Dealership filled engine with too much oil...

[posaunemeister]

So, I purchased my Yaris on August 16th with 6500 miles. It's almost 2 months later and I have about 8600 on the car. The oil supposedly was changed before I drove it off the lot with Castrol Syntex conventional oil and wasn't due for a change until 11,500 miles, but it gets pretty cold here in KC from now on going into the winter, so yesterday afternoon I decided to go ahead and change my oil/filter with 4 quarts of synthetic oil. Upon checking the oil level, I noticed that the dipstick was saturated with dark brown oil nearly 1.5" above the max-fill oil marking!!! I'm guessing that one of the techs at the Toyota dealership wasn't careful enough when he or she filled the engine with oil. Anyway, I jacked up the driver's side of the car and let the oil reservoir drain thoroughly and replaced the filter. I then took it for a spin and the car unsurprisingly performs sooo much better. The engine runs much smoother and quieter than before. Acceleration is much easier and the car is even more fun to drive.

I think I will contact the dealership to let them know about my recent experience. I'm not expecting anything from them, as no damage (to my knowledge) has occurred as a result. Or is there something that I should do about it?

[AmyV]

In a wet sump system, if you haven't seen any damage, you should be good. But do call them. Even if no damage was done, they should definitely know. I one time had an auto tranny blow up because it was overfilled with tranny fluid at the dealership. If they make are making mistakes with the engine oil, then they are probably making mistakes with the tranny fluid too!!

[mikenacarato]

you did wipe the dipstick off and check it again didnt you?

[posaunemeister]

Originally Posted by mikenacarato

you did wipe the dipstick off and check it again didnt you?

Oh, definitely! I've always changed my own oil ever since I began driving. I only had my oil changed by a shop (on my previous car) once in my life, and that was because the weather was too cold for me to do it. But yeah, I wiped the stick several times and kept getting the same readings. I'm just glad that no damage was done.

[Shroomster]

in all honesty the only person who is going to hear your call is the person you talk to on the phone. as is the case with most dealerships, unless you're calling to thank them or throw money at them, they will be like "ok I'll let the service manager know" then crumple up the note they just made and throw it away (if they even made a note)

you're better off just not taking it to the dealership period, or finding a different dealership.

[Yaris Hilton]

The Toyota-recommended fill amount is 3.9 quarts with a filter change. If you put in 4.0 quarts, you've overfilled it by 2.5%. Not likely that you could notice any effect from that. I put 4 quarts in mine, and it runs fine. No effect on mileage.

[posaunemeister]

Yeah, I remembered you citing the Toyota-recommended fill amount in another post awhile back and had that in mind as I filled my engine with oil. That 2.5% is such a negligible amount, as you said. You should've seen how much oil was in the engine before I changed it, though! Now, the car performs as it should. Well, it performs better than it should, actually, thanks to the few aftermarket add-ons.

[DerFlosser]

I have a lift in my garage and let the oil drain for about 3-4 hours for every oil change I do and I can tell you that if you are putting any more than 3.5 qts of oil with a filter change....you are putting in too much oil.

[YarisSedan]

Originally Posted by DerFlosser

I have a lift in my garage and let the oil drain for about 3-4 hours for every oil change I do and I can tell you that if you are putting any more than 3.5 qts of oil with a filter change....you are putting in too much oil.

Yeah ive noticed that too. Once i add 3.5 quarts and check it. It shows up full. I just save the half quart for the next oil change.

[AbsolutelyRed]

Originally Posted by mikenacarato

you did wipe the dipstick off and check it again didnt you?

Over and over, I have found that it is not enough to just wipe the dipstick... somehow oil gets farther up the dipstick than the true indication--I think it picks up oil from the dipstick tube as it's inserted and withdrawn. I find that unless the dipstick has been sitting in the engine for awhile (with the engine off of course), it's very hard to tell where the actual level is just by wiping off the dipstick and inserting/removing the dipstick to take the reading. (Especially with fresh oil; when the oil gets darker, it's quite a bit easier to tell.)

I have found the easiest way for me to get an accurate reading is to check in the morning, and to just pull out the dipstick and take the reading. No wiping necessary, and no false indication of a higher level. Also, one side of the dipstick always seems easier to read than the other--don't ask me why.

And to those who say the correct fill is 3.5 quarts, maybe you aren't changing your filter at the same time? Or maybe you did, but didn't re-check the level after running the engine and filling up the dry filter? or maybe you didn't get a good reading due to not waiting long enough after replacing the dipstick, like I was saying above?

