Oil Overfilled by 1/8 in is that a problem

1/8" probably poses no problem as that seems to be where the oil level is on the dipstick when the cars arrive new. I think Toyota needs to review this whole issue and make some difinitive statement on it. If you drain the oil and replace the filter and put in what they call for your 1/8" over the full line. Just drive it, if you find that your mileage has dropped it's probably the tire rotation that's the culprit, did you check the tire pressure? That would be the first thing I did after a tire rotation.

 

It is not a deal to worry about at all. Any vehicle dipstick isn't a precision measuring device. It is a ballpark measuring device. If it were precision it would have graduations that would indicate the actual quantity of oil in the sump, however that is not the purpose of a dipstick. My oil has been somewhere betwen 1/8 and 1/4 inch over the top dot since it was new on a factory oil fill.

If anyone has ever seen a cross section of the ICE with the diagram of the dipstick installed and an indicated full oil load you learn a couple of things.

1. 1/8 inch, 1/4 inch even 1/2 inch over "overfill" is not an issue when considering crank slap. If you do a 4qt fill at every oil change then you will end up with about 1/8 to 1/4 inch above full dot, but many, many inches below the crank. But this is the standing oil level, not the running oil level. The distance from the crank to the top of the normal full mark is very high, at least a couple of inches.
2. The vehicle is going to pump a great deal of that oil into the galleries and passageways of the ICE while running. So, oil level is going to drop dramatically when running, potentially the sump will be drawn down 1/2 to 3/4 of its full non-running level.

Therefore a small level above the full mark isn't an issue at all.

 

WOW! Only $24.99 total?

I took mine in today for my first 5,000 mile oil change and tire rotation. I also brought my own Mobil 1 oil but before I went I poured out 1/2 quart from one of the bottles so they couldn't possibly overfill. Then the bill came: $70.00!!! And, that included deducting the price of the oil. I asked why the service was so expensive and they said that it was due to the labor charge for the wheel balance. Do the wheels need to be balanced every 5,000 miles? Did I get ripped off?

 

I don't think they need to be balanced until you buy new tires. Unless you have some reason, vibration or weird tire wear, to think they are out of balance.

 

They put in 4 quarts. 3.5 should be just over half way between the full and empty. When they put 4 in mine it is 1-3 /8 over the top line.

 

Twiddles, they took you for a ride. Tires only need to be balance if you change the tire on the rim or you experience a vibration through the steering wheel when you are driving.

 

Disposed of it in your car! Sorry but you got a good price. The oil needs to be changed the filter needs to be changed and the tires rotated not ballanced.

 

regarding your pull to the left:

probably not alignment related, unless you whacked a curb recently. especially if the pull started just after the tires were rotated.

have them swap your front wheels, left to right.

if the pull goes away, it was likely a conicity problem.
if it pulls to the opposite side, it can be a radial pull, or a severe conicity problem.

the only way to get rid of it completely is to replace the tire that is causing the issue.

 

Havanese, next time give them three quarts, not four. Three is plenty, it will take them less time, there'll be no fiddling with a leftover partial quart, no worries about overfill, and you'll save six bucks. Everyone wins. (Just tell them not to add any of their own oil, and that you'll check the level on their drive before you leave.)

 

I hear you. Last time I went in I gave them 3 quarts. The Service Manger was surprised I wanted to put in so little as the Prius normally took 5!! :blink: He then asked a tech who told him the correct amount.

 

Both of my new cars are about 1/8 over the full mark...... I plan on putting in less with my next oil change... If I have it done, I will tell them to leave the last quart, or rather only put in 3 quarts, and I will do the rest myself till I learn how much it takes. Then Ill just give them what I want the next time after that and tell them this is the oil I want to use.
They usually have 10-30 in their barrels and I hear rumours its not that good anyway compared to that you buy in the quart containers yourself.

I want to learn to just do it myself.

This is an excellent pdf of how to change the oil... rather simple... as oil changes go.

 

Simply put. A 5 qt fill is bad. A 3 qt fill is too low for my taste. The system is rated for 3.9 quarts, which is 4 quarts. Ever seen .10 of a quart. It is about a shot glass or two of liquid. Not much. and over the surface area of the entire sump, a meaningless amount of oil.

Just hand them 4 quarts of the oil of your choice and be happy knowing that all is well in your sump.

 

3.7qts with filter, 3.4 without according to specs... too much oil is not only bad for gas mileage, it causes abnormally high head pressures. I suppose it wouldn't be critical, but I won't be doing it... its too much fun to get really good mpg.

But its everybodys choice of whether to put in "more" than the manufactuer recommends or "less".. I choose less.

Heck.. just pout out about half of one quart and then hand it to them with the other 3 quarts.... its easy.