How much damage can overfilling an engine with oil cause ? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

ZZT86 · 04-02-2014, 07:21 AM

Recently my Toyota dealer somehow overfilled the sump with 1.25L of Castrol Edge 0W20, YEP you read correctly - 1.25 litres. I dunno how they managed that but it happened. Upon pickup of the car I started it & immediately could smell oil burning like if spilled on to a hot exhaust. I drove 42kms before parking it in my garage, let it sit for at least 10min & checked the dipstick - it was WAY over. I double checked @ 30min and got same. Took pics of dipstick & emailed to dealer. I then proceeded to dump the excess oil for fear of damage & got it level to full line.

Question is how much is too much oil & how long before serious permanent damage is done to the engine ? I drove freeway for about 30kms then a few simple 60kmh backroads for the remaining 12kms say, took it fairly gently as I was on holidays & little traffic. Car drove OK although I noticed it was a little less peppy & didn't blow smoke etc, no spilling was evident on anything so the smell came from engine.

I have everything documented via email with pictures I took of that extra oil overfill & dipstick etc. Car is fine now, power back to normal although I'm not sure if any damage could be done to the bearings after a gentle 42kms drive with possible aeration of the oil, low oil pressure & below normal oil protection & shear levels.

Would love to hear what you guys think. Thanks

Trac Toy · 04-02-2014, 07:40 AM

Can be just as bad as low oil as it can whipped and frothed by the crank, therefore has air entrapped in it as it gets pumped through.

Air gaps are not good for the bearings. Premature wear etc.

I'd suggest coming up with a way of getting the extra out without making a mess... Or if your unable take it back and let the dealership do it.

ZZT86 · 04-03-2014, 07:41 PM

I dumped the excess as soon as I got home so all OK after that. But what about the 42k's I initially drove with all that excess oil ?

Trac Toy · 04-03-2014, 07:44 PM

I wouldn't worry about it too much. It's unlikely you were abusing it enough to really cause problems. Just glad to hear you took care of the issue quickly.

ZZT86 · 04-03-2014, 10:24 PM

Yeah, I'm just fussy that way - I mean I don't trust dealers to get the oil level right so I check it as soon as I get home. A lesson for everyone - ALWAYS check the oil level after an oil change & preferably after a decent drive with oil up to temp.

Gilwith1l · 04-03-2014, 10:37 PM

I never let the dealer change my oil . They let all the trainees do that

Tornado86 · 04-04-2014, 11:52 PM

thought usually dipstick should only be read at such time that car has not been driven, otherwise will usually show more. ( ie older cars at least)

the burning smell could of just been some spilt oil that was heated up on block

doesnt sound too serious but good that you're weary of what happened...

MasterofNim · 04-16-2014, 06:40 AM

Happened to me as well. 1 litre over the full mark. I didn't check my oil for quite a while and then went "oh crap". They did it with my previous car also. I will now always check the oil and wheel nuts before leaving the dealer. I had wheel nuts not tightened after getting a new set of tyres at a tyre place once and won't trust anyone.

ZZT86 · 04-17-2014, 07:04 AM

Yeah, this might be a good idea from now on with me at least when dealer does any servicing & that is to check the oil level on flat surface before starting & leaving there. It's pathetic really, you pay these people to service your car & they can't even fill the engine the correct measure of oil !

alan.chalkley · 04-17-2014, 08:24 AM

It is also good to check that the sump plug and oil filter are tightened correctly.
One of my friends lost his sump plug when driving and another lost the oil filter when driving.
The end results were not pretty.

ZZT86 · 04-17-2014, 09:48 AM

Unbelievable !

ZZT86 · 04-24-2014, 02:05 AM

Anyone else with their opinions ?

04-02-2014, 07:21 AM	#1
ZZT86 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: BR86 Location: Location Posts: 841 Thanks: 310 Thanked 146 Times in 114 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	How much damage can overfilling an engine with oil cause ? Recently my Toyota dealer somehow overfilled the sump with 1.25L of Castrol Edge 0W20, YEP you read correctly - 1.25 litres. I dunno how they managed that but it happened. Upon pickup of the car I started it & immediately could smell oil burning like if spilled on to a hot exhaust. I drove 42kms before parking it in my garage, let it sit for at least 10min & checked the dipstick - it was WAY over. I double checked @ 30min and got same. Took pics of dipstick & emailed to dealer. I then proceeded to dump the excess oil for fear of damage & got it level to full line. Question is how much is too much oil & how long before serious permanent damage is done to the engine ? I drove freeway for about 30kms then a few simple 60kmh backroads for the remaining 12kms say, took it fairly gently as I was on holidays & little traffic. Car drove OK although I noticed it was a little less peppy & didn't blow smoke etc, no spilling was evident on anything so the smell came from engine. I have everything documented via email with pictures I took of that extra oil overfill & dipstick etc. Car is fine now, power back to normal although I'm not sure if any damage could be done to the bearings after a gentle 42kms drive with possible aeration of the oil, low oil pressure & below normal oil protection & shear levels. Would love to hear what you guys think. Thanks Last edited by ZZT86; 06-11-2014 at 01:38 AM. Reason: typo

