Oil fill just a smidge over the max dot
October 11, 2020 6:59 AM Subscribe
I changed the oil in my 4 cylinder, 9th Gen Accord yesterday and accidentally put a bit too much in. It looks like it's about a 1/8" to a 1/4" past the max fill dot. Maybe a quarter of a quart too much? Is that too much?
It's raining like hell right now and the last thing I want to do jack the car back up and try to let out just a tiny bit of oil. We have a long trip to the mountains today and if it's too much then I need to deal with it before we leave.
It's raining like hell right now and the last thing I want to do jack the car back up and try to let out just a tiny bit of oil. We have a long trip to the mountains today and if it's too much then I need to deal with it before we leave.
I think you're fine.
The Cartalk guys say "A quarter of an inch on most dipsticks equals a quarter of a quart. And adding an extra quarter of a quart, or even half a quart, won't hurt anything. When you overfill the crankcase by a quart or more, then you risk "foaming" the oil. "
posted by belladonna at 7:40 AM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
The Cartalk guys say "A quarter of an inch on most dipsticks equals a quarter of a quart. And adding an extra quarter of a quart, or even half a quart, won't hurt anything. When you overfill the crankcase by a quart or more, then you risk "foaming" the oil. "
posted by belladonna at 7:40 AM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
I just now checked again on an ice cold engine and the level was right at the max fill dot.
That's exactly the right way to measure an oil level, so you're fine.
posted by flabdablet at 7:44 AM on October 11, 2020 [5 favorites]
That's exactly the right way to measure an oil level, so you're fine.
posted by flabdablet at 7:44 AM on October 11, 2020 [5 favorites]
No problem. When you saw it was a little too much on the dipstick, was that before or after you started the car to fill up all the oil passages?
Note for people who see this in the future: when filling the crankcase after changing your oil, *especially* when you've also replaced the filter, start the car and let it run for fifteen seconds (long enough for the oil pressure light to go off). THEN shut the car off and read the dipstick. Depending on the engine, you can have quite a bit of oil that stays up in the oil passages, to provide lubrication on restart.
Even if the measurement *was* after the 15-sec re-charge, a a quarter of a quart high on the dipstick isn't really a problem.
posted by notsnot at 8:59 AM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Note for people who see this in the future: when filling the crankcase after changing your oil, *especially* when you've also replaced the filter, start the car and let it run for fifteen seconds (long enough for the oil pressure light to go off). THEN shut the car off and read the dipstick. Depending on the engine, you can have quite a bit of oil that stays up in the oil passages, to provide lubrication on restart.
Even if the measurement *was* after the 15-sec re-charge, a a quarter of a quart high on the dipstick isn't really a problem.
posted by notsnot at 8:59 AM on October 11, 2020 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks everyone. I feel much better about this now
posted by NoMich at 9:31 AM on October 11, 2020
posted by NoMich at 9:31 AM on October 11, 2020
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posted by NoMich at 7:35 AM on October 11, 2020