Too much motor oil in sump: bad or OK?

[jobin]

Had the oil changed and shop put more than enough oil in the engine.  Now the dipstick reads overfilled, by 3 mm.  What caught my attention was the cloud of blue smoke just after starting up today.  Never seen before and car runs good. Could the excess oil be associated with the blue cloud?

[Lickey]

Need a bit more detail really like age,mileage ect.,3mm is not much if the car was on level ground.

[Bung]

There's no way overfilling an engine by 3mm on the dipstick would cause it to smoke. Dealers and service centers regularly do it. 

[fredob43]

8 hours ago, Bung said:

There's no way overfilling an engine by 3mm on the dipstick would cause it to smoke. Dealers and service centers regularly do it. 

Load of rubbish overfilling your engine will make it churn out blue/white smoke. It causes a higher pressure in the sump and the "oil" has to go somewhere. Normally via the pistons.

 

Go back to the place that did it and demand they take some out. Then don't use them again as they are more than likely rubbish at their job. Not B Quick was it they normally do that sort of thing.

[Don Mega]

5 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

Load of rubbish overfilling your engine will make it churn out blue/white smoke. It causes a higher pressure in the sump and the "oil" has to go somewhere. Normally via the pistons.

 

 

Load of rubbish, it would need to be well over full to make it churn smoke and if you have a pressure increase in the sump your PCV is not functioning correctly.

 

 

 

[Strange]

12 hours ago, jobin said:

Had the oil changed and shop put more than enough oil in the engine.  Now the dipstick reads overfilled, by 3 mm.  What caught my attention was the cloud of blue smoke just after starting up today.  Never seen before and car runs good. Could the excess oil be associated with the blue cloud?

 

Did you check this on a completely level ground and the engine completely cold? 

 

Year, make, model, engine type and kilometers on the clock? At least if its a Diesel or Gasoline? 

 

Yes having too much oil is very bad but its hard to say more without the details above. 

 

 

[Strange]

11 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

Load of rubbish overfilling your engine will make it churn out blue/white smoke. It causes a higher pressure in the sump and the "oil" has to go somewhere. Normally via the pistons.

 

Go back to the place that did it and demand they take some out. Then don't use them again as they are more than likely rubbish at their job. Not B Quick was it they normally do that sort of thing.

 

Crankcase pressure is vented by the PCV valve, not the "Pistons"

[transam]

3mm is nothing, though the crank shaft will pick up more oil and chuck it up the bores, but even then l can't see it causing burn off if the rings are OK..

I hope they used the correct weight oil....

[fredob43]

45 minutes ago, Strange said:

 

Crankcase pressure is vented by the PCV valve, not the "Pistons"

And where is the PCV valve outlet the inlet manifold. As TA also pointed out the crank can also put more oil up the bores also causing it to smoke. The OP did say that he noticed it on a start up when the engine was cold that will leave more room between the pistons and the bores till it heats up. Not forgetting of cause that the PCV may have put some unburnt oil in the inlet.

We don't know how old or how many KM it's done so we need more info.

[Strange]

OP, look, before this thread derails, here is what you need to do. 

 

Thai Service shops and Dealerships are not the best in the world. 

 

Make sure you have the correct oil viscosity and API service standard for your car as written in the owners manual. Its the responsibility of every car owner to know what fluids go into the car just like the fuel needed. 

 

Second, make sure the level is somewhere between the high and low mark on the dipstick. ON the low side is still fine. 

 

Test drive for a couple days and see if the problem persists. 

 

To answer your question, yes, too much oil can cause a lot of problems not just burning oil but its unlikely that this is the issue. Before you go too far, just rectify the problem you have now, as eliminating the simple stuff first is by far the most effective solution. 

[Denim]

When getting your oil changed always be present to ensure they do not overfill the engine . I always supervise this myself and take any new oil home in its container to add gradually myself to any I allow the mechanic to put in.

[Bung]

2 hours ago, fredob43 said:

Load of rubbish overfilling your engine will make it churn out blue/white smoke. It causes a higher pressure in the sump and the "oil" has to go somewhere. Normally via the pistons.

