Overfilling the oil

[ParknVibe]

For the second time, my Dealer overfilled the oil level by more then 1/2 inch above the top dot on the dip stick. I have the 2.4L 2009 Vibe.Should I be concerned? I had him correct this the first time. I just don't want to go back and a big deal again.I may adjust this myself by attempting to siphon the oil out of the dip tube. Is this possible?

[Glenpointe]

you should be fine. i changed oil in my car the first time this week. the manual says 4 qrts, but after I poured in 4 qrts and checked the oil level . It is about 1/3 inch over the level indicator. you don't have to worry about it.

[high revin]

Well you dont want more oil in it than is called for it will be pushed out somewhere seal gaskets etc. just drain a little out or have the dealer drain it back out,And if your oil is over 1/3 you always want to start the car up and recheck the dip stick so the oil can circulate in the filter etc. My 03 GT is tricky because it calls for 4.8 where the normal vibe is alot less thats why ive changed my own ive had one oil place do it and put in the way less not knowing the differance and i caught him and he did it right.just changed mine yetserday always run Mobil 1 and K&N filters these filters are probably the best out there plus they have that way handy 1" nut welded on them really handy because those filters are up in there just enough to make them a lil hard to get to seen a dealer change a filter on a customers car and couldnt get it off and tried the old drive a screw drive through it and turn it off. slipped off filter and took a chunk out of the motor had to replace the engine for the customer.

[ou.grizzly]

You really need to find a different dealer the way it sounds. You need to remedy the issue, have them drain some to the proper level.

[star_deceiver]

If you checked it first thing in the morning, I wouldn't be surprised that the oil was higher on the dipstick as all the oil would have had plenty of time to drip back down into the crankcase. Wheras at the dealer, they probably filled it to the proper level, started the engine and ran it for a dozen seconds or so, the shut it down and rechecked the level and topped it up if neccesary.A little extra oil won't hurt the engine but if said oil level stars hitting the counterweights on the crankshaft, you'll notice a power loss as well as worse fuel economy.

[djkeev]

If it was excessive I'd worry. A dip stick is an inexact science. A metal rod shoved into a metal tube shoved into the block.I'd completely drain the oil and filter then put in the exact amount called for and see where it is on the stick. remember many specs say engine and then filter takes x amount.If you do this and it comes out a tad high just make a mental note of that and live with it. Nothing is wrong. I'd bet though that if you engine calls for 4.8 they are dumping in 5.0! Oil change technicians aren't known for their exacting skills! They are often beginner mechanics learning the ropes. Most haven't the knowledge of what a little too much oil can do to an engine, most also probably don't care!!Dave

[lovemyraffe]

Either take it back to the dealer and have them drain a little out, or do it yourself. A little extra oil could cause some problems like the others have mentioned.

[09vGT]

My dealer does the same.. Its ALWAYS above the top dot.. I have a 09 also. I have never taken it back..

[cptnsolo77]

Just loosen up the drain plug a bit to get the proper level if you are concerned. I have overfilled before & have done the same. Always check the level in the morning. Makes it WAYYYYY easy to read !

[ParknVibe]

Thanks for all the opinions. I have changed my cars oil and fixed them myself for over 35 years. The Vibe is my third car, I just wanted the dealer take care of the maintenance for the first few years. I'm getting old and lazy plus I am hesitant to touch anything yet. However, I don't want to bring this up again with service manager. One would think that they will learn from the first time this happened to someone. I did not say anything except put 5 W20 oil in it. ( I do not think they are putting 5-W20 oil in there.) I remember how thin 5-w20 was. You can not even read it see it on the dipstick. The dealer's oil I can clearly see. I did not ask about the brand or the type of oil they use, but they put a Castrol sticker on my windshield. One more thing:With cold tempentures, or just when the car is cold and starting out in the morning, the 2.4L motor is very noisy for a mile or so, then becomes a more quiet sound after it warms up. Is this normal or a lack of oil in the valve cam area... or something else making a clagging dieseling sounding engine?

