overfilling oil -possible probs?
Discussion
I just checked the oil level on the wifes Passat TDI 130 after it had been serviced by the local VW garage. I was a bit miffed to note it was overfilled by about a 1/2 litre.
I am intending to take it back to get it drained to the correct level, but wondered if there were any other short/long term problems this might cause?
I am intending to take it back to get it drained to the correct level, but wondered if there were any other short/long term problems this might cause?
The same happened when I had my company VW in for a service once. Emission control light came on after a few hundred miles - I checked the oil and it was filled to a bend in the stick as opposed to the 'hatched' area (over half an inch too high). Useless..
If I owned the car I would have it drained to the correct level asap, or it could foul up something sensitive.
Chris.
If I owned the car I would have it drained to the correct level asap, or it could foul up something sensitive.
Chris.
petercam said:
I just checked the oil level on the wifes Passat TDI 130 after it had been serviced by the local VW garage. I was a bit miffed to note it was overfilled by about a 1/2 litre.
I am intending to take it back to get it drained to the correct level, but wondered if there were any other short/long term problems this might cause?
word of warning! my cousin overfilled his passat TDI 130 and it seized! be careful
petercam said:
I just checked the oil level on the wifes Passat TDI 130 after it had been serviced by the local VW garage. I was a bit miffed to note it was overfilled by about a 1/2 litre.
I am intending to take it back to get it drained to the correct level, but wondered if there were any other short/long term problems this might cause?
Unless you fill the thing right to the top you should not get too many problems. Excessive oil pressure can put strain on the seals. Having too much in the sump gives the crank less room to splash around and may lead to localised high pressure areas and an increase in the work and therefore temperature of the engine.
I suppose if you filled the thing up to the piston crowns you may get lockup, but I would expect oil to be spuring out the breather and every where else before that happened.
My bro managed to run his 1 L Polo for 3 years over filled by and inch because of the design of the dip stick, or because he was a dip stick. Car is still fine 5 years later and being driven by Mrs Z.
Z
z_chromozone said:
I just checked the oil level on the wifes Passat TDI 130 after it had been serviced by the local VW garage. I was a bit miffed to note it was overfilled by about a 1/2 litre.
I am intending to take it back to get it drained to the correct level, but wondered if there were any other short/long term problems this might cause?
I suppose if you filled the thing up to the piston crowns you may get lockup, but I would expect oil to be spuring out the breather and every where else before that happened.
my cousin is a total numpty of the highest order so it would not surprise me if this were the case....I frequently run my mini with oil 1cm over the max mark on long journeyss because it burns it all up by the end of the run anyway
I did the same a week ago.
See here:
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=23&h=&t=151127
OK, it was petrol not diesel, but that will make no difference in this instance.
Oli.
P.S. To add - all is fine!
See here:
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=23&h=&t=151127
OK, it was petrol not diesel, but that will make no difference in this instance.
Oli.
P.S. To add - all is fine!
overfilling a diesel engine can be very bad, last week we had a vauxhall astra tdi come into the workshop with a hole in the crankcase. The young lady could not understand why this had happened as she had just "topped the oil up" (she had put way to much oil in)as she drove onto the motorway (engine revs/load increased) oil was drawn through the engine breather system into the intake manifold and on into the combustion chamber were it burnt, the engine revs inreased as the extra fuel (oil) burnt creating a viscous circle (engine speed increased= more oil enters combustion chamber=engine revs increase) until very quickly the engine speed is way beyond its limits and something gives (conrod in this case).
spannerman said:
overfilling a diesel engine can be very bad, last week we had a vauxhall astra tdi come into the workshop with a hole in the crankcase. The young lady could not understand why this had happened as she had just "topped the oil up" (she had put way to much oil in)as she drove onto the motorway (engine revs/load increased) oil was drawn through the engine breather system into the intake manifold and on into the combustion chamber were it burnt, the engine revs inreased as the extra fuel (oil) burnt creating a viscous circle (engine speed increased= more oil enters combustion chamber=engine revs increase) until very quickly the engine speed is way beyond its limits and something gives (conrod in this case).
Absolutely Spannerman,
Many customers really are not aware of the dangers of diesels running on their own oil vapour; it is a bloody terrifying experience and can result in a dreadful accident.
The engine goes completely out of control, and if it's an automatic, you can't even get it to stall.
Overfilling a modern diesel will at least dramatically shorten the life of the cat, as it starts to burn oil and pass heavy particulates which block the tiny channels inside the cat.
If your dealer did this, crucify them!!
IOLAIRE said:
Many customers really are not aware of the dangers of diesels running on their own oil vapour; it is a bloody terrifying experience and can result in a dreadful accident.
The engine goes completely out of control, and if it's an automatic, you can't even get it to stall.
It's even scarier when you contemplate the number of turbo-diesels around. A damaged oil seal on a turbo will mean engine lubricant being jetted straight into the inlet tract...
r11co said:
Many customers really are not aware of the dangers of diesels running on their own oil vapour; it is a bloody terrifying experience and can result in a dreadful accident.
The engine goes completely out of control, and if it's an automatic, you can't even get it to stall.
It's even scarier when you contemplate the number of turbo-diesels around. A damaged oil seal on a turbo will mean engine lubricant being jetted straight into the inlet tract...
Exactly this happened to me a couple of years ago in a 306DTurbo. Scares the cr@p out of you when it happens because it is so sudden and unexpected - particularly when you turn the ignition off and the engine keeps on running at full tilt belching out smoke like you wouldn't believe
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff