F4R engine overfilled with oil. White smoke.

[cupguy]

Complete schoolboy error, overfilled quite significantly and ran the engine for about 20 miles. White smoke a couple of times and oil over the rear bumper.

Going to drain it today. No lights on the dash as of yet. Car starts fine.

Need to know what the potential damage could be. I understand I will probably need to replace the cat.

Is there anything else I should be checking once i've drained the oil? My plan was to drain sufficient oil then take the car for a run and see how it is performing.

Cheers

 

[JamesBryan]

How much did you put in?

 

[cupguy]

How much did you put in?

The dash was telling me it was empty and the Service light came on. Topped up the recommended amount but didn't check the dipstick.

I'm a f*cking dipstick.

It's significantly overfilled. Looking at the dipstick this morning it's around twice the recommended amount so not a insignificant amount.

cheers

 

[JamesBryan]

The dash was telling me it was empty and the Service light came on. Topped up the recommended amount but didn't check the dipstick.

I'm a f*cking dipstick.

It's significantly overfilled. Looking at the dipstick this morning it's around twice the recommended amount so not a insignificant amount.

cheersView attachment 1636092

Never trust the digital readout, although mine is usually pretty accurate tbh.

Probably got 7 or more litres in it I'm guessing 😅

Drain it out to the correct level and see how you get on. The exhaust is going to smoke for quite a while, you'll need to get it hot.

 

[cupguy]

Just wanted to post an update as I hate when i'm searching for troubleshooting issues etc and threads aren't finished.

This morning I removed about roughly 3 litres of oil from the engine via the underside oil plug. I checked, checked and triple checked the oil level via both the digital dash display and the dipstick before starting the car again, took a few attempts to get the required oil level correct.

Started the motor and let it sit until it warmed up. No knocking or grinding noises, the engine idled as an F4R usually does, a little bit lumpy at times but for the most part fine.

Once it was warmed up I gave it progressively more revs to clear out any residual oil and white smoke but there was nothing anywhere near what I experienced on Tuesday when I first noticed the issue.

Once I was comfortable it would be fine to drive on the road I took it out for about 10 to 15 mins and gave it a good blast at various revs and gears. No white smoke.

I'm hoping that's it and panic averted but what a lesson to learn. I did some calcs earlier to see how much it would cost me for a decent replacement engine, recovery to Rentec in Edinburgh and installation etc. Reckon somewhere in the ballpark of £3k so it could have been a really costly error.

Long & short if this happens to you and you're worried the engine is gone - I did 20 miles on an engine with probably about 200% of the oil I needed and appear to have not done any really significant damage to the engine. As for the catalytic converter, i'm hoping any residual oil will burn away over the rest of the year. My MOT isn't due until December so will find out then!

Cheers

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Just wanted to post an update as I hate when i'm searching for troubleshooting issues etc and threads aren't finished.

This morning I removed about roughly 3 litres of oil from the engine via the underside oil plug. I checked, checked and triple checked the oil level via both the digital dash display and the dipstick before starting the car again, took a few attempts to get the required oil level correct.

Started the motor and let it sit until it warmed up. No knocking or grinding noises, the engine idled as an F4R usually does, a little bit lumpy at times but for the most part fine.

Once it was warmed up I gave it progressively more revs to clear out any residual oil and white smoke but there was nothing anywhere near what I experienced on Tuesday when I first noticed the issue.

Once I was comfortable it would be fine to drive on the road I took it out for about 10 to 15 mins and gave it a good blast at various revs and gears. No white smoke.

I'm hoping that's it and panic averted but what a lesson to learn. I did some calcs earlier to see how much it would cost me for a decent replacement engine, recovery to Rentec in Edinburgh and installation etc. Reckon somewhere in the ballpark of £3k so it could have been a really costly error.

