Think I put too much oil in my car

Monife

Hi all,

I checked the oil in my car and the dipstick was showing close to the minimum line. So I added some oil and checked it again, this time the dipstick wasn't showing anything, I checked it a few times to no avail. I added more oil, I think about 3L in total. The dipstick is still not showing anything, I don't know what I am doing wrong.

It's a 2010 1L Toyota Yaris. I had it serviced last December. It's always needed top up oil between services a few times however my ex husband used to look after this.

Have I put too much oil in it? If so, what should I do to rectify the matter?

Thanks

colm_mcm

Keep in mind the clean oil will be harder to see on the dipstick.

Don’t start the engine until you know for sure you haven’t overfilled it.

tnegun

I would think 3-4 liters would be a complete oild change for a 1l Yaris. Are you sure its not just showing very high on the dip stick? Its probably clear with that amount of new oil in it.

Monife

colm_mcm wrote: »

Keep in mind the clean oil will be harder to see on the dipstick.

Don’t start the engine until you know for sure you haven’t overfilled it.

How will I know for sure? I don't know what to do.

Monife

What will happen if I drive it and it is too full?

colm_mcm

Take the dipstick out and clean it with a kitchen towel, make sure it’s dry.

Then put it back in and take it out again. Look for oil on the stick.

There should be a definite line between the top level of the oil and the rest f the stick.

Monife wrote: »

What will happen if I drive it and it is too full?

You could damage the engine.

Monife

colm_mcm wrote: »

Take the dipstick out and clean it with a kitchen towel, make sure it’s dry.

Then put it back in and take it out again. Look for oil on the stick.

I did this a number of times and there was practically no oil anywhere on the stick.

veetwin

Monife wrote: »

How will I know for sure? I don't know what to do.

If you have added 3 litres of oil its almost certainly over filled. Google says capacity is 3.2 litres. I would definitely not start it. On the underside of the engine there is a sump nut which when removed will result in the oil draining off. You will need spanner of the correct size and have a container handy for the oil. Refill with 3.2 litres of the correct grade oil.

colm_mcm

Monife wrote: »

I did this a number of times and there was practically no oil anywhere on the stick.

A Yaris only takes 3 litres of oil in the first place and if the oil was completely empty your engine would have imploded or you would have had a warning light at the least.

I’d be pretty certain that you’ve over filled it, so somebody will need to drain some oil out of the sump for you.

ofcork

Are you sure you are putting the oil in the right place.

biko

Let the car sit an hour after the oil fill.
Then check.

Are you sure you are using the right dipstick?
https://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2011_Toyota_Yaris_1.5L_4_Cyl._Sedan/oil/check_oil_level

Working class heroes

<nope>

colm_mcm

biko wrote: »

Let the car sit an hour after the oil fill.
Then check.

Are you sure you are using the right dipstick?
https://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2011_Toyota_Yaris_1.5L_4_Cyl._Sedan/oil/check_oil_level

Do you think there’s 3 litres of oil slowly working it’s way down?

Monife

Definitely checking the right dipstick, it's beside where you put the oil. Also, yes, I did put the oil in the right place, the cap says engine oil.

Monife

biko wrote: »

Let the car sit an hour after the oil fill.
Then check.

Are you sure you are using the right dipstick?
https://www.carcarekiosk.com/video/2011_Toyota_Yaris_1.5L_4_Cyl._Sedan/oil/check_oil_level

Thanks, I'll check again in an hour.

biko

colm_mcm wrote: »

Do you think there’s 3 litres of oil slowly working it’s way down?

No, but when in doubt just go textbook. If you have to ask then it's best to do things by the numbers.

From seeing some oil on the dipstick to being able to fill 3 litres something isn't right.

After an hour the new and old oil will have mixed enough to show a clear line on the dipstick.

tnegun

What made you check in the first place? Have you looked under the car in case theres a leak? Although for 3 liters not to show it would have to be a hole in the sump.

Guy:Incognito

colm_mcm wrote: »

Do you think there’s 3 litres of oil slowly working it’s way down?

Maybe it's a really heavy oil

Was the engine hot or cold when filling with oil?

