Overfull Engine Oil Or Ok?

[Eric_Banner]

The oil on my 1.6 TDCI is just above maximum on the dipstick. It has the dipstick that has a teardrop shape on each end of the scale. The oil level when cold is showing as halfway up the top tear drop. When warm it's off the yellow marker and onto the metal.

Should I drain some out or is this amount of overfill ok? I've got no knocking noises when running and no black smoke from the exhaust. (Although not sure with dpf if I'd see any black smoke?)

Any advice appreciated. TIA.

[John2015]

Hi well that's funny you should mention that had my service and the oil was well pasted the mark so I drained a good two pints out it was running a bit rough at startup I have read that it not good to have two much oil

Sent from my iPad using Ford OC

[JamieC]

Too much oil is just as bad as too little. With regards to the smoking, black smoke is unburnt fuel and white smoke is burning oil.

[Barry T]

Hi Eric

I agree too much engine oil is not good for the car, You can buy a kit to remove the engine oil from the dipstick hole on petrol engines, never done it on diesel , its best to remove the engine oil when warm it flows more easily. Make sure the engine is not running.

Barry T

[gus607]

Too much oil is just as bad as too little. With regards to the smoking, black smoke is unburnt fuel and white smoke is burning oil.

Black smoke = Fuel

White smoke= Water

Blue smoke = oil

Too much oil = Potential Crankshaft oil Seal damge = Knackered Clutch.

[Guest]

I have been driving for 30 years, had many cars serviced by many garages.

The oil has been over the max every time! I always wonder why, never caused me any problems.

[gus607]

I've worked in the motor trade & have seen first hand what over filling with engine oil can do.

[mjt]

My 1.8HE petrol was overfilled by about 0.5litre and the wife's 1.8TDCi underfilled by about the same amount, by the same garage. I used a Pela pump to extract the surplus from the petrol engine.

I really don't like the Ford dipstick. Because it's a flexible wire the tube has to go right down into the sump and I find the moulding on the end of the wire tends to pull oil up the tube, making it difficult to read an accurate level. I don't know if other makes now also use the same design but I reckon the old rigid dipsticks were much better.

[TomsFocus]

Seems to be some confusion on exhaust smoke here!

Black is partly burnt fuel (too much fuel, not enough air, usually a boost leak).

White is totally unburnt fuel, can be oil or diesel (blown turbo seals or knackered glow plugs)

White steam is just water (normal from combustion, but a lot can be a blown headgasket)

Blue is fully burnt oil (valve stems, headgasket, piston rings)

Too much oil will find a way out through the weakest seal, but there is a tolerance built into the dipstick anyway. A couple of mm over the max mark probably won't cause any issues at all. At main dealer srvices I was tod to fill the oil right to the maximum mark as the owners may not check it in the whole year before the next service!

[Eric_Banner]

I'll drain it off and measure how much it was over by. It can't be more than 500ml I'd guess.

I must confess it was I who overfilled it while giving it a service. My dipstick is quite tight and I'd not plunged it all the way down. Only spotted it the next day when double checking the warm level after a journey.

My instinct is that it'd probably be OK as its just slightly over but for the cost of half hour to get it back on the stands and empty some I should just do it.

Lesson learned, measure it in when filling according to the handbook.

[JamieC]

Black smoke = Fuel

White smoke= Water

Blue smoke = Oil

Too much oil = Potential Crankshaft Oil Seal damge = Knackered Clutch.

Yes of course, my mistake. I blame the lost hour lol.

Although I have seen a few cases of white smoke through severe oil leaks into the combustion chamber.

[sonic113]

agree here fellas. Too much oil is bad for the seals and too little is bad for the engine all round. Its best to check the handbook and keep the oil level a fraction under the max mark (check when engine cold). I always say if you count the max mark as 100% the keep oil level at around 80% or 85% I think this way you inside the safety zone for the engine and the seals. :)

[artscot79]

Depends on the engine my oil level is between min and max when cold as the book says it should be

[Eric_Banner]

Drained out the excess tonight, couldn't say how much but probably about 250ml.

Thanks for all the input, I'll be more careful next time!