Guest bastaad525 Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 One more oil related question here This is one I've wondered ever since I had my first car but never got around to asking anyone... what happens or what are the potential problems caused by too much oil in the crankcase? Seems every time I got to Jiffy Lube these idiots dont know how to read a dipstick and overfill it. Even this last time I told the guy just put four quarts and let ME top it off later (I had brought my own bottles of oil) but somehow he 'forgot'. Anyways it's not overfull too badly, he put 4.75 out of the 5 quarts I brought, which seems to be about a 1/4 quart too much, maybe a 1/4" above the H line. I'm not too worried that this amount would be a problem... should I be???? Wondering if I should go 'ask' them to drain some out. But anyways I have always wondered... how much is REALLY too much, and what starts happening when you do put that amount or more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denny411 Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 The big concern should be when the oil level is high enough to reach either the front and rear seal, OR if it is over the pan gasket level. This problem can be compounded when the crank rotates andwhips up the oil. Not only can this airiate the oil which makes it much less effective. It can also force oil past the seals and through the gasket. You are probably better off changing your oil yourself. If you think about it, there is probably a reason these guys are changing oil and not doing the more complicated work on cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drewz Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 My brothers supercharged MR2 got drastically overfiled and he hydrauliced the motor. meaning basically that the motor built up so much pressure internally and the stress on hte internal parts from sloshing around in that much oil roasted the internals. Got a free engine but who puts 7 liters in a MR2??? lol. Seriuos damage can happen but for the small amount your talking about I would get them to drain it off a bit and double check it again. I wouldn't worry too much but get it fixed though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philiow313 Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 You are probably better off changing your oil yourself. If you think about it' date=' there is probably a reason these guys are changing oil and not doing the more complicated work on cars. [/quote'] I used to work at a place similar to Jiffy Lube, but we were rated #1 in the county. I was 16 at the time. I was one of those guys. I left there because now I DO do the more complicated work on cars. I'm a service tech at the Chrysler dealer here. I will be 18 at the end of the week. Not all "these guys" make mistakes like that. Please don't generalize. As for your question, just go back and have the guys drain a little out if your that worried, and if they drain out too much have them put more in until it's at the FULL line at their cost. Next time change it yourself and save the hassle and money. It's worth the mental insurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 so 1/4 quart over the "H" mark is something to worry about then? I have no idea if that's high enough to reach the seals or pan gasket..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruxGNZ Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 Just as long as you don't do what my sister did with her first car, a '80's Dodge Colt. She knew her car was low on oil, so she topped it off... to the top of the valve cover. She had no idea what she was doing, because nobody ever told her how to, we just assumed she knew. She used most of a brand new case of Mobil oil. She said, "it looked like one of those planes flying over a field, you know, for the bugs." She is much smarter know. !M! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denny411 Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 Sorry for the overgeneralization. I`m sure everyone has to start somewhere. I guess my comment is more directed to the "career oil changer" 1/4 of a qt. over shouldn`t be a problem. In fact 1 full qt shouldn`t cause any problems, but better safe than sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drewz Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 Reread the posts bastaad. Noone said that 1/4 of a liter wuld be a problem. Just go back and tell them to drain some off. Why should you get dirty for their mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 Yeah, you gotta watch out for the oil change only type places sometimes. I know of a place that once spent so much time under a viper gawking at it they drained the oil and forgot to put any back in=lawsuit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drewz Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 I worked at Mr. Lube here quite some time ago and was amazed how naive some of the "techs" were when it came to cars. I was a motor head so when I applied for the job they hired me right away. Didn't mind working there but the commissioned sales did bother me. Pushed a little too hard. But the pay was good. Always check your own oil level after thoguh. It is -32 C right now and had my oil changed and went a few blocks and puled over to check it myself. PEACE OF MIND!!! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 well from now on I will bring my own oil anyways and I can get the synthetic cheaper if I just pick it up myself. I also need to bring my own filter as they're just using fram's rebadged as Penzoil. Next time, if I can't do it myself and have to take it someplace I'll just give them four quarts and say that's all I got and top it off later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Juday Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 Is there such a thing as a "career" oil changer? Driving a van as an A/C service tech for my old company we would rack up a thousand miles a week. So every month I would have to take it into (pick-a-name) Oil Lube for a quick oil change. Without exception there would be a whole new crew every month. Dedicated managers would last two to three months tops. After a while I sensed that these places were re-entry job opportunities for those resently released from the big house. More than once they tried to sell me a new oil pan plug because "I" had stripped the threads on the current one. "Check your records", I'd say. "You are the only guys who change the oil in this van. You're buying the plug". I do all the oil changes on my cars and trucks. 8) P.S. No offence to all the top notch, conscientious oil change techs out there. I know you're out there doing a great job. Most of the time I got excellent service. Jusy sharing my personal experiance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bastaad525 Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 they just stripped the plug for the level check hole on my tranny too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drewz Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 Well unless they noticed it was damaged before touching it and told you its covered under that new insurance called "YO FAULT!!!"lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 240zxt Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 NEVER go to a Jiffy Lube or any place like that. If you really dont want to change it yourself, at least go to a respectable place and pay the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David K Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 ever hear those beer commercials on the radio? "this one goes out to all the oil and filter drainer and filler uppers" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aaron Posted January 26, 2004 Share Posted January 26, 2004 The first Nissan engine my dad (Nissan Master Tech) ever rebuilt with less than 200,000 miles was in a 200SX that had been to a quick oil change the day it siezed. They left the filter loose enough that all the oil drained out on the way home. I would not let one of those places touch my car with a ten foot pole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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