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I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Thu May 05, 2011 10:58 pm
by pisquano
I checked the oil level today, and it was on minimum, so I put half litre without realising I should have gone smaller increments

it now shows max almost going barely beyond the plastic bit

what should I do? is there a way to rebalance the level emptying the oil level just a bit? any risk of damage by having the oil level so high?

Re: I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Thu May 05, 2011 11:55 pm
by Pie
Only way to empty it would be by draining it through the sump.

One downside with overfilling is that its possible to damage oil seals (increase in crankcase pressure).

Not sure about the RS4 but my old car used to spit out any excess oil through the breather system.

Re: I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 12:34 am
by pisquano
Can any garage do this or does the ecu need to be reset by an audi garage?

Re: I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 2:38 am
by ArthurPE
how did you check it?

engine hot
level ground 3-5 minutes after shutdown
as long as it doesn't touch the plastic marked 'max' you are good
if it barely touches I wouldn't sweat it

the best way to remove a little is a small hand power vaccum pump thru the dipstick tube


are you saying it was on the low ennd of the metal (below the hatch marks) and 1/2 liter put up near the top end of the upper plastic piece? that doesn't sound right

it sounds like you are a liter too much, if that is the case you need to use the vaccum pump to draw some out until it is below the plastic and on the metal between the plastic sections

Re: I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 5:56 am
by Ice_Coffee
post up a picture of your dipstick ! (obviously just after it has been dipped on level ground)

Re: I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 8:42 am
by Ian_C
pisquano wrote:I checked the oil level today, and it was on minimum, so I put half litre without realising I should have gone smaller increments

it now shows max almost going barely beyond the plastic bit

what should I do? is there a way to rebalance the level emptying the oil level just a bit? any risk of damage by having the oil level so high?
As mentioned above, half a litre from minimum on the dipstick / DIS oil light should be fine. I only keep half a litre in my top up bottle in the boot - makes it so much easier to pour!

Remember reading once that someone put in 1.5 litres when the oil light came on. Now THAT would be too much! :bash:

Run the car to let the new oil circulate, let it settle and cool down and read it again standing on level ground as Russ says. You enjoy his Cab on Sunday?!

Re: I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 8:45 am
by Steve_C
My dipstick was just above MIN. I put in a litre (in small increments) and it is now about 3/4 of the way towards MAX. Can't see how half a litre would have the effect you say?

Re: I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 9:04 am
by pisquano
I will try again, but yesterday after 3 mins of shutting the engine the oil was
Covering the whole upper plastic part - I had driven the car 5-10
Minutes after topping up.

For good measure: where can I find this vacuum pump?

Re: I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 9:42 am
by Ian_C
One thing I have found is that the DIS oil light comes on rather early - even with sedate driving (ie not making the oil slosh around). Could have sworn the oil light came on just as I switched off Sunday morning having driven the car about 4 miles. Immediately switched the ignition back on. No warning. Let the car cool down, checked the level, about half way between max and min. Oil light then came on again Sunday night, so I just continued my journey and topped it up the next day. Stone cold, it was showing just below half before I put half litre in.

Re: I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 9:59 am
by pisquano
I have found the pump but I don't want to spend money for nothing - I will check tonight the reading again

http://www.futuregarageservices.co.uk/s ... u5et5ijp93

Re: I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 10:00 am
by pisquano
Ian_C wrote:
pisquano wrote:I checked the oil level today, and it was on minimum, so I put half litre without realising I should have gone smaller increments

it now shows max almost going barely beyond the plastic bit

what should I do? is there a way to rebalance the level emptying the oil level just a bit? any risk of damage by having the oil level so high?
As mentioned above, half a litre from minimum on the dipstick / DIS oil light should be fine. I only keep half a litre in my top up bottle in the boot - makes it so much easier to pour!

Remember reading once that someone put in 1.5 litres when the oil light came on. Now THAT would be too much! :bash:

Run the car to let the new oil circulate, let it settle and cool down and read it again standing on level ground as Russ says. You enjoy his Cab on Sunday?!
I didn't have the DIS oil light on, but the reading was just above the MIN mark on the plastic bit, that's why I though I would top it up

Re: I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 11:22 am
by Stoffle32
Another way to get Oil out is just buy a 50ml syringe and thin long silicone tube, connect together stick the tube down the dip stick hole and suck some Oil out...

Re: I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 11:28 am
by Ian_C
pisquano wrote:
Ian_C wrote:
pisquano wrote:I checked the oil level today, and it was on minimum, so I put half litre without realising I should have gone smaller increments

it now shows max almost going barely beyond the plastic bit

what should I do? is there a way to rebalance the level emptying the oil level just a bit? any risk of damage by having the oil level so high?
As mentioned above, half a litre from minimum on the dipstick / DIS oil light should be fine. I only keep half a litre in my top up bottle in the boot - makes it so much easier to pour!

Remember reading once that someone put in 1.5 litres when the oil light came on. Now THAT would be too much! :bash:

Run the car to let the new oil circulate, let it settle and cool down and read it again standing on level ground as Russ says. You enjoy his Cab on Sunday?!
I didn't have the DIS oil light on, but the reading was just above the MIN mark on the plastic bit, that's why I though I would top it up
DIS warning would have surely come on! Sounds most likely the dipstick was maybe not quite sat right down before you checked the level, making the oil read lower than it actually was. Maybe the car was parked on a slight slope?

Re: I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 11:36 am
by pisquano
actually I checked it at a petrol station trying several times and there didn't seem to be any slope,,,,, I guess I simply didn't follow the correct procedure...but I thought I did! car parked for a few minutes etc etc...
anyway I now have to solve the problem of too much oil...

I will make another reading later today and post the picture...

Re: I might have overfilled the oil

Posted: Fri May 06, 2011 12:03 pm
by Steve_C
When my reading was just abvove MIN on the dipstick, I had no oil light on the dash. Does anyone know when the oil light should come on in theory?