Dip Stick read min.

jpetrilla · Post by **jpetrilla** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:29 pm

I checked my oil and seen that it was about 1 quart low. I added the oil and about 2 minutes after driving, it looked like some had hooked a fog machine up to the rear of my 2002 Nubria. I barely drove the 2 miles home with no power or exceleration. I let the car sit over night and checked the oil this morning. It was way up the dipstick. I removed the spark plugs and the cylinders were full of oil ( reason for no power I think). I have since replaced the oil with 4 quarts of 5w30 and sprayed some fuel in the cylinder to clean out the oil. the oil was so bad it was even on the spark plug boots. Now after everything is reinstalled and cleaned, when the car is started, it has a very rough idle and will only barely run if I pat the gas. Any freakin ideas?? any help would be greatly appreciated

jidasas · Post by **jidasas** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 12:05 am

Only thing I can think of is did you check the oil right after driving the car. If so you probably got an incorrect reading on the dipstick and overfilled it. If you overfilled it and the oil pressure got high enough to push oil into the cylinders then you could have messed up the rings.

Jimmy

BosnianLanos · Post by **BosnianLanos** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 12:35 am

An extra quart shouldn't have caused that smoking and rough idle. If you were high to begin with and then added an extra quart, this might be your issue. Just how high is the oil on the dipstick? If it is well over the full mark, like an inch or so, you may have blown your rings. At any rate, let the oil settle for a couple of days and make sure you are right in between the MAX and MIN mark. Then change your plugs, as they may be fouled. If nothing works, you may have blown your rings.

Things to keep in mind regarding oil:

1. NEVER overfill. If you manual says you require 4 quarts, only add 3.2. There is no way all of the oil can be drained from the engine, and adding the exact "OEM" amount at oil changes will put you over.
2. Keep between the MAX and MIN mark. By putting it right at the MAX mark, you risk creating higher oil pressure which will wear on vital engine parts.
3. NEVER NEVER NEVER check or add oil while the engine is hot. It will give you a completely wrong reading, and you can regret it later.
4. Unless you are positive about what you are doing during an oil change, spring the $19.95 and get it done professionally. Keeps you clean and you can be sure your car is getting the right treatment.

jidasas · Post by **jidasas** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:45 am

I agree 100% with BosnianLanos.

My advice is to always check your oil early in the morning...that way you get a more true reading because more of the oil has seeped back down into the oil pan. I know if I check my oil right after turning off the engine it will read barely above the min mark but if I check it in the morning it will be all the way to the full line. So, it's possible to overfill very easily in that situation.

I didn't even think about the fact the plugs might have been fouled by the oil...hopefully it's as simple as that and no damage to the rings occured.

Jimmy

Man with no name · Post by **Man with no name** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 2:10 pm

BosnianLanos wrote:1. NEVER overfill. If you manual says you require 4 quarts, only add 3.2. There is no way all of the oil can be drained from the engine, and adding the exact "OEM" amount at oil changes will put you over.

Are you serious? this is the first time Ive ever heard this... even if you leave the oil draining over night?

jidasas · Post by **jidasas** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 7:34 pm

I don't know about the 3.2 quarts...but what I do is fill it till the dipstick says about midway between the full and min marks and then wait about thirty minutes and check and see if it needs topped off.

Jimmy

Audacity Racing · Post by **Audacity Racing** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 9:48 pm

Too much extra oil would merely collect in the head and eventually spill out the gasket like yours did. The cam cover gasket is a non-pressured gasket... it's not meant to hold back any force. When you have too much oil and it's forcibly being tossed around in the head it leaks out from the gasket.

Odds are you have a leak elsewhere on the cam cover gasket.

Enough oil to fill the pistons to the point of ring blowing would be more like 2 gallons...

jidasas · Post by **jidasas** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:28 pm

Thanks...I was hoping someone like you would jump on here and tell us the truth about all this. Instead of us just guessing...

Jimmy

REY04 · Post by **REY04** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:55 pm

there is also a possibility that water and oil mixed inside the engine. I experienced it before already with my Ford laser. if it is then color of the oil will become like chocolate brown.

Spider · Post by **Spider** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 10:20 pm

Here is my agreement w/above replies and my 2 cents worth....

Could be an internal water leak (like a blown head gasket, leaking internally.) Water will show up in your drain pan.
If me?I would drain the oil (again) into a clear container. let it sit for a couple of hours and take a good look at the liquid on the bottom. Oil floats on water. No water=no water-leak

If you overfilled oil initally 1 quart ? Burning it would tend to produce blue smoke.
Water in the cumbustion chamber will smoke a lot. Your engine will run poorly and it will produce "fog-like" white smoke.
Also your tail pipe will be wet inside.

Your valve cover gasket leak has caused the plug boots to get oil-soaked and could very well contribute to the rough running.
Oil soaked wires could be washed w/gas left to dry outside over-night.
Use 'dielectric' grease on ends when reinstalling.

Or? You can get new ones @ AutoZone for around $30.00 (usd)
Let us know what you discover ?

P.S. Welcome jpetrilla !