 

Go back to the place that did it and demand they take some out. Then don't use them again as they are more than likely rubbish at their job. Not B Quick was it they normally do that sort of thing.

You do know how much 3mm is don't you? It's like the difference between one side of the car being parked on a rock and the other not. 

[transam]

1 hour ago, Bung said:

You do know how much 3mm is don't you? It's like the difference between one side of the car being parked on a rock and the other not. 

Yep, OP forget it.....And for sure dip sticks ain't a precision item, they probably differ by a couple of mm anyhoooo...

PS...Got me thinking about checking my oil level, it is now due for an oil change....It is STILL about 2mm above the high mark....

[Don Mega]

21 hours ago, fredob43 said:

And where is the PCV valve outlet the inlet manifold. As TA also pointed out the crank can also put more oil up the bores also causing it to smoke. The OP did say that he noticed it on a start up when the engine was cold that will leave more room between the pistons and the bores till it heats up. Not forgetting of cause that the PCV may have put some unburnt oil in the inlet.

We don't know how old or how many KM it's done so we need more info.

 

lol @ PCV is located in the inlet manifold.

 

Smoke at start up is typically oil that has wept past the valve stems seal into the cylinder or do you honestly believe the crank had thrown up oil past the cylinder rings whilst the engine is turned off ?

 

 

[fredob43]

2 hours ago, Don Mega said:

 

lol @ PCV is located in the inlet manifold.

 

Smoke at start up is typically oil that has wept past the valve stems seal into the cylinder or do you honestly believe the crank had thrown up oil past the cylinder rings whilst the engine is turned off ?

 

 

As soon as the crank moves it will throw oil cold engine it'll get by. Simple logic as I see it.

[Don Mega]

11 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

As soon as the crank moves it will throw oil cold engine it'll get by. Simple logic as I see it.

 

so when the engine is cold there is enough clearance for oil to get by the piston rings ?

 

must be a bugger of a thing to get started with no compression in the cylinders !!

[Strange]

24 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

As soon as the crank moves it will throw oil cold engine it'll get by. Simple logic as I see it.

 

As soon as the crank moves (even with oil at the correct level) oil pressure fed through the crank journal to the connecting rod and wrist pin also lubricate the cylinder walls with oil. There are also engines with actual oil squirters that squirt pressurized oil onto the back of the pistons and cylinder walls. By your logic every engine ever would be losing compression cold and burning oil like a bastard. 

 

Point is that piston rings are designed to wipe away oil on the down stroke. Hot OR cold. Old OR new. 

[Gary A]

I agree with the no problem posters. three mm is nothing to worry about.

[fredob43]

1 hour ago, Don Mega said:

 

so when the engine is cold there is enough clearance for oil to get by the piston rings ?

 

must be a bugger of a thing to get started with no compression in the cylinders !!

The OP said that he got smoke when he started. We don't know how old the engine is so might have some play in the bores ware on the rings.

Low compression won't stop it from starting. Had a V/W two of the cylinders on one side were buggered. But it still started didn't even run rough. 

We are all surmising but unless you have the full data it's just guess work.

I have had many an engine in the past that has smoked whilst it was cold nothing when hot and it wasn't always from the valves. Thick oil and flog it was my answer.

 

They might have put the wrong oil in if they over filled it your guess is a good as mine.

[Strange]

9 minutes ago, fredob43 said:

The OP said that he got smoke when he started. We don't know how old the engine is so might have some play in the bores ware on the rings.

 

Valve seals/valve guides cause smoke on startup. Hot oil bleeding past seals during the cool down process and puddling on the back of the intake valve (or right into the cylinder if the valve is open) just waiting for you to turn the key and burn off.

[transam]

OP, is it still burning oil on start up...?

[BSJ]

Crickey, 3mm!    I'd call 911 and get an emergency response team to deal with that.  

[Litlos]

Depends on the engine, some will smoke at slight overfill, some wont.  I have found Nissans tend to smoke on overfill, no idea why, just happens.  Give it a couple of days and see if it settles down.  MIL used to have a Nissan and every time oil changed was overfilled, about 100km and some smoke later back to normal at about 5mm down from full on the dipstick and would still be there 6 months later for the next oil change.

 

Cheers