I have checked the oil level and the oil level on the dipstick is far over ‘maximum’. Should I carry out a full service?
Hi, regarding my 58 plate Ford Fiesta, yesterday I have been answered by one of the pro mechanics 'Tim' that a timing belt wouldn't necessarily need replacing if there is a ticking noise by the engine and that maybe it could be a lack of oil in the lubrication and engine system. So this morning I checked the oil level by taking out the dipstick and the oil level is far beyond the 'max' level. Would I need to empty the sump and then put in the correct amount of oil? Or should I even carry out a full service instead?
Kind Regards
My car has 84000 miles.
My car has a man
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
You should find out the reason the oil is overfull. If the oil is contaminated with water then you may have a head gasket blown. If the oil is contaminated with fuel then you may have a fuel injection system flooding the engine. Either way have the oil and filter replaced (since it may be contaminated) and the correct amount of oil put in. When you have this service done, have them check why the oil was overfilled in the first place.
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If the oil level is a little above the full mark, that shouldn`t cause problems. If it`s overfilled by half a quart or more, or foam shows on the dipstick, the best fix is to have the oil drained and refilled to the proper level.
When too much oil is added, the level in the oil pan becomes too high. That allows a fast-moving lobed rod called the crankshaft to come into contact with the oil and essentially aerate it. The result is a foamy, frothy substance that cannot properly lubricate the engine.
Use your socket wrench to start loosening the oil plug. You want the overfill oil to start trickling out slowly. Let it drip until you think you have drained enough oil, then tighten it back up. If you loosen the oil plug too far too fast, you run the risk of actually taking it out.
If you overfill your oil to the point that the crankshaft hit the oil as it spins inside the engine it will cause the oil to get entrained with air and the tiny air bubbles will reduce the ability of the oil to lubricate. That being said a half quart or less shouldn`t raise the level enough for that th be a problem.
“Too much oil can damage your engine. If you notice an overfill of oil, the excess should be drained out of the engine. Therefore, we recommend checking your dipstick regularly.”
After an oil change, do not immediately top up to the specified oil level. Instead just fill to the minimum mark. Then run the engine until the oil pressure has built up. After switching off the engine, wait a couple of minutes for the engine oil to flow back into the oil pan.
A: Overfilling an engine with oil can put additional pressure on seals and, over time, can cause an oil leak.
A conventional car can last for 200,000 miles. Some well-maintained car models will reach 300,000 or more miles total. The average passenger car age is currently around 12 years in the United States. Choosing a well-built make and model can help extend your car`s longevity.
When the oil is whipped into a froth from overfilling, very little oil gets into the motor. This oil then gets overheated and starts to break down much like the oil in an underfilled reservoir. With very little oil filtering through the engine, everything starts to overheat.
A: The dealer and manufacturer are correct that adding some oil between oil changes in a modern engine is normal, especially considering the oil is very thin — 5w-20 weight oil — and the longer 6,000-mile oil change interval.
Overfilling the oil should not cause a head gasket to give up. However, it could force some oil into the engine upper end and cause smoke. This can also come across as white in color.
When engine oil is fresh—as it is when your car is brand new or after every oil change—the oil life indicator will read 100%. From this point on, as dirt begins to accumulate during normal daily driving, the percentage begins to decline.
But never wait for the oil to reach that level. As mentioned above, change the vehicle`s oil when the oil life indicator is between 15% and 40%. Sooner or later, your engine will start showing signs of damage that could be disastrous. Properly grease your engine.
Insert the dipstick into the tube slowly and push it all the way down. Now withdraw it and look closely at the tip, which should have oil on it. If the level of the oil is between the two lines, your vehicle has enough oil. If it`s at the low mark or below, it`s time to add a quart.
Checking Your Oil Level
Many car companies will put it in print, in your owner`s manual or maintenance guide, that usage of a quart of oil every 1000 miles is in the acceptable range.
To get an idea of how much oil you need; the gap between the marks on the dipstick usually represents around 1 litre of oil, so you know that if your oil mark was at the minimum, you need around a litre to top it up. If it`s only halfway down, you probably need around half a litre.
How much oil is too much on dipstick? Any more than about an eight of an inch above the full mark. If it read more than an eight of an inch the excess oil could cause damage to your engine seals.
How much oil is too much on dipstick? Any more than about an eight of an inch above the full mark. If it read more than an eight of an inch the excess oil could cause damage to your engine seals.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
I have checked the oil level and the oil level on the dipstick is far over ‘maximum’. Should I carry out a full service?
ANSWER : You should find out the reason the oil is overfull. If the oil is contaminated with water then you may have a head gasket blown. If the oil is contaminated with fuel then you may have a fuel injection system flooding the engine. Either way have the oil and filter replaced (since it may be contaminated) and the correct amount of oil put in. When you have this service done, have them check why the oil was overfilled in the first place.