04-02-2014, 07:40 AM	#2
Trac Toy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Drives: 2013 FR-S Location: Durham Region, Canukistan. Posts: 506 Thanks: 224 Thanked 154 Times in 111 Posts Mentioned: 13 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Can be just as bad as low oil as it can whipped and frothed by the crank, therefore has air entrapped in it as it gets pumped through. Air gaps are not good for the bearings. Premature wear etc. I'd suggest coming up with a way of getting the extra out without making a mess... Or if your unable take it back and let the dealership do it. __________________ .o0+Eric+0o. 2016 Chrysler 200S 3.6 2013 FRS 6MT

04-03-2014, 07:44 PM	#4
Trac Toy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Drives: 2013 FR-S Location: Durham Region, Canukistan. Posts: 506 Thanks: 224 Thanked 154 Times in 111 Posts Mentioned: 13 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I wouldn't worry about it too much. It's unlikely you were abusing it enough to really cause problems. Just glad to hear you took care of the issue quickly. __________________ .o0+Eric+0o. 2016 Chrysler 200S 3.6 2013 FRS 6MT

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04-03-2014, 07:41 PM	#3
ZZT86 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: BR86 Location: Location Posts: 841 Thanks: 310 Thanked 146 Times in 114 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I dumped the excess as soon as I got home so all OK after that. But what about the 42k's I initially drove with all that excess oil ?

04-03-2014, 10:24 PM	#5
ZZT86 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: BR86 Location: Location Posts: 841 Thanks: 310 Thanked 146 Times in 114 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Yeah, I'm just fussy that way - I mean I don't trust dealers to get the oil level right so I check it as soon as I get home. A lesson for everyone - ALWAYS check the oil level after an oil change & preferably after a decent drive with oil up to temp.

04-03-2014, 10:37 PM	#6
Gilwith1l Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Drives: stock brz. saving my money for ls1 Location: central Jersey Posts: 129 Thanks: 91 Thanked 34 Times in 21 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I never let the dealer change my oil . They let all the trainees do that

04-04-2014, 11:52 PM	#7
Tornado86 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Drives: stock 86 GTS Location: Sydney Posts: 14 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	thought usually dipstick should only be read at such time that car has not been driven, otherwise will usually show more. ( ie older cars at least) the burning smell could of just been some spilt oil that was heated up on block doesnt sound too serious but good that you're weary of what happened...

04-16-2014, 06:40 AM	#8
MasterofNim Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Drives: 2013 86 GTS C7P AT Location: Brisbane Posts: 9 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Happened to me as well. 1 litre over the full mark. I didn't check my oil for quite a while and then went "oh crap". They did it with my previous car also. I will now always check the oil and wheel nuts before leaving the dealer. I had wheel nuts not tightened after getting a new set of tyres at a tyre place once and won't trust anyone.

04-17-2014, 07:04 AM	#9
ZZT86 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: BR86 Location: Location Posts: 841 Thanks: 310 Thanked 146 Times in 114 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Yeah, this might be a good idea from now on with me at least when dealer does any servicing & that is to check the oil level on flat surface before starting & leaving there. It's pathetic really, you pay these people to service your car & they can't even fill the engine the correct measure of oil !

04-17-2014, 08:24 AM	#10
alan.chalkley Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Drives: 4wd zooks Location: Sydney / Australia Posts: 495 Thanks: 135 Thanked 167 Times in 108 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	It is also good to check that the sump plug and oil filter are tightened correctly. One of my friends lost his sump plug when driving and another lost the oil filter when driving. The end results were not pretty.

04-17-2014, 09:48 AM	#11
ZZT86 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: BR86 Location: Location Posts: 841 Thanks: 310 Thanked 146 Times in 114 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Unbelievable !

04-24-2014, 02:05 AM	#12
ZZT86 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: BR86 Location: Location Posts: 841 Thanks: 310 Thanked 146 Times in 114 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Anyone else with their opinions ?

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