Rookie Mistake

[WeekendTrackWarrior]

That seems fine at that level... you are probably not the first to do this, but I'd be curious to know what DOES happen if it is way overfilled.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by WeekendTrackWarrior

That seems fine at that level... you are probably not the first to do this, but I'd be curious to know what DOES happen if it is way overfilled.

Think it was mentions but there are a couple of things.
The big one is that if there is too much in the pan then it will make contact with moving parts that is shouldn't. This will aerate it and create bubbles (thousands of little bubbles) and since the system is not supposed to have bubbles it can cause pressure and pump issues.
The other isn't as scary but can be super messy. The system is only made to holds X amount of oil. If you try to run it with Y amount the oil IS going to come out someplace. The aeration makes this even worse since it allows the oil to pass through places it normally can't. If you are lucky it will come out on the outside of the engine. Worse case it will push past rings and seals and end up inside the engine in places where it is not supposed to be. I had a buddy once that over filled filled his Celica by 3 quarts. After a couple of miles it started to smoke like hell and then just quit. We drained the oil but when we pulled the plugs they were literally dripping in oil. No permanent damage was done though.
Now, this is in the case of extreme overfill. The OP here is fine and like some said they will add an extra quart or so on purpose.

[cmiovino]

If anything, that's pretty much exactly where you want to be on the dipstick from what I can tell. You do want to be at or just over that top hole enough that oil fills through it. This is "full" and the lower one is "low". I almost consider anywhere in between low in my head at least. There's a range, but you shouldn't be keeping it in the middle of the two dots. The engine won't explode if it's there, but you want it full at all times due to consumption, hard cornering, etc.


OP, yours looks right on the money. I run mine in both my BRZ and WRX right at that level. I have for years.

[soundman98]

it was mentioned earlier, but worth repeating:

there's the oil pan, then an upper oil pan, then the motor.

so 'overfilled' in the lower oil pan still is under the upper part. it'd take a lot more than a quart to hit high enough to get aerated oil, or into the cylinders. i would guess at least a total of 3-4 quarts more, but no one's really tried it yet...

[2020BRZtS]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Think it was mentions but there are a couple of things.
The big one is that if there is too much in the pan then it will make contact with moving parts that is shouldn't. This will aerate it and create bubbles (thousands of little bubbles) and since the system is not supposed to have bubbles it can cause pressure and pump issues.
The other isn't as scary but can be super messy. The system is only made to holds X amount of oil. If you try to run it with Y amount the oil IS going to come out someplace. The aeration makes this even worse since it allows the oil to pass through places it normally can't. If you are lucky it will come out on the outside of the engine. Worse case it will push past rings and seals and end up inside the engine in places where it is not supposed to be. I had a buddy once that over filled filled his Celica by 3 quarts. After a couple of miles it started to smoke like hell and then just quit. We drained the oil but when we pulled the plugs they were literally dripping in oil. No permanent damage was done though.
Now, this is in the case of extreme overfill. The OP here is fine and like some said they will add an extra quart or so on purpose.

We must know the same people. I had a friend who filled the oil on a '72 Nova until he could see it. I think it was 8 or 9 quarts. Same result.... it worked its way out anywhere it could and no permanent damage once it was cleaned up.