[djkeev]

Quote, originally posted by Ivibe »Thanks for all the opinions. I have changed my cars oil and fixed them myself for over 35 years. The Vibe is my third car, I just wanted the dealer take care of the maintenance for the first few years. I'm getting old and lazy plus I am hesitant to touch anything yet. However, I don't want to bring this up again with service manager. One would think that they will learn from the first time this happened to someone. I did not say anything except put 5 W20 oil in it. ( I do not think they are putting 5-W20 oil in there.) I remember how thin 5-w20 was. You can not even read it see it on the dipstick. The dealer's oil I can clearly see. I did not ask about the brand or the type of oil they use, but they put a Castrol sticker on my windshield. One more thing:With cold tempentures, or just when the car is cold and starting out in the morning, the 2.4L motor is very noisy for a mile or so, then becomes a more quiet sound after it warms up. Is this normal or a lack of oil in the valve cam area... or something else making a clagging dieseling sounding engine?The very experiences which you relate here are the very reasons I continue to do all my own service! I too am getting older but I find I'm more relaxed when I'm not pissed off at paying others to screw up my car!!I'd go back to doing your own oil changes, it will be done right, you'll sleep better.Do make sure you've got the proper weight oil in there. On some cars (such as the chevy 3.1) using heavy oil is thought to contribute to cam shaft bearing failure. The thick oil doesn't get there quickly enough on a cold start.Dave

[ParknVibe]

Thanks, I will be changing the oil myself next Spring. It is just to cold and windy lately and I wanted it changed before winter. The dealer did the first one free, charged me $37.00 dollars for this second one. I am going to watch for foaming of the oil on the dip stick. If it does foam, I will try to siphon it out with a make shifted hand pump. I don't want to do the plug bolt yet. I going to try to use a pump Primer handset from a Roundup weed container. It works by pulling the liquid into the handle using a piston. The white plastic tube should fit down the dip tube. I will have to try it first with a quart of oil.

[djkeev]

Quote, originally posted by Ivibe »Thanks, I will be changing the oil myself next Spring. It is just to cold and windy lately and I wanted it changed before winter. Cold?!?! It's a balmy 17 degrees over here right now!! Fortunately I've a garage I can heat as needed.Dave

[ParknVibe]

Just under 24 now (Union county) 10:15 pm

[vibolista]

Oil level is alwaysy critical in an engine. Too much and you dont get the splash necessary to lube the piston walls. The dip stick has 2 marks... high level and low level. That's the safe operating range. I'm sure that a tiny bit more would probably be Ok, but I would still drain the excess off.Every time that I have taken one of my cars in for an oil change, because its too cold to do it in winter, I worry that it wasn't done as well as it could have. Always check the oil level right afterwards and make sure it looks clean. I can probably count the amount of times that I've had someone else do an oil change on one hand. Much prefer to do it myself.

[ParknVibe]

I just removed a quart of oil from engine through the dipstick tube today. However, I still have about 1/4 inch of oil above the top mark. It look like it was about 3/4 inch above the top dot.I made a syphon pump from a special Roundup container's that in order to spray, you pull a piston on the handle to syphon the liquid into the handle, then you press the button to spray. Use the stream setting to transfer it into an empty oil container. I made the exit hole a little bigger in order to get the oil to come out. It took about an hour to syphon the oil into the quart container.

[bikeman1]

that is not something my 2.4 has done. Does it still do it since you lowered the oil??I normally get really galled when someone else does the oil.....wrong oil, filter torqued on and can't get off, taking an impact wrench to the filler cap. However, its easier if you have a garage.....Quote, originally posted by Ivibe »Thanks for all the opinions. One more thing:With cold tempentures, or just when the car is cold and starting out in the morning, the 2.4L motor is very noisy for a mile or so, then becomes a more quiet sound after it warms up. Is this normal or a lack of oil in the valve cam area... or something else making a clagging dieseling sounding engine?

[ParknVibe]

Concerning the cold engine noise, I began hearing it in November when it got really cold outside. The first winter 2008-09 I still had the original engine oil. I do not recall hearing it then. I had my first oil change at the DEALER last March. I did not know what oil type or weight they put in there. However the oil looked thicker on the stick and I could see it easily. The same with my second change. I remember how hard it was to view the original 5-W-20 oil level on the dip stick. I think I have 5-W-30 in my engine. The dealer this time placed a Castrol sticker on my windshield. I have a bottle of Castrol 5-w-20 I use to top off what they took out the first time they overfilled it (but took to much out). Castrol GTX says it meets Toyota requirements. I hear the engine for only few minutes of driving then it quiets down. Maybe the engine idle's is faster because it's colder and that's why I hear it.