Have you heard of the saying that says too much of anything is bad? Too much of anything is bad for humans, and the same is likened to your car engine.
A car engine cannot run without engine oil, but adding excess oil to your engine can cause hazardous effects. Engine oil is a vital lubricant to cushion the engine parts and keep them neat and clean, diminish friction of the moving parts, and avoid overheating.
Hence, it is imperative to do a scheduled oil change.
Excess oil in a car can cause engine oil overfill problems such as clogged catalytic converters, fouled spark plugs, or engine damage.
This is why it is important to know overfill engine oil symptoms and take the necessary steps to fix them before they escalate to bigger problems. This article will discuss oil levels too high symptoms and how to fix them at length.
What Happens If You Overfill Engine Oil?
Adding too much engine oil in the car can cause the oil to froth and create air pockets, preventing it from properly lubricating the engine components.
As a result, your engine may experience increased wear and tear and decreased power and efficiency. In some cases, overfilling engine oil can even cause the engine to fail or lead to costly repairs.
Some other potential problems include:
#1. Engine Damage.
In extreme cases, overfilling can lead to severe engine damage. The excess oil can interfere with the crankshaft’s rotation, causing it to come into contact with the oil. This can lead to increased friction, heat, and potential engine failure.
#2. Aeration and Foaming.
Overfilled oil can cause the crankshaft to whip the oil into a froth, leading to aeration and foaming. This reduces the oil’s ability to lubricate and cool the engine components effectively.
#3. Increased Oil Pressure.
Overfilling can raise the oil pressure inside the engine. Excessive oil pressure may damage oil seals and gaskets, leading to leaks.
#4. Oil Leaks.
High oil levels can force excess oil past the piston rings and into the combustion chamber. This can result in oil burning, fouled spark plugs, and increased emissions. Oil may also leak from seals and gaskets, causing a mess and potentially damaging other engine components.
#5. Reduced Engine Performance.
Overfilled oil can cause increased resistance in the rotating components, leading to a decrease in engine performance and fuel efficiency.
#6. Damage to Seals and Gaskets.
Overfilling may cause excessive pressure on engine seals and gaskets, leading to leaks and potential engine damage.
#7. Catalytic Converter Damage.
If excessive oil is burned in the combustion chamber, it can contaminate the catalytic converter, reducing its effectiveness and potentially causing damage.
How much oil does your car take?
The amount of oil car engines require is roughly between 4 and 8 litres. This differs greatly between vehicles, though generally:
- Four-cylinder engines need around 4.5 litres of oil.
- Six-cylinder engines use around 5.5 litres of oil.
- Eight-cylinder engines require between 4.5 to 7.5 litres.
Always know the exact volume of oil your vehicle needs before topping up or changing. To find out how much motor oil your car requires, check the lubrication section in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.
The amount of oil required should be listed in litres next to the type of oil your engine needs.
Overfill Engine oil symptoms
Several symptoms will pop up when you overfill your engine oil. The common overfill engine oil symptom is white smoke with a grey or blue tint.
You may see excess white smoke coming from your exhaust tailpipe due to too much oil that slips into the combustion chamber. However, there are other symptoms that you may notice.
#1. The smell of burning engine oil.
When you overfill engine oil, it will start looking for a way to escape. As a result, the oil may creep on hot engine components and burn. The smell of burning engine oil can be unpleasantly pungent. Suppose you smell it; there is a leak in the engine compartment.
#2. Oil puddle underneath your vehicle.
High oil pressure resulting from excess oil can damage weak seals and leak out. You may see a puddle of engine oil under your car, especially after an oil change. The oil leak can come from the dipstick compartment.
#3. High oil pressure.
High oil pressure indicates that the engine oil is not flowing as it should, and it’s not lubricating engine parts correctly.
An engine that lacks proper lubrication can suffer engine wear due to friction, damage to internal engine components, and in the worst scenario, it can lead to engine Knocking.
However, not all vehicles have an oil pressure indicator, but those with the indicator may display a high oil pressure light if the oil is overfilled.
#4. Engine misfire, Rough Idling, and stalling.
