Driving With Too Much Oil...

[number2301 1 1 Cars]

Done a search but didn't find anything conclusive so wanted to ask if driving about with too much oil in will do massive harm considering that its leaking anyway and I'll be rebuilding or replacing the engine in the summer?

[Jonmurgie 2]

What engine and how much more oil have you put in?! Some people recommend putting in a little more oil to help with starvation on corners (think that may just be Mi's though)

[number2301 1 1 Cars]

XU9 8v, and about as much too much as the distance between min and max on the dipstick!

[Jonmurgie 2]

Well it takes about 1 litre to take the dip stick from min to max... so maybe a litre too much... can't you just drain a bit of the oil off?

[easypug 0]

Because theres more oil in the system it creates more pressure. This would put more pressure on the seals in the engine so as you say it already leaks i would expect it to leak more if you carry on topping up the oil really high. Why don't you just replace the seal if you know where its leaking from instead of spending X amount on oil untill the summer!?

[number2301 1 1 Cars]

Haven't got a sump plug key at the moment, guess I'll have to track one down unless someone knows of another way to get it out?

[jonah 1]

Because theres more oil in the system it creates more pressure.

No it doesn't, oil level has nothing to do with oil pressure (unless it's so low that the pump is sucking up air!), at least not directly...

 

I think the problem with overfilling with oil is that the crank will meet the oil in the sump, and at high revs will froth up the oil. Froth won't pump or lubricate as well as oil so there's a risk of engine damage...

[easypug 0]

No it doesn't, oil level has nothing to do with oil pressure (unless it's so low that the pump is sucking up air!), at least not directly...

 

I think the problem with overfilling with oil is that the crank will meet the oil in the sump, and at high revs will froth up the oil. Froth won't pump or lubricate as well as oil so there's a risk of engine damage...

 

So there's no truth in added risk of blowing seals with more oil added then? Wouldn't crankcase pressure increase as there's less area due to the extra oil which could lead to crank seals or rings failing ?

[ashley peddle 3]

it will smoke LOTS given any sort of stick (speaking from expreience!)

 

sump plug sockets are about £2 from halfords

[steve@cornwall 100]

won't that much oil find it's way into the breather system and on into the air intake ? due to the level of oil in the sump and the position of the filler/breather

[number2301 1 1 Cars]

Because theres more oil in the system it creates more pressure. This would put more pressure on the seals in the engine so as you say it already leaks i would expect it to leak more if you carry on topping up the oil really high. Why don't you just replace the seal if you know where its leaking from instead of spending X amount on oil untill the summer!?

 

I took it to a garage about it leaking and they said it was leaking from all over basically, headgasket, sump pan and others. Said it'd need taking apart to sort out properly. Which is why I'm waiting to get it sorted out

 

sump plug sockets are about £2 from halfords

 

cheers for that, I'd not had any luck previously at local car places, are they a universal thing or does anyone know the size?

Edited April 4, 2006 by number2301

[jonah 1]

Ok, thought you meant oil pressure rather than crankcase pressure.

 

So yes, if the oil level is so high that it's covering the crankcase ventilation point then it could block the breather system and cause the crankcase to pressurise.

 

Isn't there an extra breather on the cam cover though? Which should still let the engine breathe even if the lower one is blocked? Can't picture where that pipe goes to though.

[MartinM 0]

<<I took it to a garage about it leaking and they said it was leaking from all over basically,>>

 

Well it sounds like if you just wait a bit you won't have any excess

 

"leaking all over" doessn't sound a very precise description - do YOU think it is leaking all over???

[number2301 1 1 Cars]

From my inexperienced look and other people I know looking I'd say it sounds about right . I wouldn't have thought he'd be lying seeing as he told me not to get it done at a garage.

[Leon 24]

Done this myself, overfilled by accident.

 

Most of the excess oil will be pushed up through the breather hoses, into the inlet tract and BLURGH out the exhaust which will make people flash their lights at you on the Motorway On town runs the car isn't at high revs long enough for this to happen.

 

Also if it's too full the oil will push past the cam oil seal and get into your distributor. You'll drop onto 2 cylinders more than likely (feel like an awful misfire, as if half the engine has been switched off - which it has!)

The new seal is pretty cheap, I took the dizzy off, and used parrafin to wash all the oil out before re-attaching it.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

are they a universal thing or does anyone know the size?

8mm square drive for the XU sump, you can get a universal kit with them in.

 

Any motor factors should be able to get you one.

 

Graham.

[davev 1]

you could give it a better check by cleaning the engine, then giving it a once over(or get the garage to). becuase if its just say, a bad rocker cover leak then oil will be every where.

 

at least then you will know whats leaking and how much.

 

dave.

[gti_al 1]

Haven't got a sump plug key at the moment, guess I'll have to track one down unless someone knows of another way to get it out?

 

I couldn't find mine the other day... I ended up just undoing the temperature (?) sensor (next to the sump plug) and it was/is fine.

[number2301 1 1 Cars]

I'll have a look for that, didn't see one last time I was down there!

 

Davev, the engine was cleaned and the prognosis was oil leak from the HG, sump pan and numerous other places. Its not something I'm able to do (oil changes and brake pads are about my limit) or have the funds to sort out just yet!

[jackherer 543]

if you unscrew a door handle in your house (!) the square cross section rod that its attached to will undo a sump plug

[number2301 1 1 Cars]

Just tried that and the metal was too soft

[Ahl 4]

lol.

 

An extra litre in the sump of an XU should make no difference at all.

It raises the height of the oil a miniscule amount and the breather point and crank sit high above it anyway.

[number2301 1 1 Cars]

Are you sure? So I could drive over to Halfords to get a socket with no worries?

[jack biscuit 0]

i've got too much in mine at the moment, it's slower.. but it doesn't do the high rev smokescreen thing like water vw's do.. which is ironic as the high rev smoke screen was what i was after as i just topped up blindly and my oil plug key was approx two miles away.

 

You'll live kiddo.

 

(car'll be fooked though)

 

(AHHHHH! Only kidding)