Long & short if this happens to you and you're worried the engine is gone - I did 20 miles on an engine with probably about 200% of the oil I needed and appear to have not done any really significant damage to the engine. As for the catalytic converter, i'm hoping any residual oil will burn away over the rest of the year. My MOT isn't due until December so will find out then!

Cheers

Looks like you got away with it with not driving too far 👍
How did you actually manage to put double the amount of oil in? 🤔 1 x 5 litre plus a little splash more is enough.

 

[cupguy]

Looks like you got away with it with not driving too far 👍
How did you actually manage to put double the amount of oil in? 🤔 1 x 5 litre plus a little splash more is enough.

It's in the original post. The warning light came on and told me it was almost completely empty. I should have checked the dipstick but didn't 🤣

Here's a pic of the amount of oil I removed today. I was using the pint glass a guide on how much to remove cause that's a super scientific way of doing it 😎

 

[kurai]

Just wanted to post an update as I hate when i'm searching for troubleshooting issues etc and threads aren't finished.

This morning I removed about roughly 3 litres of oil from the engine via the underside oil plug. I checked, checked and triple checked the oil level via both the digital dash display and the dipstick before starting the car again, took a few attempts to get the required oil level correct.

Started the motor and let it sit until it warmed up. No knocking or grinding noises, the engine idled as an F4R usually does, a little bit lumpy at times but for the most part fine.

Once it was warmed up I gave it progressively more revs to clear out any residual oil and white smoke but there was nothing anywhere near what I experienced on Tuesday when I first noticed the issue.

Once I was comfortable it would be fine to drive on the road I took it out for about 10 to 15 mins and gave it a good blast at various revs and gears. No white smoke.

I'm hoping that's it and panic averted but what a lesson to learn. I did some calcs earlier to see how much it would cost me for a decent replacement engine, recovery to Rentec in Edinburgh and installation etc. Reckon somewhere in the ballpark of £3k so it could have been a really costly error.

Long & short if this happens to you and you're worried the engine is gone - I did 20 miles on an engine with probably about 200% of the oil I needed and appear to have not done any really significant damage to the engine. As for the catalytic converter, i'm hoping any residual oil will burn away over the rest of the year. My MOT isn't due until December so will find out then!

Cheers

Good for the car safely running and good for the update, I too dislike finding interesting topics without an actual end.

Anyway going back to the main topic I'd have a check also on O2 sensors just to be sure. You can have a look with Torque erasing errors and then after a day of use have a check again if any errors on O2sensors.

 

[JamesBryan]

Not too bad in the end then.

When was the oil last changed, as it looks quite dark?

I would have just dropped the lot and put fresh 5L in for the sake of £30.

 

[cupguy]

Cars going into Rentec in two months for the belt and dephaser + a service so didn't bother doing a change, let them do it then. Honestly just wanted to make sure the engine wasn't gone in the meantime.

 

[JamesBryan]

Cars going into Rentec in two months for the belt and dephaser + a service so didn't bother doing a change, let them do it then. Honestly just wanted to make sure the engine wasn't gone in the meantime.

Would have been funny watching their faces seeing 8L of oil coming out of it 😂

 

[cupguy]

Would have been funny watching their faces seeing 8L of oil coming out of it 😂

Yeah it would have been but i'm honestly just so relieved its not going to them for this issue (touch wood)

 

[Louis]

Better too much than none. Top to bottom of dipstick is around 1litre

 

[VXR killer]

Check ya air filter and box, may be a little oil in there.

 

[cupguy]

Cheers for all the advice, appreciated. Would be lost without this forum and all the great info on here.

Here's a wee bonus pic of the motor. Cheers

 

[Chocice]

sometimes Lidl sell oil syphoning pumps which suck oil out through the dipstick hole, its Probably quite a useful item for people who are new to topping up oil and put in too much.

