Mercedes-Benz van over filled with engine oil!

[Reknaw155]

I've been getting the "engine oil: reduce engine oil level" message on a Mercedes-Benz Vito 2016. I remember it went in for a service not too long ago, anyway as it turns out one of our lads has filled the bloody thing right up with oil. Now it's not my van so if it blows up, not my problem. I've done the job of informing them.



I personally would just have it sumped out abit to be safe it's not just a little over but twice the maximum marking. You wouldn't drive around all day in your car you wrongly filled so why do it to a lease van?

Anyway what I'm asking is - looking at the picture how bad could this damage the engine, down the line? And what sort of signs should I look for?

And is there an easy way to DIY sump it? If anything went wrong with it then it wouldn't be me at fault so I'm not overly bothered, as I've informed them.

Thanks.

[designforlife]

could you not just get a plastic tube and suck the oil out through the filler cap into a bucket placed at a lower point?

Used to change the water in my fishtank using this method, just make sure you move your mouth before it gets to your end of the tube!!!

[paintman]

Reknaw155 said:

I've been getting the "engine oil: reduce engine oil level" message on a Mercedes-Benz Vito 2016. I remember it went in for a service not too long ago, anyway as it turns out one of our lads has filled the bloody thing right up with oil. Now it's not my van so if it blows up, not my problem. I've done the job of informing them.



I personally would just have it sumped out abit to be safe it's not just a little over but twice the maximum marking. You wouldn't drive around all day in your car you wrongly filled so why do it to a lease van?

Anyway what I'm asking is - looking at the picture how bad could this damage the engine, down the line? And what sort of signs should I look for?

And is there an easy way to DIY sump it? If anything went wrong with it then it wouldn't be me at fault so I'm not overly bothered, as I've informed them.

Thanks.

Length of plastic tube down the dip stick tube & a syringe will work.
Just a query on your pic, are you sure you've got MIN and MAX the right way round?

[Reknaw155]

Idoit me lol I got min and max the wrong way. Yeah that a good idea get a plastic tube and a syringe or peptide thing and just suck it out.

I'm not using my mouth though.

[GreenV8S]

Reknaw155 said:

what sort of signs should I look for?

My main concern would be the oil coming over the windage tray (if you have one) and getting high enough to be hit by the crank. When that happens the oil will be beaten up into a froth and massively heated up, which will raise the level further making the problem worse and worse. This will degrade the oil and it's ability to lubricate. If you don't stop at this point you can expect lots of oil in the breather gas, inlet manifold oil contamination, possible run-away if this is a diesel.

Since you have a dipstick, any of the products designed to suck oil out from there would give you a quick and easy way to fix the problem without having to deal with undertrays, sump plugs, oil catch trays etc.

[PaulKemp]

Frothy oil will be full of air and even if it is pumped round the engine it will not provide the film of oil required to prevent metal to metal contact.

You can guess the rest

[finlo]

We have a couple of newish vito's at work who's oil level rises all by themselves!

[GreenV8S]

finlo said:

We have a couple of newish vito's at work who's oil level rises all by themselves!

I haven't seen it myself, but I've heard of DPF regen going wrong and causing that effect.

[Reknaw155]

Well weirdly work don't want it draining they think it'll be okay because one person said so. They'd rather take the risk.i guess. A bit stupid really since it's a new 66 plate Vito. They said as it's been into a garage that makes it okay to leave like that.

Thanks for the replies though guys.

[M32Guy]

I'd assume the van has a DPF? If so that upper mark is the level at which the oil should be changed as it's saturated with fuel from failed/interrupted regens. It's also the time to start looking at DPF faults etc. or the problem will keep reoccurring. Once the oil gets above that level a runaway engine is a likely possibility

[jeremyh1]

The merc workshops are now blowing the oil out the engine with compressed air instead of taking off the sump plug

[GreenV8S]

jeremyh1 said:

The merc workshops are now blowing the oil out the engine with compressed air instead of taking off the sump plug

That sounds like a recipe for oil leaks. Where is it supposed come out?

[bgunn]

I'll hazard a guess they're using a compressed air powered venturi to suck the oil out of the engine - it wouldn't really make sense to blow the oil out.

I never see the point - just drop the oil from the sump; the only reason you wouldn't would be a 'sealed for life' auto box or the like which has no drain plug. But then you want to get the sump off to clean the debris out, anyway.

[Pickup]

GreenV8S said:

I haven't seen it myself, but I've heard of DPF regen going wrong and causing that effect.

Seen it on Mitsubishi Outlanders and Volvo V70s, excess fuel (ECU overfuels for the regen) washing past the piston rings raises the oil level - except it's now an oil / diesel mix.

[tin duck dave]

If a dpf regeneration is interrupted, such as switching off before complete, then excess fuel can wash down past the rings into sump causing raised level. This can run the risk of level rising enough to cause engine to pick up and over-run on oil. Used to be regular issue on rental sprinter vans I maintained doing short journeys. Would strongly recommend getting it drained and do oil change to ensure not contaminated unless you are sure your guy over filled it.