# Overfilling oil



## dionabass (Nov 6, 2014)

I just changed the oil in a 2009 VW Routan yesterday. I had it up on ramps, unscrewed the pan plug and let it drain for over an hour. I then unscrewed the oil filter which had a decent amount of oil residual in it and let that drain for about another 10 min. The oil capacity in the owner's manual states 5 qts. After replacing the the oil filter and drain plug, I put about 4 qts of oil back into vehicle and started it up. The dipstick read around the bottom of the "safe" mark on dipstick. I then added about 0.7 more qts and the reading was then at the halfway mark. The problem is that the vehicle was still up on the ramps when I did this. When I placed the used oil in the oil container for recycling I noticed there was just over 3 qts (I changed the oil last time and thought I overfilled it). And when I check the oil today (on even surface) it is over the "safe" mark. Compared to my other vehicle (Jeep Patriot) the VW dipstick is a pain to read as it usually smears and pulls oil up the tubing when pulling the dipstick out. So in short, I completely drained the oil (so I thought) and replaced it with just under 5 qts of oil. Can you tell me why there's a discrepancy between the amt of oil drained and the amt of oil originally put in? How big of a deal is it if the oil is a little over the "safe" mark on the dipstick?


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

I have noticed the same issue on almost all vehicles I have owned over the years. The dipstick reads right at full before the oil change, but a good amount less than the official capacity drains out. 

The remaining oil is still in the engine. Obviously _*don't do this*_, but if you cranked the engine with "no" oil in there, some more oil would drain out.

"A *little*" over the safe mark isn't a problem. A _*lot *_over that mark could be.


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

I have noticed the same anomaly many times, where the that the amount of oil in the pan does not appear to equal the amount that should have drained out, but can't answer taht one. Can say though that I have never like the idea of changing oil with a vehicle on ramps. First off is the orientation of the oil pan, tappet galley, etc. If the vehicle is at an angle, the engine is at an angle, so it seems that oil can be trapped, unable to reach the drain hole. Second, once you have theoretically drained all of the oil from the engine, then replenished it, is there enough oil at the pickup tube at the point of start up? An automobile engine is obviously designed to operate on inclines, but how much oil is available at various angles, and is it enough for that initial start up, when all of the cavities are dry? I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with doing it on ramps, as it has been done this way countless times, but it has always been a concern of mine.


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## rusty baker (Feb 13, 2009)

If there was too much oil, it would foam and would not lubricate as well.


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## dionabass (Nov 6, 2014)

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate it. Prior to using the ramps, I did attempt to use an oil extractor I have, but to no avail. I bought it back in the spring and used it on the last oil change on the Patriot about a month or so ago. It worked ok but was very slow. On the VW however, I couldn't get the extractor tube far enough into the pan to extract any oil. When placed down the dipstick tube, the extractor tube would meet impassable resistance a few inches shy of where the end of the dipstick would rest. I don't know if there is a sharp corner or what. So my next option was the ramps as there is not a whole lot of clearance from the bottom of the VW and the ground. I could have probably used jack/stands, but there would have still been an incline. I see what you're saying though. I guess I'll just have to invest in a garage lift. Now wouldn't that be cool. Thanks again.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

dionabass said:


> The oil capacity in the owner's manual states 5 qts.
> 
> When I placed the used oil in the oil container for recycling I noticed there was just over 3 qts (I changed the oil last time and thought I overfilled it).



You need to check your oil more often. At least once a week.



DexterII said:


> Second, once you have theoretically drained all of the oil from the engine, then replenished it, is there enough oil at the pickup tube at the point of start up?


Add new oil to your new oil filter before you put it on. That way it doesn't run dry for that first moment that you start it back up.


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