive today. No oil leaks... I mean just the usual oil leaks that were there pre-overfill :-). Seems like no harm was done. The oil on the floor of the garage and in the pan must have been spillage from my syphoning the oil out when I noticed the overfill. Thanks for the help.

pp000830

Both are very good points!
I Have left the cover off on my car for the last 14 years as it makes changing the oil the last 14 times a bit easier.
I have noticed a dent in one of the oil return tubes that has resulted in a very small oil weep. This probably was caused by the impact of road debris the cover would have protected the engine from.
Andy ;-)

993-4Me

thanks pp000830. Just overfilled my first time in 10 yrs... duh. was wondering.

GTA6T7

Don't be surprised if it leaks oil over a period of weeks. I cannot explain it but it happened to me. When I looked from the top down, I could see no standing oil on top the pan. It was dry when looking from the bottom up also. Two weeks later... puddle (maybe two cups worth) on the garage floor. Somehow the pan held that oil until the car sat at a certain angle and then let it drip down.