If you overfill engine oil by 1liter or above, you risk frothing the engine oil due to connecting rod and crankshaft whipping oil into it. This will cause fouled plugs and lead to rough idling and engine misfire.
#5. Fluctuating Oil gauge.
If your dashboard oil gauge wiggles back and forth between empty and full, it may indicate an overfill engine oil. The gauge is designed to work properly within a certain level, so when the oil goes above that range, it will lead to a confused gauge.
#6. Overheating Engine.
Too much oil in the engine will turn to foamy oil and lose its lubricating power. Insufficient lubrication inside the engine compartment increases friction and leads to engine overheating.
#7. Noisy Driving.
This is one of the last symptoms that will pop up when you overfill and drive your vehicle for a long. The sound of metal-to-metal rubbing can be unpleasant. An overfilled engine will develop a screech, grind, or groan sound after long use.
#8. Poor acceleration or weak acceleration.
Overfilled engine oil can creep through the piston rings and soak the spark plugs, leading to greasy plugs and causing weak acceleration.
#9. The car won’t start.
whether you’re using synthetic or normal oil, if the spark plug is coated with too much oil and can’t provide the spark needed for the combustion process, the car won’t start.
How do you fix Overfill engine oil symptoms?
#1. Use an oil extractor
An oil extractor pump is the most accessible and efficient way to reduce overfilled engine oil. Before using this tool, ensure that your car has cooled down from its most recent activity.
Otherwise, open the hood to let hot air come out from the engine. Afterwards, work on the effects of overfilling the engine oil by removing the dipstick. This should prevent dirt and debris from entering the engine.
When setting up the pump, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. The first step should be to turn on the device after connecting this to a power source.
As the pump begins extracting the excess oil, place the oil pan in the dipstick hole to keep track of the amount of fluid that has been removed from the engine.
After the oil level has dropped to the recommended reading, turn off the oil extractor. The vehicle should now run smoothly, although its performance will still depend on how the extraction process has affected the moving parts.
#2. Manual Draining
This method is not always recommended to every car owner or mechanic because you have to slide under your vehicle to drain the oil.
If the engine oil gets overfilled and you decide to manually drain the excess fluid, you will need a jack, jack stands, and a socket that matches the oil sump.
To ensure safety, lift the vehicle off the ground and slide the oil pan under it. Grab the socket and use it to remove either the entire oil sump or just half of it.
A good idea is to first decide how much excess oil you want to remove. before you place the oil pan under the sump.
Before torquing the sump, take out the dipstick to check if the oil level is in the standard reading.
Use this as reference when you begin draining the excess oil until the dipstick shows an average reading. If the oil level is lower than usual though, it might be time to top off the engine oil.
FAQs.
1. What will happen if I overfill engine oil?
It increased pressure, oil leaks, and engine damage, ultimately reducing performance and efficiency.
2. How do you fix an overfilled engine oil issue?
To resolve this, drain the excess oil, check the levels with the dipstick, and replace the oil filter if necessary.
3. Is it safe to drive with excess oil in the engine?
No, driving with overfilled oil can severely harm your engine and other components. Fix it immediately!
4. Can too much oil damage your engine?
Yes, excessive oil can cause aeration, overheating, and issues with the crankshaft, which can result in costly repairs.
5. What are the symptoms of overfilled oil?
Overfilled oil includes the check engine light illuminating, blue or white exhaust smoke, oil leaks, and unusual engine noises.
Final word
Overfilled engine oil is a significant concern that can cause catastrophic engine damage. You need to ensure the engine oil stays close to the full level.
However, Overfilled engine oil by 200ml will not cause any damage. In any case, do not exceed the full mark. You need to develop the habit of checking your engine oil regularly, especially after an oil change in the mechanic workshop.
Those gearheads can make mistakes; they are not machines.
Never drive your car once you notice overfilled engine oil symptoms. Suppose you notice these symptoms, pull your vehicle to one side and check the dipstick.
Some of these symptoms may overlap with other engine problems. So, it is ideal to always go for a scheduled inspection and maintenance.