Overfilling crankcase
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 659
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From: Carolina Motorsport Park
Overfilling crankcase
Don't laugh. Has anyone ever overfilled the crankcase by maybe a quart? Oil level is about 1 mm above "full" on the dipstick. The dash meter goes anywhere from full to 1 bar above full. Would this cause too much oil to go to the pistons, fouling maybe a couple of cylinders, and maybe making the "check engine" go off?
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,225
Likes: 32
From: Tobacco Road, NC
If you have an oil extractor you can just take out a little through the dip stick opening or you can just screw off the cover for the filter cartridge and empty what is in it (what is resting in the cover). Hope this helps.
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,077
Likes: 245
From: North Eastern US
There is a product called "Topsider". Most performance shops have them. It is basically a hose with container you can suck up the oil with. It was designed for changing oil from the top, hence the name. I usually keep my oil level just below the full mark. Keeps the car from blowing blue smoke at start up after a hard run.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 659
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From: Carolina Motorsport Park
Thanks everyone. But does overfilling cause the check engine light to come on? Mine is on, and the cars runs a little irregularly. Wrench and I were phone tagging figuring out if it was the clutch or emissions. All this started after I changed my oil.
Drifting
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,225
Likes: 24
From: Indiana
I don't think the CEL comes on for any problems with the clutch system. An oil over fill per se should not cause the CEL light to come on. However, if the overfill has resulted in fouling up the emissions then it would light up the CEL. Since it is an idiot light, the best way to tell what it means is to read the code from it.
Racer
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 448
Likes: 0
From: NW NJ
My dealer overfilled my MR2 Spyder which caused hesitation, smoke and - yes - a CEL every time I went above 4k. Problem went away when I took it back and they put the correct amount of oil in.
I would hazzard a guess that there may be some oil getting into the exhaust. If the CEL is on then it might have been bad enough to coat the sensor.
Bottom line though is get it back to a normal oil level and take it to a dealer to find out what the light means.
Barry
I would hazzard a guess that there may be some oil getting into the exhaust. If the CEL is on then it might have been bad enough to coat the sensor.
Bottom line though is get it back to a normal oil level and take it to a dealer to find out what the light means.
Barry
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Drifting
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,142
Likes: 4
From: San Jose, CA
A quart or less will not hurt the car. More, and oil can get sucked into the intake and you will see smoke out the exhaust as it burns.
Make sure your oil cap is on tight and the dip stick is seated as this can cause a check engine light.
Make sure your oil cap is on tight and the dip stick is seated as this can cause a check engine light.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 659
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From: Carolina Motorsport Park
ToolPants. I just checked the cap and dipstick. Both are on tight, but the oil level is probably more than a quart too much. It's past the upper line by about 3-4 mm's. My mechanic did tell me that a steady CEL meant an emissions problem, and a flashing CEL is impending doom (thought I read that somewhere either here or the manual). I will drain a couple of quarts. I have a headache.....
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 2,142
Likes: 4
From: San Jose, CA
How many quarts did you put in.
The easy way to drain out some oil without a mess is to unscrew the oil filter cannister then dump the oil in the cannister out. Oil will not come pouring out of the engine like when you remove a drain plug. Then screw the cannister back on.
The cannister holds maybe 1/3rd quart. Start the car for a few seconds so that the cannister will fill up with oil again. Check the level and if you wan to drain more then remove the cannister and repeat.
The easy way to drain out some oil without a mess is to unscrew the oil filter cannister then dump the oil in the cannister out. Oil will not come pouring out of the engine like when you remove a drain plug. Then screw the cannister back on.
The cannister holds maybe 1/3rd quart. Start the car for a few seconds so that the cannister will fill up with oil again. Check the level and if you wan to drain more then remove the cannister and repeat.
