Engine Oil Level High

[Distorted Vision]

A week ago the check engine oil light was illuminated on the dashboard. I topped it up with 3 litres of oil.
Today I added Forte Oil Fortifier to the oil. The oil level is now high on the dipstick:



Is this a cause for concern. Should I take the car to a garage to drain some oil

[silentbrown]

Civic engine only holds about four litres of oil, but you "topped up" with three??? Distance between min and max on dipsticks is typically just one litre.

How much oil is it actually using?

Not sure how high is 'too high' for that engine, but if the sump if overfull then the crank rod journals and counterweights splash through it as the engine runs.
I'd drain some out.

[Error_404_Username_not_found]

Is this a windup?

3 litres? Christ on a pony. How often do you check your oil level?

If it's way over the high level mark it needs to be drained off or you risk blowing crank oil seals, if not worse.

[Distorted Vision]

The engine was burning oil. Yes there was only approximately 1.25 litres when the check engine oil light came on. I topped it with 3 litres and the level was at the top of the hatched region. This is the maximum fill line.

The Forte Oil Fortifier is 400ml. It looks like there is an excess of 1 litre of oil. I have a siphon pump. I think I'll remove 1 litre.

[Distorted Vision]

Not able to siphon the oil. Think I'll call the AA in the morning.

[Sheepshanks]

Distorted Vision said:

Yes there was only approximately 1.25 litres when the check engine oil light came on.

How do you know that - does the car display how much oil it has?

[ConnectionError]

What will the AA do?

You need to drain some of the oil

[Distorted Vision]

Sorry this is completely my mistake. I should have topped up with 1 litre of oil but I topped up with 3 litres of oil.

I've ordered this from Amazon:



I've driven 50 miles since topping up the oil. Hope I haven't already damaged the engine.

[Distorted Vision]

Its not easy for me to drain the oil using the sump plug because I cannot get underneath the vehicle. Also there is a chassis cover underneath:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCtt8ZU0tkQ&st...

The 12V oil pump is the best solution.

[ConnectionError]

Take it to a garage,

Get them to do it before you make another mistake

[ConnectionError]

Distorted Vision said:

Its not easy for me to drain the oil using the sump plug because I cannot get underneath the vehicle. Also there is a chassis cover underneath:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCtt8ZU0tkQ&st...

The 12V oil pump is the best solution.

That pump is unlikely to work

[Distorted Vision]

You were right - the pump did not work. Have booked into the garage. They are going to charge me £20.

[Error_404_Username_not_found]

Okay, good luck mate.

[silentbrown]

ConnectionError said:

That pump is unlikely to work

Curious as to why not? (Assuming OP can get the hose down the dipstick tube, and isn't poking it into the cam cover....)

[Distorted Vision]

Pump not powerful enough. It was drawing oil into the inlet tube but the outlet tube was not filling.

Returning it to Amazon for a refund.

[ConnectionError]

silentbrown said:

ConnectionError said:

That pump is unlikely to work

Curious as to why not? (Assuming OP can get the hose down the dipstick tube, and isn't poking it into the cam cover....)

Tube too thick to do down the dip stick.

Pump not of sufficient quality to create enough suck.

Are my thoughts

Oil extraction of engines uses a vacuum system

[silentbrown]

ConnectionError said:

Tube too thick to do down the dip stick.

Pump not of sufficient quality to create enough suck.

Are my thoughts

Oil extraction of engines uses a vacuum system

Strange. That's exactly the job it's sold for, and Sealey stuff (while I think it's usually overpriced) usually works OK.

OP, did you run the engine to get the oil up to temperature first?

[Distorted Vision]

Engine was left running for 30 minutes. Oil was hot.

Pump was not powerful enough. the inlet tube fitted into the dipstick hole perfectly. I've been investigating an alternative which is 260W:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CFV9FSZ6

Only issue is the inlet hose is 25mm diameter and won't fit into the dipstick hole. I can't see a way to get it to work.

[Smint]

Distorted Vision said:

Its not easy for me to drain the oil using the sump plug because I cannot get underneath the vehicle. Also there is a chassis cover underneath:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCtt8ZU0tkQ&st...

The 12V oil pump is the best solution.

A Civic should have a clipped in section in the undercover to access sump and oil filter.

[Distorted Vision]

Yes I know. But I don't have a ramp to access underneath. Removing the chassis cover is also required to access the sump.