TimboMY03

I've just had the 1000 mile service for my MY03 WRX done. Whilst the mechanic was filling it with oil I asked how much it should and could take, he said that because they are pushed for time sometimes they will slightly underfill the car so that the dipstick shows a level just under the max mark. However, if for instance he fills it to the max mark and then goes to lunch, by the time he returns sometimes he can get another half litre before it hits the max mark again....

So, after my service I left it over night and checked it in the morning, the dip stick showed 2 thirds full, so I topped it up until it showed at the max mark (I did this over a period of 15 mins to let the oil drain properly. 2 days later, I checked the oil again and have subsequently rechecked again and again and the level now shows somewhere just above the 'Oil when warm/hot mark!!!! The question to you guys is, now that it's over filled, is it causing any potential damage or problems??? (Oil used GTX Magnitech [spelling?]

Yours hopefully not

TimboMY03

mark d

I overfilled mine - I was used to my last car which had a much bigger sump.

Had to drive it very carefully (and slowly) to the garage to get it drained - too much oil will clog up the valves etc. and prevent the oil from circulating properly causing it to misfire. It you leave it like this it will require a proper clean rather than just draining.

Not good, cost me £40 to get it drained and £30 for the Motul V I wasted...

MattW

The car will use some oil as it runs in (even over 1000 mile mark), if its just over max I would n't worry.

Potentially overfilling will put pressure on seals etc and cause oil to seep down into things such as cylinders. Apart from the potential of requiring new seals and rings(Bad bad news), the oil will make a hell of a mess of air filters, pipes etc.

What is wrong with the oil level being between the two markers, why you would ever want to fill it dead on max is beyond me.

tweenierob

I always fill the scoob to halfway between the lines..
IMHO filling to dead on Max is bad on a scoob, the first time i changed the oil on my scoob i filled to the max line, after that i had no end of problems with the boost solenoid clogging up..
A lot of Knowlegable people advised me to keep the oil level between the lines and this is where it stays and i no longer have any probs with the Solenoid or breathers or filter or inlet pipe or.......

Rob

TimboMY03

Thanks guys... off to the dealership at lunchtime then!

Sod it!

TimboMY03

tweenierob

Get a giant drinking straw and put it down the dipstick hole..
Suck until you feel sick
seriously though... make sure the dipstick is in the right way..
The oil can pic on the dipstick must be the right way up as you look at it, if it is in the other way round it will over read..


Rob

TimboMY03

Just been to my local dealership and explained the situation and where the oil level is now and they don't seem overly concerned about it! Didn't even bother checking the level themselves, just said that it would burn off the excess and that the very nature of Turboed car would use a bit of oil anyway!

Confused...

TimboMY03

mark d

Maybe it depends on how much you overfill it?

My dealer (SGT in Taplow) told me to take it in immediately to be drained and told me that it shouldn't burn off any oil at all!

chiark

Erm, it shouldn't burn oil. I never had to top up my MY00 in 3 years of motoring despite checking quite often.

Overfilling is bad for an engine. Seems strange that your dealer is unconcerned.

StickyMicky

ive also been told to keep them inbetween the lines about half way
boost soleniod can
clog up

MelTypeR

iTrader: (4)

Timbo i recently picked up my car from a service and noticed that it was quite sluggish, checked the oil and it was over filled. I took it back to my dealer and he agreed that having too much oil is bad news and they got it up on the ramp straight away drained the new oil out then filled it back up correctly.
Oil level now sit between half to full and drive much better.(they also cleaned out the boost solenoid)


Mel.

TimboMY03

MeltypeR,

I was chatting to the Mechanic as I said in my origional post and he said that on the MY03 Subaru have modified the solenoid as it used to cause 'knock' or sudden loss of power if the oil was over filled. He said that when the oil was over filled the oil vapour (when warm) could clogg the solenoid and cause the sensor to think that the turbo was over boosting, the result being that the wastegate would release the pressure hence 'knocking' or sudden loss of power. He also mentioned that if owners change their dump valve and have this knocking symptom the pressure build up in the intercooler can be released back into the turbo! In severe cases it can bend the vains of the Turbo back the wrong way!!!

Tim

GuyM

Take the plug out and drain some oil yourself.

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

I wouldn't use the dipstick the measure the amount of oil going into the engine during an oil change. Just measure 4.5 litres (inluding filling the filter).

Once the oil has settled it should read about 2/3 full. Well it did last time

Justin

krankyd

I overfilled my golf GTI once. by about 2 litres (!)

Everytime you kicked it a massive cloud of blue smoke poored out the back of the car.... fantastic!

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

LOL

A close friend of mine who knows less about cars than Jade does about driving them, decided to check his oil. On looking at the low level on the dipstick he bought a litre of oil at the garage and put half in. As he saw it drain away into the engine from the rocker cover, he thought to himself 'that is low' so he put the rest in. Again it all disappeared so he bought himself another litre of oil. Five litres later he finally managed to fill it up to the top of the rocker cover.

He only noticed something was amiss when a smokescreen Batman would have been proud of was coming from the back of the car. He was with a work colleague at the time and was cursing the car - might I add this was the second engine in the car, the first siezed since he'd run the thing dry of oil.....

'I'd only filled it up last night'
'How much did you put in'
'loads, all the way to to top'
'Of what?'
'The filler cap'
'I'd pull over if I were you'

LOL :

stellaFella

the problem is most people think the dealers are the dogs B*****ks when it comes to their marque. The subaru dealer near me has changed about four times in recent years last time it was rover group. they still have the same staff now. they are not always the experts that they are thought to be or make out to be. you just have to use them for warrenty.