Added a little bit too much oil

[jlav0330]

Did oil change on my ALH yesterday, first time since owning car. I read that it takes 4.5 liters, and I had a whole unopened bottle of Amsoil from old owner, and another open one that was about 1/3 full (he gave it to me when he sold the car to me). So I changed everything out, and poured in the whole bottle in, and poured in 1/2 liter of the opened bottle. I checked the level this morning after driving around, and you know how there's that bend in the dipstick? My level is at the top of that bend, and not within the hash mark like it should be.

I know what I did wrong, should have just poured in that unopened bottle, checked it, and topped it off if needed. I never took out the excess oil from where the oil filter was, which probably accounts to why I overfilled it. Anyways, should I try and take out the excess oil? I don't have a vacuum or anything like that, and it'd be a great pain to try and remove it. But I'll obviously do it if it means it'll damage my engine or it's not a problem. Thanks!

 

[KLXD]

It'll be fine where it is. I wouldn't touch it.

 

[eddieleephd]

Well, at this point it sounds like you put far to much in and have to pull some out. Easiest route would be to suck enough out with a vacuum pump.
If you have a drop pan that's clean you can let it out the drain hole. Just do it when it's cool, not hot. Then you can let a little out and not burn yourself while you drop the amount of oil you want to.
If it's only a quarter inch above the full line it's not so bad
Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

 

[csstevej]

You’ll be fine , don’t worry about it.
Now if you were say a quarter of an inch up past the bend then I would try to suck some out, but where your at don’t worry.

 

[Tdijarhead]

It’ll be fine. I put in 4 quarts, start it let it run for a minute or two while I check to make sure it’s not leaking from the drain plug or filter cap. Then I shut it off and do my clean up putting away my tools recording the mileage of the oil change in my book and then after 10-15 minutes I check it again and add as necessary.

 

[CheapBastard]

I changed mine for the first time and I’m a C hair above that bend, rolling with it, not concerned

 

[AndyBees]

As others have said, nothing to worry about! ....... drive on!

 

[Mongler98]

It's fine. Not great, but if you wanted to, the easiest way to drain some is to change the oil filter. Heck, just unscrewing it and draining the filter and reinstalling it would probably do the trick. Just keep an eye on it and make sure it does not foam up. If it's not all bubbly when you pull the dip stick when you start it up when it's still cold after like a minute of running, it's fine. That's the only real worry with overfilling on most engines. So, eh. We have all done that from time to time.

 

[[486]]

I just dump it in until it's somewhere on there, within an inch of the hatch is just fine

Heck, just unscrewing it and draining the filter and reinstalling it would probably do the trick.

you ever seen the oil filter on an ALH or later? it drains into the crankcase

 

[Mongler98]

I just dump it in until it's somewhere on there, within an inch of the hatch is just fine
you ever seen the oil filter on an ALH or later? it drains into the crankcase

Your 100% correct, i got stumped over OP's comment. still some does get lost, not nearly as much though so thanks for chiming in.
aren't you also the guy who puts his used motor oil in the fuel tank, and any other oil you can get your hands on? your like the most intensive SWAG TDI owner i know of here. (that's not a bad thing lol)

I never took out the excess oil from where the oil filter was, which probably accounts to why I overfilled it.

 

[sriracha]

Good to know that it's not harmful to the motor, to be slightly over the hatch marks. Last time I changed my oil, I was over the hatch marks. I did what Mongler suggested, I opened the oil filter and pulled some oil out with a turkey baster. Next time, I won't worry about it, if my oil level is slightly above.

 

[OlyTDI]

It's not harmful to be more than slightly over the hatch marks.



I've had as much as 3/8 inch over with no ill effects whatsoever.


There are other threads on this very subject with similar opinions.

 

[KrashDH]

As a side note, it takes around a quart to get from the low to the high side of the hatch marks on the stick. So you really won't be able to see a reading until about 3+ quarts on the dipstick.
A little above is not going to hurt. It's when you dump much more in that you need to worry about over pressurizing the system and seal failures.

 

[Judson]

I have done my own oil changes almost since inception (June or July 2001). I have had her above the hatch marks on many occasions. If anything, she seems to like it better that way than, for example, in the middle of the hashes.

.02, IMHO, FWIW, etc.

 

[[486]]

aren't you also the guy who puts his used motor oil in the fuel tank, and any other oil you can get your hands on? your like the most intensive SWAG TDI owner i know of here. (that's not a bad thing lol)

nah, just ATF and gasoline, it works good enough...
but you need some large injectors and a very severe tune to knock the coke loose from the combustion chambers pretty often, if you're gentle with it too long it pours out white smoke like it's got a bad injector until you rattle everything loose