 

[16v_paddy]

Top tip for you, when the car tells you the oil is empty it simply means the level has dropped below the minimum on the dipstick & it's only about 1 litre that you'd need to put in at most to fill it up

 

[kurai]

Top tip for you, when the car tells you the oil is empty it simply means the level has dropped below the minimum on the dipstick & it's only about 1 litre that you'd need to put in at most to fill it up

This, and I add always check the dipstick. Don't blindly check the sensor.
Just the other day I jump on my RSiV and all of a sudden the dash tell me the oil was low and to fill immediately.
Checked the dipstick it was midway between max and min.
I used it again after some hours to get home and it didnt gave me the alarm anymore.
Obviously once at home I filled it but maybe the sensor triggered for whatever reason..
Better to always trust the dipstick

 

[cupguy]

This, and I add always check the dipstick. Don't blindly check the sensor.
Just the other day I jump on my RSiV and all of a sudden the dash tell me the oil was low and to fill immediately.
Checked the dipstick it was midway between max and min.
I used it again after some hours to get home and it didnt gave me the alarm anymore.
Obviously once at home I filled it but maybe the sensor triggered for whatever reason..
Better to always trust the dipstick

That's pretty much exactly what happened to me. Pressing the stalk to check the oil level when you first turn the key in the ignition, empty...

My car was basically like: Well mate, i'm not actually empty, but you know I'll tell you i'm empty for the lolz.

Maybe it's just sick of my driving and wants to be put out of its misery.

 

[Louis]

Mine told me it was empty and it definitely was.

 

[kurai]

That's pretty much exactly what happened to me. Pressing the stalk to check the oil level when you first turn the key in the ignition, empty...

My car was basically like: Well mate, i'm not actually empty, but you know I'll tell you i'm empty for the lolz.

Maybe it's just sick of my driving and wants to be put out of its misery.

Maybe was just the sensor "woke up on the wrong side of the bed" giving a wrong signal to dash..
Anyway.. it happened, you did a mistake (as anyone can do a mistake) but you learnt a lesson from it which is a very important thing.
Plus the car didn't reported damage.
So it had a happy ending

 

[Flat Eric]

Mine told me it was empty and it definitely was.

Same

And now it's punishing me for changing the oil and filter.

 

[dann2707]

When was the oil last changed, as it looks quite dark?

I'll never understand this. In all the times I've dropped oil (must be 400+ times) I've never once removed anything other than dark oil.

 

[SharpyClio]

I'll never understand this. In all the times I've dropped oil (must be 400+ times) I've never once removed anything other than dark oil.

I have, when I forgot the sump plug....

 

[JamesBryan]

I'll never understand this. In all the times I've dropped oil (must be 400+ times) I've never once removed anything other than dark oil.

Mine still looks a bit golden after 5,000.

 

[Flat Eric]

I'll never understand this. In all the times I've dropped oil (must be 400+ times) I've never once removed anything other than dark oil.

400+ times!
You a mechanic bro?

 

[JamesBryan]

400+ times!
You a mechanic bro?

Mekanik

 

[Louis]

400+ times!
You a mechanic bro?

He didn't say they were his cars, or if he used a hammer or not

 

[Chocice]

Im pretty sure that if your oil isn`t black after a short while its probably not doing its job as the black particles are suspended contaminants. I watched a couple of videos on youtube about oil changes and apparently you can even send off your oil to a lab who will analyse it and tell you if there are bits of engine in your oil and where its coming from, anyone used one of these companies?

 

[R3k1355]

One of the forums I was on did that a few years ago. It wasn't so useful at predicting premature death.

What was good was sending in loads of samples from different oil manufacturers, then seeing which oil stood up well to use, and also what oils were being sold as premium but were barely any better than boggo stuff.

 

[cupguy]

Mine still looks a bit golden after 5,000.

Ended up doing the change after you made me feel paranoid, so cheers for that 😂

 

[JamesBryan]

Ended up doing the change after you made me feel paranoid, so cheers for that 😂

You'd have been fine if the belts are being done soon.

It was more the point of if it hadn't been done for ages and it needed some taking out, it may as well have been drained fully.