Too much oil

[MadAlicesDad]

I've just had an oil and filter change at a local garage. I supplied the oil and filter.
The engine (D4204T5) takes 5.2l. I gave him a full 5l bottle and about 1/2l in a bottle I keep in the boot to top up whenever it asks for it (roughly every 1000-1200 miles).
He put the whole lot in (ie 300ml too much), now it reads overfull and there is an 'oil service required' warning.

At its usual rate it will take about 600 miles to burn / use 300ml, do I need to drain it (PITA without a dipstick hole) or can I just drive it and let it burn it off?

TBH assuming the oil sump is the area of a sheet of A4 paper, 300ml equates to 5mm extra depth. Does this matter? What potential damage could it do?

[GrahamBrown1]

You normally only add 5 litres to these and reset the level. What I would do is drain the filter housing as there is a drain for that which should drop enough oil out. Then I would take it for a 20 mile drive to allow the level to update and it should then be ok. You may need to repeat the process but you must allow 20 miles in between to allow the gauge to update. Draining the filter housing requires removing the under tray. If you have a look on YouTube it will show you all you need. No damage will be done from 300ml.

Having re read your post again it sounds as if you are topping up very frequently anyhow, I’d probs just leave it be if it’s using oil anyhow. How much do you have to fill every 1000 miles?

[Thassos]

You can also use a (vaccum bottle) thing that has a long tube that goes down the dipstick hole (have seen dealer using this approach) and is a neat way to remove oil without a lot of effort, but needs the right equip, i noticed sc**fix sell one 21663, but just need to take care the tube doesnt get stuck somehow !

[MadAlicesDad]

I've got a pump for doing this and if there was a physical dipstick then I'd have a solution. But if there was a physical dipstick this wouldn't have happened!

It needs 500ml oil every 1000-1200 miles and has done for the last 60000 miles. Good call about the filter drain screw but I can't see what damage 300ml could do.
The wording of the warning (ie 'oil service required' instead of 'too full') suggests that it is there to flag up faults such as fuel diluting the oil following DPF regen failure.

[MadAlicesDad]

I was just going to leave it, but in the end couldn't. Took 20 mins to get the car on ramps and remove the belly pan. Drained the filter, refitted plug run engine for 5 secs and repeated twice.
Three filter drains gave me about 500ml.
Left it 20 mins, cancelled the code and all is good.
The removed oil will be poured back in 1000 miles!

Now I know how easy it is, I'll change it myself next year...

[monkeh]

It's annoying. Hybrid doesn't have a dipstick. Nor the "service dipstick"

Otherwise I'd use a pump to pull the oil out.
An excellent purchase if you had a dipstick. Makes the overfilled oil removal easy.

[RDesign4Life]

Originally Posted by MadAlicesDad

It needs 500ml oil every 1000-1200 miles and has done for the last 60000 miles.

Is this a typo? You can't seriously be suggesting that you go through another 5 to 10 litres of oil every year? If so you have a self-servicing car - no need to change the oil ever again as it is constantly changing it anyway! Just put a new filter in once a year.

[GrahamBrown1]

Originally Posted by RDesign4Life

Is this a typo? You can't seriously be suggesting that you go through another 5 to 10 litres of oil every year? If so you have a self-servicing car - no need to change the oil ever again as it is constantly changing it anyway! Just put a new filter in once a year.

It very much sounds like it’s got a case of VEA oil burner, our V60 got to nearly a litre every 1000 before it had to go.

[GrahamBrown1]

Originally Posted by monkeh

It's annoying. Hybrid doesn't have a dipstick. Nor the "service dipstick"

Otherwise I'd use a pump to pull the oil out.
An excellent purchase if you had a dipstick. Makes the overfilled oil removal easy.

That’s interesting, I thought all the 5 cylinders had the service dipstick. Is there a blank fitted where the dipstick would be meaning you can’t fit the proper dipstick kit. Perhaps there isn’t any room due to the hybrid kit?

[monkeh]

Originally Posted by GrahamBrown1

That’s interesting, I thought all the 5 cylinders had the service dipstick. Is there a blank fitted where the dipstick would be meaning you can’t fit the proper dipstick kit. Perhaps there isn’t any room due to the hybrid kit?

It's a mass of pipework. I don't recall seeing the service dipstick while under it.
From the top you can't see the bottom of the engine with all the hoses and other components. But it's going to be an attempt.
In fairness I was looking for the yellow dipstick but on the hybrid it was grey (according to the socials).

There is zero room for movement underneath.