Too Much Oil

D

dave lowry

New member
Jul 7, 1998
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Before leaving on a recent trip, we had our GMC's oil and filter changed,
along with several other routine service items. 300 miles or so after
starting out, we stopped for fuel and noticed what appeared to be an oil
leak. Further examination revealed that the whole top of the engine was
saturated with oil, and it was runing down the side onto the starter and
being blown all over the place. Surprisingly, the dip stick still read full.

Once we got it to a garage, the mechanic mopped up all the puddles of oil
around the intake manifold and then determined that the valve covers seemed
to have worked loose. When I re-checked the service order for the recent
oil change, I noticed that 7 quarts of oil had been put in instead of the
normal 6. I mentione this to the mechanic and he said that excess oil may
have caused it to be forced out at the rocker covers. After tightening the
cover bolts, we had no further trouble during the 7500 mile trip.

Upon our return, I spoke to the mechanic who had put in the extra quart and
was told it an not an accident. He stated that he always starts long trips
with 1 or even 2 extra quarts in the cranckcase, and has never had a
problem. Is there validity to his statement, or Do I need a new mechanic?

TIA

___________
/_][__] [_] | Dave (& Dege) ("digester")
*0-------OO--* Santa Barbara, CA '76 Royale

 
Hi Dave

Most V8 engines would tolerate an extra quart of oil with few problems
although deliberately adding too much is not a good practice.

Cars driven around town on short trips particularly in cold weather can have
fairly significant oil and gas deposits build up during cool engine
operation as combustion by-products and blowby gasses are not efficiently
scavenged until the engine oil is quite warm. As a result, a car that is
seldom operated on the open road, can warm up and 'burn off' these oil
contaminants rather quickly in the first hour of driving or so. This is why
it is considered a pretty good idea to re-check oil level early on any
highway trip. Often you will be a little low after a few miles in your 'city
car', a pint or two is not unusual in many cases.

Obviously, the built up contaminant problem certainly wont apply in your
case Dave- especially directly following an oil change, but maybe your
mechanic is getting confused a little. I imagine he was intending to do
right by you in any event. You might review if this particular individual
has given you a similar 'Royal Treatment' in other areas- I'd be inclined to
double check any wheelbearings or brakes he's worked on too! :-)

Its very doubtful the engine was materially affected in any way- at worst,
you may have spoiled a gasket or two.

One point I should make also, is that when an engine with a regular
mechanical fuel pump has the oil level increase of its own accord between
changes, this is strong evidence the fuel pump has failed and is weeping gas
into the crankcase. This is a common design for fuel pumps, and many will
fail this way. If the oil level is too high, seems extraordinarily thin, and
it smells like gasoline, you might look at the pump if you encounter these
symptoms.

Good Luck

Brent

>Before leaving on a recent trip, we had our GMC's oil and filter
changed,......
 
Dave, you should NEVER start off with extra oil. It will foam and can cause
bearing/oiling problems. In my airplane I NEVER fill it completely up
because it will just blow out the extra. Check out any automotive service
manual-it will tell you the same thing. Carry the extra oil, just don't add
it until you need it.
Happy Camping, Scott

Before leaving on a recent trip, we had our GMC's oil and filter changed,
along with several other routine service items. 300 miles or so after
starting out, we stopped for fuel and noticed what appeared to be an oil
leak. Further examination revealed that the whole top of the engine was
saturated with oil, and it was runing down the side onto the starter and
being blown all over the place. Surprisingly, the dip stick still read
full.

Once we got it to a garage, the mechanic mopped up all the puddles of oil
around the intake manifold and then determined that the valve covers seemed
to have worked loose. When I re-checked the service order for the recent
oil change, I noticed that 7 quarts of oil had been put in instead of the
normal 6. I mentione this to the mechanic and he said that excess oil may
have caused it to be forced out at the rocker covers. After tightening the
cover bolts, we had no further trouble during the 7500 mile trip.

Upon our return, I spoke to the mechanic who had put in the extra quart and
was told it an not an accident. He stated that he always starts long trips
with 1 or even 2 extra quarts in the cranckcase, and has never had a
problem. Is there validity to his statement, or Do I need a new mechanic?

TIA

___________
/_][__] [_] | Dave (& Dege) ("digester")
*0-------OO--* Santa Barbara, CA '76 Royale
 
I used to run extra oil in high RPM race engines because so much of the
oil would get caught on top of the heads and would not drain down by
gravity force because of the high 'G' forces when going around corners

I dont see either of these situations happening in a GMC - no high RPMs
and no corner G forces!