If you have breakdown assist with your car insurance, I'd call them first- usually doesn't cost anything and they could save you 1000's - as others have said, don't start the car- you have a great chance to save your precious little Yaris right now but it could go horribly wrong if you start to heat up the engine.

kirving

If you did put 3L of oil into the oil in, under no circumstances start the engine. Nothing bad will happen if it's not started, but you you start it, even for a minute, you could destroy the engine. You need to call a mechanic.

AndyBoBandy

3L of oil sounds way too much if it was only getting close to the minimum level mark.

My mother has a 2012 1L Yaris, and I've done the last 3-4 oil changes for her, the engine only needs about 3L of oil in total.
The engine does need regular checking as the oil level does go down quite regularly (at least every 8,000-10,000km it will need a check/top up).

Has any oil leaked onto the ground under the engine? It seems very odd that you're not seeing anything at all on the dipstick, especially since you were seeing it close to the minimum level initially.

Do you know anyone mechanically minded that could take a look?

tuxy

I think we need more info.
Is the car in regular use, how often do you check out, what kind of service intervals do you do?

It could be something as simple as the dip stick not seating correctly or as serious as oil sludge preventing the oil draining into the pan.

dodderangler

Yaris takes 3.4 litres to fill after engine has completely drained of oil. So if you topped it up then you’ve just filled it twice.

tuxy

dodderangler wrote: »

Yaris takes 3.4 litres to fill after engine has completely drained of oil. So if you topped it up then you’ve just filled it twice.

Yeah if it was totally drained and you put 3 litres in it would be low but safe to drive.

3 litres + whatever was in it sounds very dangerous. As said loads of times already, do not start it.

Monife

Thanks for all the replies. Engine was stone cold, no oil on the ground.

My mum put me in touch with her mechanic and he said it sounds like I've overfilled it. Luckily he's going to drop out tomorrow and sort it for me.

biko

Sound, let us know the result

Well done. Good decision. Hopefully all will be OK.

Atlantic Dawn

Is the car manual or automatic? Is there a chance you are looking at the gearbox oil dipstick?

AndyBoBandy

Monife wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. Engine was stone cold, no oil on the ground.

My mum put me in touch with her mechanic and he said it sounds like I've overfilled it. Luckily he's going to drop out tomorrow and sort it for me.

If he’s going to completely drain the engine of oil and replace it with fresh new oil, it might as well be worth getting a new oil filter (€7-€12), thus giving the engine a full oil service!

When was the last time it had an oil service? (Time since or km’s driven since?)

freddieot

Don't even turn it on - you could burst seals etc. and really mess up the engine. Wait for the mechanic.

corks finest

BBMcQ wrote:

Speaks volumes about their phone customer service.

veetwin wrote:

If you have added 3 litres of oil its almost certainly over filled. Google says capacity is 3.2 litres. I would definitely not start it. On the underside of the engine there is a sump nut which when removed will result in the oil draining off. You will need spanner of the correct size and have a container handy for the oil. Refill with 3.2 litres of the correct grade oil.

Get a loan of a vacuum pump suck out a litre ( on sale in Aldi or Lidl ATM)

bfa1509

With my years of mechanical experience, I would advise to give the ex-husband another chance.

Doctors room ghost

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

If he’s going to completely drain the engine of oil and replace it with fresh new oil, it might as well be worth getting a new oil filter (€7-€12), thus giving the engine a full oil service!

When was the last time it had an oil service? (Time since or km’s driven since?)

Good point definitely worth doing the filter but they will have a job to get one of a Saturday night on a bank holiday unless the mechanic has one where he’s based

Monife

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

If he’s going to completely drain the engine of oil and replace it with fresh new oil, it might as well be worth getting a new oil filter (€7-€12), thus giving the engine a full oil service!

When was the last time it had an oil service? (Time since or km’s driven since?)

Doubt he'll completely drain it, he's coming from Wicklow, I'm in Dublin so he'll only have whatever tools he can bring with him. Doubt he'd have spare oil filters either, maybe but I don't know. It was serviced last December with Toyota, I'm assuming they changed the oil etc.

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Is the car manual or automatic? Is there a chance you are looking at the gearbox oil dipstick?

Didn't even know there was such a thing. But I am fairly sure, like 99%, that I was checking the engine oil dipstick. In fact, my dad was out with me a month ago and I had to get him to open the oil cap as it had been screwed in way too tightly and I checked the dipstick then in front of him and he made no comment of using the wrong one, and he can do a basic service of his own car. Hadn't bought the oil at the time but because he was around at the time, got him to loosen the cap.

bfa1509 wrote: »

With my years of mechanical experience, I would advise to give the ex-husband another chance.

