my mechanic slightly overfilled oil change

[flinter]

Hi,

I took my 2017 Hyundai Elantra Value Edition in for an oil/filter change and brought them my own oil and Hyundai filter. i specifically told the owner to fill with 4.25 quarts, but the mechanic used 4.75 quarts. It is a major issue where I should have the extra oil drained. Can this overfill cause damage to the engine?

Thank you
Michael in NJ

 

[Trav]

Nothing to worry about.

 

[csandste]

No problem whatsoever. If slight overfills hurt engines, there'd be a lot more damaged engines out there.

 

[flinter]

Ok, thanks.

 

[Duffyjr]

1/2 quart over shouldn't hurt but next time only bring them the 4.25 quarts. My car takes 4.5 so I always remove a 1/2 quart, that way they can't mess up.

 

[TheLawnRanger]

Common practice. If your car burn oil slightly, this keeps you from having to top off for a while so it doesn't look like the mechanic underfilled the oil.

 

[Bud_One]

I overfilled my 2016 Civic 2.0 , with 5 qts - it takes 4.5 qts .

I haven't had any issues in over 5k miles.

You should be fine.

 

[CharBaby]

Yeah, no biggie! Even 1qt overfilled on many engines isn't a big deal. However, more than a qt could be different.

 

[bubbatime]

I always overfill my mother in laws car. It might be 4000 or 5000 miles before I see the car again, and she never checks the oil, and her car consumes a little oil, so I would rather it be high, then a few quarts low. Up to 1 quart high has never been a problem. Just don't add several extra quarts.

On my personal vehicles, its exactly at the top of the line, as it should be.

And a lesson was learned here.... if you want something done right, you do it yourself. You even told the guy EXACTLY how much oil it needed, and they still over filled the car. Maybe next time you INSIST that they only put 4 quarts in, and you will put the extra 0.25 quarts in when you get home.

 

[csandste]

Different sized oil filters can also make a big difference on where the oil winds up on the dipstick.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted by flinter
Hi,

I took my 2017 Hyundai Elantra Value Edition in for an oil/filter change and brought them my own oil and Hyundai filter. i specifically told the owner to fill with 4.25 quarts, but the mechanic used 4.75 quarts. It is a major issue where I should have the extra oil drained. Can this overfill cause damage to the engine?

Thank you
Michael in NJ


Does that 2.4 engine hold 4.7 or 4.8 quarts? Why would you want them to only use 4.2?
Never use an oil change shop that inserts the oil bolt to the pan, before it gets done streaming. Best to do it yourself, if you can't find a 'patient' mechanic.

I let mine drip until the oil filters cools enough to uninstall it - without excess heat remaining on it. Usually one hour does the trick. I am not "that guy" which stays underneath the vehicle until the oil pan bolt is secured and the oil filter is removed and the new filter is installed.

I'll bet that are some here (living in the warm south) that do not warm the engine, prior to oil change-time. Don't try that here in the Northern parts of the USA.You will leave excess old oil in the engine and never remove any gunk, from the bottom of the oil pan.

 

[Kestas]

Don't the shops use a hose where the fill amount is dialed in? Could be an inaccurate gauge.

 

[Hall]

Interestingly, you haven't indicated what the dipstick shows. I don't think you can accurately determine what the mechanic put in, down to the 1/4 quart level, based on the dipstick.

 

[JMJNet]

Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Interestingly, you haven't indicated what the dipstick shows. I don't think you can accurately determine what the mechanic put in, down to the 1/4 quart level, based on the dipstick.


This is the answer. Have you checked the dip stick level?
You realize, it is a very wide range of hash mark on it.

May be the mechanic knows that their flow meter is not correct by half a quarts?
This may also be on purpose by the garage to show that they put more oil.

Nothing is scientific or OCD as we would have thought.

 

[dave1251]

It is often done .5 quarts is nothing to worry about.

 

[mclasser]

Half qt overfill seems to be a common practice at every shop (dealer or indy) that I've been too. They want to give a buffer just-in-case the car's a leaker/burner.

 

[csandste]

"Does that 2.4 engine hold 4.7 or 4.8 quarts? Why would you want them to only use 4.2?
Never use an oil change shop that inserts the oil bolt to the pan, before it gets done streaming. Best to do it yourself, if you can't find a 'patient' mechanic."

Does the Elantra have a 2.4? Thought it was a 1.8 or 2.0?

 

[BJD78]

I remember that very topic being discussed on Car Talk with Tom and Ray a few years ago, basically they said that overfilling by 1/4 qt or even 1/2 or 3/4 qt will not cause any harm,but anything over a full qt will cause foaming and foaming oil does not lubricate well and can cause damage over time.They said a qtr inch on the dip stick is about a qtr of a qt,a full inch above the full mark is a qt over, anything over a qt, change the oil to the correct level,a qt or less just wait till the next scheduled change.Unless you own a 4 cyl Volkswagon,then they said the best bet is to drain it and get to the right level.

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by BJD78
I remember that very topic being discussed on Car Talk with Tom and Ray a few years ago, basically they said that overfilling by 1/4 qt or even 1/2 or 3/4 qt will not cause any harm,but anything over a full qt will cause foaming and foaming oil does not lubricate well and can cause damage over time.They said a qtr inch on the dip stick is about a qtr of a qt,a full inch above the full mark is a qt over, anything over a qt, change the oil to the correct level,a qt or less just wait till the next scheduled change.

I realize these aren't your statements but from the Car Talk guys but those are very general, generic statements. 3/4 quart over is okay but 1 quart is magically too much ? If the vehicle holds 4-1/4 quarts an extra 3/4 quart is less than 20% 'extra' but if the engine holds 6 quarts that's only 12% 'extra'.

Also, I've never seen actual proof or documentation that all dipsticks are based on fixed values. Many can't even agree what the markings mean ? Is the "ideal" fill amount in the middle of the two (typically) marks ? My Infiniti (and Nissans) dipsticks are marked "L" and "H". Call me silly, but I presume that means "low" and "high" and the middle of the two is just about ideal or optimal. Others say "H" means "Full". Nissan says anything in between is just fine. Other vehicles just have hash marks or two notches and no wording.

 

[Oildudeny]

.50Qt, 16oz. Won't hurt a thing