Excess oil in a VW Golf, Help!

Chargle

I just filled up the oil in my Mk II Golf and when i took a level from the dipstick it was over the maximum level. Will this damage my car in any way? And if so is, there any way that i can remove the excess oil without going under the car?

Any help would be much appreciated!

cantdecide

My brother's mk11 GTi had an awful habit of rising slowly on the dipstick and within what seemed like an eggcup full, goes from the low mark to the high mark.

If you think you've definitely overdone it, you shopuld probably get an oil extractor and sort it out, becasue you can do serious damage.

crosstownk

Chargle wrote: »

is there any way that i can remove the excess oil without going under the car?

The easiest way to do it yourself (and quickly) is to crawl under and undo the sump bung and allow a little to drain out. Be sure to have some sort of container to catch the oil as it drains.

If the excess oil is only a millimeter or two above 'max' then don't worry about it. But if it's much more then you will need to remove the excess. The difference between min and max on the dipstick on a MkII is approximately 1 litre.

JHMEG

Why do you want to avoid going under the car? Surely you had to go under it to drain out the old oil before you filled up with new oil?

cantdecide

I think he was just topping up.

Chargle

Thanks to everybody for their replies. I have found that the Mk II can be a bit crazy refilling. I remember using a whole bottle of oil when it was low before and it was just normal. Then this time I used half the bottle and it went over the maximum! Anyways, I was just scared that it would do damage to it. I had it running today and it was grand.

By the way, I also had specific reasons for not wanting to go under the car, but it would be too lengthy and theraputic a conversation to have on the forum

Thanks again to everyone! This site is a really great reference point!

blastman

It's very difficult to let a little oil out via the sump plug anyway, I'd say an oil extractor (you should be able to hire one) is the best bet.

crosstownk

blastman wrote: »

It's very difficult to let a little oil out via the sump plug anyway

It's very easy - if you're patient and careful.

Type 17

Dip it on level ground in the morning (ie: having not run the engine for over 6-8 hours) - if it is not more than half a litre over (not more than half as much again as the distance from max to min on the dipstick), then it should be fine, especially if it will drink it a little over time.
however if it is more than about half a litre over max, then you should drain some, as the crank will be splashing through the bath of oil in the sump, rather than above it, and this can cause damage to the crank (hydraulic shock, causing sudden, excessive loading on the crank bearings), especially when the oil is cold (thicker).

meathstevie

A manual pump to go through the dipstick hole will cost you about 60 euro in a motorfactors and you can use it after to pump out the oil when you want to service your car yourself.

Type 17

meathstevie wrote: »

A manual pump to go through the dipstick hole will cost you about 60 euro in a motorfactors and you can use it after to pump out the oil when you want to service your car yourself.

Excess oil aside, these are brilliant - I haven't needed to get under my car for oil changes since 2005

These pumps also get the last of the oil out of the sump (which is the dirtiest bit)

kona

you have to let the oil settle in the sump, as it does be in the galleries and all over the place for a few hours after you turn the engine off.
and if you overfill with oil, you will damage the oil seals.