I have confirmed at least 5 or 6 times now that 3.9 quarts is correct. There's no way I can figure out that 3.5 quarts would be enough oil for a full fill (assuming a complete drain and a new filter, and an accurate level reading).

AR

[nemelek]

Originally Posted by AbsolutelyRed

I have confirmed at least 5 or 6 times now that 3.9 quarts is correct. There's no way I can figure out that 3.5 quarts would be enough oil for a full fill (assuming a complete drain and a new filter, and an accurate level reading).

AR

Just did my oil change 2 days ago. Went and checked the level while reading this post and the 3.9 quarts of oil I put in put the oil level right at the top mark.

[schleppy]

Originally Posted by AbsolutelyRed

And to those who say the correct fill is 3.5 quarts, maybe you aren't changing your filter at the same time? Or maybe you did, but didn't re-check the level after running the engine and filling up the dry filter? or maybe you didn't get a good reading due to not waiting long enough after replacing the dipstick, like I was saying above?

I have confirmed at least 5 or 6 times now that 3.9 quarts is correct. There's no way I can figure out that 3.5 quarts would be enough oil for a full fill (assuming a complete drain and a new filter, and an accurate level reading).

AR

I usually end putting in between 3.6 and 3.9 quarts (with a filter change). Depending on how I drain the oil (if I have access to a lift, ramps, etc) I think a little more oil ends up left behind. Just go by your dipstick. It's ok to be below the full mark, just keep it between the middle mark and the full mark.

People over think this stuff way too much. Being off by .X quarts is not going to blow up your motor.

[posaunemeister]

Originally Posted by nemelek

Just did my oil change 2 days ago. Went and checked the level while reading this post and the 3.9 quarts of oil I put in put the oil level right at the top mark.

Yeah, I went back and checked my oil level after adding those 4qts and I was barely beyond the max fill level. So I drained some of it yesterday evening. I'm going to check the level right now, as the car has been sitting outside in the cold all night long.

[Yaris Hilton]

Originally Posted by posaunemeister

Yeah, I went back and checked my oil level after adding those 4qts and I was barely beyond the max fill level.

Same here. No way I'm going to drain it, as it's not hurting a thing. And no way am I going to try to measure and subtract 0.10 quart when filling my engine. I'll put in 4 and drive off happily. Putting in another whole quart would doubtless cause problems with oil splashing, aerating, excessive oil consumption through the PCV system, etc., but an overfill of 2.5% isn't worth obsessing over. Completely negligible.

[Sir A.Y. Atoyot]

The way I heard it, what happens when you put 'way too much oil in an engine is that the crankshaft counterweights and the big ends of the connecting rods hit the oil and beat it into a froth. Enough of that and the oil pump starts sucking air. Since air is compressible, unlike oil, this can cause an air lock, and goodbye bearings! OP is lucky if no damage was done.

[N9QGS]

If you think you have overfilled it, the best way I know of to take oil out, you know how they say its easier to add then take out, I think just unscrewing the oil filter will let enough out to make up for any overfilling without having to re-drain your entire pan again. Hope this helps anyone who hasn't thought how they would handle that, and to the gentleman who went 8,000 miles and did not realize it was overfilled. My thing is I check my oil every 2 to 3 fill-ups, along with coolant level in overflow, and brake, I check tranny less often. That require car to be on. I think your fine tho...

[posaunemeister]

Originally Posted by N9QGS

and to the gentleman who went 8,000 miles and did not realize it was overfilled. My thing is I check my oil every 2 to 3 fill-ups, along with coolant level in overflow, and brake, I check tranny less often. That require car to be on. I think your fine tho...

The car has 8500 miles on it, but I purchased it used with 6500 miles on it. The dealership had given it an oil change well before I drove it off the lot. I just noticed that they had filled it with entirely too much oil. That's all. I haven't really had the car long enough to be obsessive with checking the oil level. Otherwise, I would've spotted the issue a long time ago. But I will be more curious from now on, that's for sure. Thanks.

[Yaris Hilton]

Originally Posted by Sir A.Y. Atoyot

The way I heard it, what happens when you put 'way too much oil in an engine is that the crankshaft counterweights and the big ends of the connecting rods hit the oil and beat it into a froth. Enough of that and the oil pump starts sucking air. Since air is compressible, unlike oil, this can cause an air lock, and goodbye bearings!

Exactly right. My point is that 4 quarts isn't "way too much oil." Toyota's engineers are competent enough not to put their recommended fill level right on the brink of disaster. There's a considerable margin for error.