Not helpful. He wasn't a mechanic and couldn't do much, but he did top up my oil and water and check my tyres.

colm_mcm

The oil dipstick is right behind the filler car and is bright yellow, so I’d assume the OP saw it.

Monife

Just finished with the mechanic. He drained almost 3L, so the car actually didn't even need oil. He also said my dipstick is very hard to read and to just keep a 1L bottle in the car and every now and again top it up with a bit of that.

Thanks for all the responses.

tuxy

So you were running the car no oil before you topped it up?

biko

Yes, sounds like it.
Either way OP, hope you now can read the dipstick so it won't happen again.
Check level quite often (maybe every time you get petrol to start) so you learn how fast the car burns oil. You don't want it to seize.

Wibbs

tuxy wrote: »

So you were running the car no oil before you topped it up?

It sounds like she added 3 litres to the existing level and the chap drained that?

biko

The small engine cannot possibly hold 6L oil
I'm confused now

tuxy

Wibbs wrote: »

It sounds like she added 3 litres to the existing level and the chap drained that?

Yep you're correct, I misread.

Wibbs

tuxy wrote: »

So you were running the car no oil before you topped it up?

Though on that score I knew a bloke many moons ago with an old Fiesta, where from what I could gather, he had left it in for a service a few weeks back and the mechanic had drained it, put on a new filter, but forgot to add in new oil. Yep. This guy wasn't mechanically minded so thought it sounded a bit "loud" drove it on the regular for those weeks. He noticed a burning smell and it had overheated but on he went. I looked at the dipstick and it was dry as a bone. :eek: I filled it up and he was all pleased that it sounded so much better. How it survived that still staggers me, but gave me a new respect for the engine that was in it. This was pre NCT days and it ran a bot smokey alright but it ran and he held onto it for a couple of years.

AndyBoBandy

When I did my mothers Yaris a few weeks ago, I don't think I got more than about 1L of oil out of it!!

As I said earlier, the 1L yaris is thirsty for oil, and needs regular checking!!


An example of no oil in an engine;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUE5fcdBf9Q

tuxy

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

As I said earlier, the 1L yaris is thirsty for oil, and needs regular checking!!

You said it needs a top up every 8,000-10,000km , the service interval for new oil and filter is 8000km. How can it be considered thirsty for oil if it needs no oil between service intervals?

county

Pop

P.

colm_mcm

tuxy wrote: »

You said it needs a top up every 8,000-10,000km , the service interval for new oil and filter is 8000km. How can it be considered thirsty for oil if it needs no oil between service intervals?

Service interval on a Yaris is 15000km.

MrCostington

I was watching an old Fifth Gear on youtube the other week, one of the presenters did an experiment where they drained the oil completely from and old car and drove it till it seized. I was very surprised how well it went, for such a long time before it gave up!

Found it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUE5fcdBf9Q

AndyBoBandy

MrCostington wrote: »

I was watching an old Fifth Gear on youtube the other week, one of the presenters did an experiment where they drained the oil completely from and old car and drove it till it seized. I was very surprised how well it went, for such a long time before it gave up!

Found it!

I posted that same clip only 4 posts back!

tuxy

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

I posted that same clip only 4 posts back!

You can't expect someone to read that far back.

MrCostington

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

I posted that same clip only 4 posts back!

Sorry!

Great minds and all that!

Wibbs

Wibbs wrote: »

Though on that score I knew a bloke many moons ago with an old Fiesta, where from what I could gather, he had left it in for a service a few weeks back and the mechanic had drained it, put on a new filter, but forgot to add in new oil. Yep. This guy wasn't mechanically minded so thought it sounded a bit "loud" drove it on the regular for those weeks. He noticed a burning smell and it had overheated but on he went. I looked at the dipstick and it was dry as a bone. :eek: I filled it up and he was all pleased that it sounded so much better. How it survived that still staggers me, but gave me a new respect for the engine that was in it. This was pre NCT days and it ran a bot smokey alright but it ran and he held onto it for a couple of years.

Just shows ya, are we going backwards or forwards with technology. If you look at my engine sideways, she goes into a huff and doesn't speak to me for days.