- --

ron keener near Austin, Texas http://MidAmericaBreedingTech.com
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Back in the seventies when 10-40 oil was recommended and we had extended
oil changes the oil would congeal and block the return passages from the
heads. I believe I had this happen on an engine but don't remember the
details. I also think that every engine where I did the extended oil change
interval started using oil at about 60 k miles; bad idea

I recently found a couple of quarts of that old 10-40 in my dad's
collection. One of them had turned to jelly and the other had thinned to a
watery consistency. Glad they weren't in an engine.

I recently found that the oil level in the Deutz engine on my loader was
rising. The oil in crank case was mostly diesel fuel due to leak in fuel
pump diaphragm. I've never experienced this on a gas engine but the fuel
pumps are similar.

FWIW

Dick Kennedy

>Hi Dave
>
>Most V8 engines would tolerate an extra quart of oil with few problems
>although deliberately adding too much is not a good practice.
>
>Cars driven around town on short trips particularly in cold weather can have
>fairly significant oil and gas deposits build up during cool engine
>operation as combustion by-products and blowby gasses are not efficiently
>scavenged until the engine oil is quite warm. As a result, a car that is
>seldom operated on the open road, can warm up and 'burn off' these oil
>contaminants rather quickly in the first hour of driving or so. This is why
>it is considered a pretty good idea to re-check oil level early on any
>highway trip. Often you will be a little low after a few miles in your 'city
>car', a pint or two is not unusual in many cases.
>
>Obviously, the built up contaminant problem certainly wont apply in your
>case Dave- especially directly following an oil change, but maybe your
>mechanic is getting confused a little. I imagine he was intending to do
>right by you in any event. You might review if this particular individual
>has given you a similar 'Royal Treatment' in other areas- I'd be inclined to
>double check any wheelbearings or brakes he's worked on too! :-)
>
>Its very doubtful the engine was materially affected in any way- at worst,
>you may have spoiled a gasket or two.
>
>One point I should make also, is that when an engine with a regular
>mechanical fuel pump has the oil level increase of its own accord between
>changes, this is strong evidence the fuel pump has failed and is weeping gas
>into the crankcase. This is a common design for fuel pumps, and many will
>fail this way. If the oil level is too high, seems extraordinarily thin, and
>it smells like gasoline, you might look at the pump if you encounter these
>symptoms.
>
>Good Luck
>
>Brent
>
>
>
>
>
>>Before leaving on a recent trip, we had our GMC's oil and filter
>changed,......
>
>
>
 
>Brent, Scott, Dick and Ron, thanks for the good info.
>
>One question remains; Can I presume that the extra oil would not have
>actually caused the rocker cover gaskets to leak?

I think its doubtful that the extra oil caused enough pressure to 'blow out'
the gaskets, but it may have been enough extra oil to make an existing leak
apparent. Leaking rocker gaskets dont usually leak much becuase there isnt
enough oil to spill over the leaking part usually unless you turn a corner
or stop hard and spill it over the broken seal. Perhaps with extra oil there
was more up there due to foaming and windage pressures to allow oil to spill
through the cracks or flaws in the rocker gaskets.

Hope this helps;-)

Brent
 
Brent, Scott, Dick and Ron, thanks for the good info.

One question remains; Can I presume that the extra oil would not have
actually caused the rocker cover gaskets to leak?

Thanks again

___________
/_][__] [_] | Dave (& Dege) ("digester")
*0-------OO--* Santa Barbara, CA '76 Royale

 
Emery:

Not saying I don't believe you, however, my experience has been that I buy
whatever brand of oil is on sale at the time I need it and in over 40 years
never recall having had an oil leak problem because of it. And come to
think of it, I've never had a serious oil leak problem during this time.
Knock on wood, eh??

Paul Bartz

From: EMERYSTORA [mailto:EMERYSTORA]
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 1999 7:07 PM
Subject: Re: GMC: Too Much Oil

In a message dated 8/25/99 6:50:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

>

Probably wouldn't "blow out" the gaskets but if the gaskets usually got the
normal amount of oil and then were "flooded" and perhaps immersed deeper in
oil the gaskets could have swollen and shifted position allowing leaks that
you didn't have before. Even the type of oil can cause this problem. Some
oils cause more rubber swell than others. I have learned in the past with
automobiles that switching brands of oil can cause seals to leak soon after
the change over.
 
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