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Mysterious overfilling of oil

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  • Ronald F.
    Expired
    • September 29, 2012
    • 135

    Mysterious overfilling of oil

    Anyone ever notice this: I changed my oil only, not the filter. After draining the oil, replaced 4 qts and measured on dipstick to the fill line. Then added one qt. It then went right to the full line. So far, exactly what I would expect. Started her up, no leaks. Let her rest for several hrs. Now it measures above the full line, to the last "L" in full. WTH? It's an '67 L71.

    This is the second time this has happened. Do I need to pull her back onto the lift and drain some out? Or is this normal?

    Ron
  • Steven B.
    Extremely Frequent Poster
    • June 30, 1982
    • 3985

    #2
    Re: Mysterious overfilling of oil

    If you did not change the filter you have oil left in the filter and then added 5 qts so you have 5+ qts-overfill.

    Comment

    • Terry D.
      Extremely Frequent Poster
      • May 31, 1987
      • 2691

      #3
      Re: Mysterious overfilling of oil

      Why would you change oil and not the filter? By the way Steve is right.

      Comment

      • William F.
        Extremely Frequent Poster
        • June 9, 2009
        • 1363

        #4
        Re: Mysterious overfilling of oil

        Not a math major, but don't L71's require 6 qts. total, not 5?

        Comment

        • Joe L.
          Beyond Control Poster
          • February 1, 1988
          • 43211

          #5
          Re: Mysterious overfilling of oil

          Originally posted by William Ford (50517)
          Not a math major, but don't L71's require 6 qts. total, not 5?

          William------


          Yes, Corvette big blocks require 6 quarts total.
          In Appreciation of John Hinckley

          Comment

          • Steven B.
            Extremely Frequent Poster
            • June 30, 1982
            • 3985

            #6
            Re: Mysterious overfilling of oil

            Woops! I have too many sbc's. Thanks for the catch guys.

            Comment

            • Ronald F.
              Expired
              • September 29, 2012
              • 135

              #7
              Re: Mysterious overfilling of oil

              The oil wasjust changed with filter but i put wrong oil in. I replaced the oil with CJ-4 rated oil.

              Comment

              • Jim L.
                Extremely Frequent Poster
                • September 30, 1979
                • 1808

                #8
                Re: Mysterious overfilling of oil

                Originally posted by Ronald Fadell (55506)
                Let her rest for several hrs. Now it measures above the full line, to the last "L" in full. WTH?
                Ron, give the dipstick the sniff test. Do you smell gasoline? If so, your fuel pump could be leaking into the oil pan and that would raise the apparent oil level.

                Jim

                Comment

                • Gary C.
                  Expired
                  • March 1, 1998
                  • 236

                  #9
                  Re: Mysterious overfilling of oil

                  Next time try this..if you really want a clue to what happens...check and record your dipstick level, drain the oil just exactly as you did here, measure how much oil you drained from the pan. If it is less than 5 qts then you found the answer. If you drain 5 qts and you then replace the 5 qts but is too full later then some other fluid is being added. My guess is that only 4.5 qts drained out because of the car position or whatever. Was the car level every time you measured with the dipstick? Was the car level when you drained the oil. It is safe to say your engine is not manafacturing oil (I know it is a big block and all, but it don't do that) so something has to be altered, the car attitude (not level), how the oil level is measured, or drained, or as Jim suggested.

                  Comment

                  • Ronald F.
                    Expired
                    • September 29, 2012
                    • 135

                    #10
                    Re: Mysterious overfilling of oil

                    Well it passed the sniff test, no gas smell on the dipstick. Car almost perfectly level when drained and checked. Garage floor was built with very slight slope for water drainage. What boggles my mind is the fact that the level rises after running the engine. I would think if anything it might drop slightly as oil is circulated. Anyway it's just slightly above the fill so I don't have much desire to replace it on the lift and drain some so I guess I'll just drive it around. It leaks a little from the main seal with each trip so it will self correct in no time and hopefully I won't do damage to it.

                    Comment

                    • Terry D.
                      Extremely Frequent Poster
                      • May 31, 1987
                      • 2691

                      #11
                      Re: Mysterious overfilling of oil

                      Are you sure you have the right dipstick?

                      Comment

                      • Joe R.
                        Extremely Frequent Poster
                        • May 31, 2006
                        • 1822

                        #12
                        Re: Mysterious overfilling of oil

                        Originally posted by Ronald Fadell (55506)
                        Well it passed the sniff test, no gas smell on the dipstick. Car almost perfectly level when drained and checked. Garage floor was built with very slight slope for water drainage. What boggles my mind is the fact that the level rises after running the engine. I would think if anything it might drop slightly as oil is circulated. Anyway it's just slightly above the fill so I don't have much desire to replace it on the lift and drain some so I guess I'll just drive it around. It leaks a little from the main seal with each trip so it will self correct in no time and hopefully I won't do damage to it.
                        Ron,

                        I don't think you will do any harm being a little over the full line. For big blocks, the oil is slow to drain back from the top of the engine. I believe it was Clem who suggested running big blocks a quart over full if you plan to run them hard.

                        Joe

                        Comment

                        • William F.
                          Extremely Frequent Poster
                          • June 9, 2009
                          • 1363

                          #13
                          Re: Mysterious overfilling of oil

                          Agree with Jim. You could be "making 'oil'"-getting gas in oil pan; if so, will cause severe engine wear/failure. Had that happen with Detroit "leaker"692 diesel boat engine-fuel line for injectors leaked fuel into oil.

                          Comment

                          • William F.
                            Extremely Frequent Poster
                            • June 9, 2009
                            • 1363

                            #14
                            Re: Mysterious overfilling of oil

                            If it's definitely not gas in oil, agree with some others' suggestions about possibly wrong dipstick, slow drainage of old oil since common things are common. Can get into oil aeration from slinging around by crank, if too full, though, and not good

                            Comment

                            • Joe L.
                              Beyond Control Poster
                              • February 1, 1988
                              • 43211

                              #15
                              Re: Mysterious overfilling of oil

                              Originally posted by Ronald Fadell (55506)
                              Well it passed the sniff test, no gas smell on the dipstick. Car almost perfectly level when drained and checked. Garage floor was built with very slight slope for water drainage. What boggles my mind is the fact that the level rises after running the engine. I would think if anything it might drop slightly as oil is circulated. Anyway it's just slightly above the fill so I don't have much desire to replace it on the lift and drain some so I guess I'll just drive it around. It leaks a little from the main seal with each trip so it will self correct in no time and hopefully I won't do damage to it.
                              Ronald-----

                              What color plastic button is on the end of the dipstick's loop handle?
                              In Appreciation of John Hinckley

                              Comment

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