Too much oil?

[MikalsWRX]

Ivesearched and read all the FAQ about oil and really couldnt find my answer :-( I read where you should check the oil while the car is warm. I read where you should check it cold because all the oil has settled into the pan. I checked my oil on a flat service with the engine warm, I let it sit overnight and checked it. I ran it for a few minutes then checked it and everytime it showed empty. So duh, I added oil. One QT. Did the same thing over a 24 hour period. Checked it warm. cold everything so I added another QT. Another 24 hours now it says to much. Its over the two holes. Whatgives. am I that retarded thati cant check my own oil? Im thinking of draining it and starting over. But I just changed it 1500miles ago. I use Royal Purple 10-40

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[Uncle Scotty]

....the difference between the 'holes' is ~1/2quart

[surowrxa]

Originally Posted by MikalsWRX

Whatgives. am I that retarded thati cant check my own oil? Im thinking of draining it and starting over. But I just changed it 1500miles ago. I use Royal Purple 10-40

You have too much oil in there for sure. You don't have to drain it all, though.

All of the Subarus that I have owned have been slightly weird with the dipstick read. You have to do several reads sometimes to know where you're at. I have learned to NEVER put very much in when it reads low, because I have had to drain some back out because of a bad read. Flat surface, all the oil's in the pan, sometimes doesn't read the same.

edit: I'm talking when you also take into account oil expansion. This may be what's screwing you up.

[MikalsWRX]

Originally Posted by Uncle Scotty

....the difference between the 'holes' is ~1/2quart

Yeah when I first checked it it didnt show anything. It was dry. Then after the 1st QT it still didnt show anything. Not 2 days later and the second QT its way past the 2 holes :-(. So how much damage can to much oil do?

[surowrxa]

From what I've heard the extra volume of oil puts strain on seals. Moving parts are sloshing through too much oil as well, which isn't good. I've had to drain a little from an overfill a couple times and it did not leak out the plug (like I was afraid of) afterward.

[TMessick]

A half quart or so shouldn't be too bad, but you should look at fixing it... The real problem with overfillling happens when the oil level is high enough that the crank is dipping into it. This can cause the oil to get severly aerated (think whipped cream). At higher revs, you can actually aerate the oil and suck the bubbles into the oil pump. Aerated oil doesn't provide a very good lubrication film, so bad things happen to the moving bits of your engine (rods/cranks).

If you're just a "bit" overfilled and you recently changed the filter, you can just pull the filter and dump some oil (easier than trying to dump "just a little" oil from the HUGE subaru drain plug). However, if you do this, you MUST re-prime the oil system by cranking without fuel for some time (either pull the fuel pump connector and start until it dies BEFORE draining oil OR, if you feel lucky, just floor it as you crank after dumping the oil to enter clear-flood)

On a different (but related) note -- I'll throw in a reccomendation for the Fumitomo oil drain valve. Really easy to drain "just a bit" of oil if you overfill and makes oil changes really convenient....

[surowrxa]

Originally Posted by TMessick

On a different (but related) note -- I'll throw in a reccomendation for the Fumitomo oil drain valve. Really easy to drain "just a bit" of oil if you overfill and makes oil changes really convenient....

I've been eyeballing the Fumitomo for a while. It's a great idea. You don't take the entire plug out when you drain a little. You untighten it to the point where it leaks (there's still a couple turns until it's out), keep checking the level as it drains, and you're good.

[Hamzor]

Sometimes I have to check the oil dip stick three times until I get a consistant oil reading, see if this helps in the future.

You could get a hand pump and plastic tubing from an auto store and suck the extra oil through the dip stick tube. It will take awhile, but it is better than wasting an oil filter draining oil from your car.


Hamilton

[Stanley]

Originally Posted by TMessick

If you're just a "bit" overfilled and you recently changed the filter, you can just pull the filter and dump some oil (easier than trying to dump "just a little" oil from the HUGE subaru drain plug). However, if you do this, you MUST re-prime the oil system by cranking without fuel for some time (either pull the fuel pump connector and start until it dies BEFORE draining oil OR, if you feel lucky, just floor it as you crank after dumping the oil to enter clear-flood)

What is the "clear-flood" you speak of? Wouldn't draining your filter be just like doing an oil change without filling the oil filter before installing it? Seems like unnecessary wear and tear to crank your engine for an extended period of time...

[leecea]

I've drained a bit out from the drain plug and it is easy. As you unscrew it, keep some light pressure on the plug, pushing it in against the threads, that seems to keep the flow down to almost nothing. Once it is fully unscrewed, just ease it back from the hole slightly and the oil will flow out. Push it back in and give it a turn and it will seal up quickly.

[leecea]

Originally Posted by Stanley

What is the "clear-flood" you speak of?

Modes of computerized engine control operation
1. Starting mode
2. Clear flood mode
3. Run mode
4. Acceleration mode
5. Limp home mode
6. Open/closed loop modes

Not sure what this has to do with changing the oil!

[MikalsWRX]

Originally Posted by leecea

I've drained a bit out from the drain plug and it is easy. As you unscrew it, keep some light pressure on the plug, pushing it in against the threads, that seems to keep the flow down to almost nothing. Once it is fully unscrewed, just ease it back from the hole slightly and the oil will flow out. Push it back in and give it a turn and it will seal up quickly.

Yeah I was gonna do that. When I change my oil, I notice that I can let some out that way. That seems to be the easiest way.

[rkramer]

Originally Posted by TMessick

If you're just a "bit" overfilled and you recently changed the filter, you can just pull the filter and dump some oil (easier than trying to dump "just a little" oil from the HUGE subaru drain plug). However, if you do this, you MUST re-prime the oil system by cranking without fuel for some time (either pull the fuel pump connector and start until it dies BEFORE draining oil OR, if you feel lucky, just floor it as you crank after dumping the oil to enter clear-flood)

why? as someone else mentioned this isn't any different then changing oil. believe it or not, our engines aren't so fragile that they blow up if they run for a couple seconds at idle without oil pressure.

[volkl23]

Originally Posted by TMessick

A half quart or so shouldn't be too bad, but you should look at fixing it... The real problem with overfillling happens when the oil level is high enough that the crank is dipping into it. This can cause the oil to get severly aerated (think whipped cream). At higher revs, you can actually aerate the oil and suck the bubbles into the oil pump. Aerated oil doesn't provide a very good lubrication film, so bad things happen to the moving bits of your engine (rods/cranks).

If you're just a "bit" overfilled and you recently changed the filter, you can just pull the filter and dump some oil (easier than trying to dump "just a little" oil from the HUGE subaru drain plug). However, if you do this, you MUST re-prime the oil system by cranking without fuel for some time (either pull the fuel pump connector and start until it dies BEFORE draining oil OR, if you feel lucky, just floor it as you crank after dumping the oil to enter clear-flood)

On a different (but related) note -- I'll throw in a reccomendation for the Fumitomo oil drain valve. Really easy to drain "just a bit" of oil if you overfill and makes oil changes really convenient....

1234 on the fumoto valve. Makes changing oil and fixing oops a lot less painful and time consuming.

Don't agree with the part about repriming the oil system. Not necessary at all.

[MikalsWRX]

So I just loosened the drain bolt and let some oil out, then checked it. Did it again till it reads between the two holes. everything seems to be fine. I will check it again tomorrow and see where its at.