Excess oil

[Crazyhazy]

It's now just over a month since I picked up my car from SEAT which had 1 previous owner. After picking it up and driving it for a week or so I decided to dip the oil, It was first thing in the morning and the car had been stood for hours, the level was and still is about a quarter of an inch above maximum on the dipstick. Somebody tells me thats dodgy! If it is what on earth are the "Technicians" as they like to call them at SEAT - playing at? I have been told to take it in when I get chance! Is it dodgy?

 

[goble]

so the car hadnt been run so the oil had run down the oil galleries down to the sump try running it for a few minutes then dipping it!

 

[Crazyhazy]

Correct me if I'm wrong but arent you supposed to check your oil when its ALL run into the sump?

 

[chippenhamwilts]

Best to check engine oil after engine has run for a couple of minutes. The oil (like anything) will expand as it heats up, so if its over full now, it'll be worse when its warmed up. If its overfilled, you can get to high an oil / crank pressure and start blowing seals. Ideal level is around 3/4 way up on dipstick and checked at least once a week.

 

[Crazyhazy]

Thanks for that I am taking it in next week

 

[belgarion]

The measure on the dipstick should account for the heat of the oil..

 

[chippenhamwilts]

no it wont, if you fill it to the top of the dipstick when it is cold and run the engine and then check it, it will be over the mark because the oil has expanded. I am yet to see a dipstick where the full line moves to compensate. Read your handbook it tells you exactly how to check the oil.

 

[JonoUK]

Did you get this checked/sorted?

 

[andycupra]

god theres some rubbish on this thread.

your right, the oil level is too high.
oil should be checked when car has stood for a period, or at least left for a few minutes after a run before checking to get an accurate account of whats in the engine.
im sure the handbook will state the oil needs to drain into the sump.

id take some out if i was you. could even put it in a bottle for topping up later.

 

[Tam]

Any chance it could be diesel leaking into the oil as per a couple of other threads?

 

[Crazyhazy]

I have had the oil level checked today and apparantly according to SEAT its fine - so ignore the maximum on the dipstick its not worth a w...

 

[andycupra]

to be accurate, the max mark is a little concervative, ive just checked and the dip stick has a marked area, and then also has a an angle above and below the marked areas.
reading the handbook it states that when towing or for long fast driving the oil can be up the bottom of the angle. ie a little over the maximum mark.

however it also states about 3 times and in bold not to exceed this.
so the way i see it is the marks are the recommended levels, and the angles in the dip stick are the definate outer limits.

as for seat saying its fine, they would, as its work for them to correct it.
if its overfilled the handbook says it could be detrimental to the cat. which is something you wont need to worry about for some time....

 

[JonoUK]

My dipstick seems to be all plastic, and black... and is round, as opposed to flat - with two little ball shaped things as the min/max markers. Anyone else's likek this?

 

[Crazyhazy]

Thank's Andy for a sensible reply. Mine is 6mm above that angled bit at least! Anyway if it all goes t..s up they have been told and it's at their cost not mine.

 

[andycupra]

Thank's Andy for a sensible reply. Mine is 6mm above that angled bit at least! Anyway if it all goes t..s up they have been told and it's at their cost not mine.

well i hinted at this, but the handbook indicates it could get blown through the engine via the breather pipe and can damage the cat.

now, seeing the car is new or at least newish, and the cat wont be tested till mots become effective, they probably wont be too bothered. as to be blunt if you find it knackered in 2-3 years time its:
1 possibly out of warranty,
and 2, too late to do anything about it.

one thing i should say is im basing this on the MK1 leon engine. but im sure the basics still apply!

 

[wild willy]

I replaced my oil recently and i overfilled it a little such that it was 3mm higher on the dip stick than the max mark. So what you may think! so did i until i noticed my down pipe blowing at the cat connection (unrelated problem). Upon closer inspection i can confirm that i did have oil leaking down the down pipe...... Not good.
F*ck what Seat say. Do not exceed max or at your cost.!

 

[JonoUK]

How can I check the above?

 

[wild willy]

Jono, just drain or syphon (not with mouth) oil until at the correct level as in manufactures handbook and then just forget about it other than your normal oil checks.

 

[JonoUK]

Well I'll check it on the morrow when it's properly cool, although I'm sure it was last time I checked....

This is what mine looks like, but it's black, not grey. more difficult to see the level than on a flat metal dipstick, but it was "wet" (with oil, i hope) up to the bit i've pointed an arrow at. I don't know if that's ok, or if it's just meant to go to between the actual min/max markers between the two ball things.

 

[JonoUK]

Well it's not got any more oil in it than it had last time, less even.
So that's good, i guess.