Stop car check oil warning
ANSWER : This light will usually come on when one of two things are happening. Either the motor is in fact low on oil or the oil pressure sending unit is not working properly and may be producing a faulty reading. I would recommend first, to check the actual oil level in the motor by using the dipstick. Be sure the oil level reaches the "full" mark. If this registers as "full" then you likely have a faulty oil pressure sending unit. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle to determine what may be causing your low oil pressure light to come on.
Get "check your oil level" on dash info panel. Had it checked out, was told it was oil sensor and a "dealer item". Was also told t
ANSWER : Hi there. The oil sensor is not incredibly difficult to replace on a 2001 Cadillac DeVille, but can be difficult to get to without a lift. This video is for a different vehicle, but the same engine as your car, so you might want to watch this to see how it’s replaced. In regards to estimated cost, it would vary based on who is completing this service. I don’t believe this is part of our mobile service offerings at the moment, but I have forwarded your request to our sales and service team to let you know if we can and what the cost would be for this service.
No oil on dipstick and slightly lower oil pressure
ANSWER : Hello. If you are checking the oil at the dipstick and it is being added to the correct area then you more than likely have a serious internal sludge issue. If there is a lot of sludge then the oil cannot properly return to the oil pan. I typically remove the valve covers to inspect for this as there should be no other reasons why the oil would not return to the oil pan. If you need to have this problem checked out, consider having a technician from YourMechanic come to your home or office to diagnose the low oil level and make the necessary repairs.
lost all oil pressure, replaced the oil pump, low oil sensor, oil pressure sensor, oil pan gasket,
ANSWER : The fuel pump will not stay on if you loose oil pressure. This is why it is shutting off. The loss of oil pressure may be from bad crankshaft bearings or camshaft bearings. The engine oil pan should be removed and the oil pump needs to be checked to ensure that you put in the pick up tube seal to the pump and connected the pump to the block. Then remove at least one main bearing cap and inspect the bearings for excessive wear and crankshaft damage. If you need some help with this, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can help diagnose the issue with your oil pressure firsthand and help you fix it accordingly.
after replacing oil pan gasket,low oil level light stays on, but oil level and pressure are normal?
ANSWER : Bob: Thanks for your inquiry. Oil level and oil pressure are measured using separate sensing systems. If the level sensing feature stopped working at the time the pan gasket was replaced, either the level sensor was damaged, not reconnected, or the wire harness and terminal were damaged. There is a possibility that the wire harness was just never re-connected to the level sensor so check that first. If you desire that this problem be diagnosed by a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, please request a warning light diagnostic – oil level and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
changed iol in 2007 mustang, dip stick said itr was over full so iwent to drain some out and no oil in oil pan
ANSWER : Hi there. When this situation occurs, it’s typically due to one of two things. Either the filter was not replaced (which should be done every oil change) or there is an obstruction inside the oil galley’s with sludge. Also, attempting to "drain a little bit of oil" often backfires and can cause oil pressure problems. The best way to resolve this problem is to start from scratch. Remove the oil filter, drain all the oil, install the new filter and fill with the recommended amount of oil (mixed with the oil stabilizer you are using).
Low oil pressure light comes on when idle. Check engine light is on as well. Both came on after getting an oil change 3 days ago.
ANSWER : It is possible that they put in the wrong viscosity oil. In rare instances, a defective filter will also cause low pressure. If there is too much oil, it will aerate and cause low pressure. Be sure the oil level is really not above "max". The P2187 code will appear if the oil fill cap is not tight but it will also appear due to a myriad of causes because that code only "generally" identifies a lean running condition. Consequently, numerous parts would have to be tested including the O2 sensor, gas cap seal, manifold air leaks, any vacuum leak anywhere including PCV and EVAP systems, exhaust leaks, and fuel system faults such as failing fuel pump, clogged filter and more. Since the car has relatively low mileage, you would not expect a failed oil pump, although the pressure sensor (or switch) could be bad. However, the occurrence of the oil pressure warning light is quite coincidental to the oil change, thus I would suggest bringing the car back and asking them to redo with a new filter and double check the viscosity of the new oil that they use. If the problem persists after that, you will have to test actual operating oil pressure (at idle for instance) as well as the oil pressure switch. Finally, if the oil pressure warning light comes on continuously, unless the warning circuit itself is malfunctioning, that means the oil pressure is too low to operate the engine without damaging it. Anytime the light comes on for more than literally an instant, you should shut down the car and thus an issue like this obviously has to be repaired.
If you’d like, a YourMechanic certified mechanic can come to your home or place of business to inspect the vehicle and perform an oil pressure light is on inspection to diagnose the vehicle and suggest potential repairs.
