Too much oil = DOA

It's been discussed a number of times in this forum. I'm surprised that with 9000+ posts that you're not intimately familiar with the issue.

 

i'm not intimately familiar with one line of speculation over another. there is not enough evidence for the specificity of the claims you make.

 

If the oil level in the sump touches the crankshaft then the crankshaft will bend and the engine will totally self destruct resulting in a need for a new engine

I have seen this happen. (Not on a Prius)

Normally you would need double the amount of oil in order for the crankshaft to hit it and the usual cause is not overfilling but leaky injectors or a head gasket.

 

Here, for the seventh time at PriusChat, is Hobbit's famous picture of the tilted muppet that resides under the hood of the Prius:
http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/training/800/muptilt.jpg

At first glance, there appears to be plenty of room, which Hobbit has shaded red, between the dipstick full mark and the crankshaft. But if you turned the engine ninety degrees and looked from that side, then you could see that it wouldn't take very much of a tilt or cornering force to slosh the oil along the length of the engine and up into the end of the crankshaft.

 

Remember that the oil is checked with the engine off. When the engine is running, the oil level drops as oil is now in the galleries.

 

Without having a view port while it is operating (and someone peering in as we drive) it is hard to tell exactly what is going on. Hobbit's picture does show the "full" mark as being about 1 quart from the bottom of the crank assembly (assuming that mark on the dipstick is full.)

As folks have pointed out the operating level will be lower since oil is pumped into the galleries. However, our ICE shuts down and restarts frequently. At startup the level will be approximated as indicated by normal checks.

Cornering should not be a major issue as the oil doesn't push up in the center (where the crank is) but along the walls.

It appears to me that it would take several quarts of extra overfill before the crank would be in serious danger. But somewhere north of a quart over I wouldn't be surprised if a froth was generated. Frothing will result in oil being aspirated into the intake.

Of course I haven't pulled things apart to look at the bottom end directly, so I could very well be wrong.

 

It's the first time I've seen that picture, depressing, the oil filter is definitely on your back with oil collecting in your sleeves and that thermostat looks like it will be a real dog to change.

 

Regarding the oil filter, if you loosen it so that engine oil starts to drip out, then leave it alone until the dripping stops, then not much oil will end up on your hands. If you wear disposable latex gloves, there's no mess.

Regarding the thermostat, you will have to approach the housing nuts from above and below; but it's not too bad.

 

Please remember to wear gloves anyway when changing oil. I've read that there may be a health issue from physical contact with used motor oil.

 

Probably, for me that warning is a bit late having spent 20 years of my life running my own repair shop, up to my eyes in the stuff.

 

The warnings are really directed at those who have occupational exposure so if you have your own shop and have not worn gloves to protect your hands from injury and chemicals, I don't really know what to say.

 

Large industrial motors have such sight plugs. When you start the motor, the oil level can drop quite a bit, but since a large industrial motor like those made by Waukesha or Wartsila are intended to run 24x7, the correct procedure is to fill for normal operating, not for engine off

With the average motor, you can check the oil level engine off. Start the engine, and recheck. Some motors, there is a substantial difference in oil level

 

It's a hobby now, I got out of the motor trade about 20 years ago when I realised that if you didn't know electronics then you didn't fix cars you just fitted parts. I learnt electronics and realised there is a lot more fun, money and experience in that than cars as far as earning a living goes. It makes a world of difference when you can say "too cold today, I'll do it tomorrow"

 

The exact same thing happened to me today. To the tune of $300 for cleaning up the intake manifold and what not. (I was stuck.) PLEASE mind the dipstick. Really.

 

I suspect fill places, if they're checking at all, are checking with cold oil. The correct procedure is to check with warm oil: run the car to operating temperature, then wait five minutes for the oil to drain back into the sump.

Toyota's listed fill quantities are:

3.7 litres (3.9 quarts) with oil filter replacement;
3.4 litres (3.6 quarts) without oil filter replacement;
4.1 litres (4.3 quarts) dry fill

This seems to be consistent with where the MAX mark is on the dipstick, so I guess what we're saying is that the MAX mark is too high. The car seems to run better with less oil in it. The MIN mark is hard to see because it's right on the tip of the dipstick, which I suppose could confuse people.

 

Do you know exactly how much oil there was in it before this happened?

 

Best advice I've seen in several posts is try to do your own basic maintenence on your vehicle. Oil changes, 12V batteries and ect. Leave the major stuff for warranty or licenses ASE certified shops. I had my whole front suspension go out on my S-10 at 33,000 miles due to lack of lubrication. The previous owner took it to the GM dealer and they never greased the suspension. $1200 later I had all new front end parts installed and lasted well over 200,000 miles.

 

Doesn't matter, warm or cold, Toyota's fill amount results in overfill.

No, the Toyota quantity puts it about 1/4" over the mark so the mark is not too high. Mine was delivered that way, so I brought my own oil for the 1,000 mile "flush" change, and specified 3.5 quarts, putting it 1/4 below the mark just as I had calculated based on observations of the overfills folks have noted, and the range between the marks (listed in the manual.)

Which indicates that the Toyota recommendation results in overfill conditions and should be avoided.

I'll probably go to 3 quarts for the next change as others have done. This should put the level at about the halfway mark.

 

My 2000 GMC Sierra was the same. First two oil changes were complimentary.

When I went over the front end, the ball joint and steering zerks had RUST on them. Dealer had never touched them

 

Yes - there was none. I was getting an oil change. The service tech wrote me up something in his paperwork - I had >4L from the oil change that very morning. It got EVERYWHERE. Choked my pistons, gunked up my manifold, left me DOA.