First Oil Change and They Overfilled - How Bad Is It?

2444 Views 9 Replies 8 Participants Last post by cameronbrewster, Sep 11, 2014

Grim2013

Discussion Starter · Aug 23, 2014

Brought my 2014 GT into the dealership last week for its first oil change at about 6,000 miles. After I left, I parked the car on a flat surface, waited about 15 minutes, and checked the oil level. It was really hard to tell where it was at because it was new oil, but it looked like it was really overfilled...like by a full quart, or about one lengths equal to the space between the min and max marks on the dipstick.

I chalked it up to just being hard to read and went on my merry way. Note: this is a daily driven car, at minimum 50 miles a day.

I checked the oil level two more times. Once the next day with the same result (too hard to read), and then twice today. Once this morning, and once just a few minutes ago on a different surface.

Today it shows to be one half to three quarters of a quart overfilled. This time the oil is easier to see, as I've already driven the car an additional 600 or so miles.

I tried calling the dealership, but of course the service department closed 30 minutes before my call.

So here's my question to all of you:

How bad is it to be half a quart to three quarters of a quart overfilled? I was planning on driving up and down Mount Washington tomorrow morning as part of my birthday tradition, but I'm definitely not going to do that if it is going to risk damaging my engine. It will be hard on the engine all the way up (expecting to be at 3,000 RPM+ almost all the way up, and almost completely engine braking on the way down.

I drive the car hard about once a day (there is a single on-ramp during my commute which will allow WOT acceleration), and I have seen no drop in performance. When I checked the dipstick and looked into the crank case from the oil filler opening, there was no sign of bubbling.

So how badly did the dealership just screw me? A lot or not so much at all?

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08GTCA

· #2 · Aug 23, 2014

Be sure that it really is overfull, because if it is, I would take it back to the dealer and check it with them present.

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Grim2013

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 24, 2014

It's definitely overfilled. That is certain. How much it is overfilled is a different question.

Knowing all the tales of the 5.0 burning oil within the first few thousands miles, I've checked the oil level weekly since I took delivery. Even in my slightly angled driveway the factory fill was exactly at the top of the fill range. This is definitely past that mark on the dipstick.

I'm just interested in finding out how dangerous it is to keep driving it, since I won't be able to go to the dealership until next Saturday. Clearly it can't be horrible for the engine, since I've already driven about 600 miles without any problems to note thus far.

However I'm not an expert, so the more info I get, the better.

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gt1120

· #4 · Aug 24, 2014

Check your paperwork to see how many quarts they charged you for, it should be 8 and if so I wouldn't worry.

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shakemyhand

· #5 · Aug 24, 2014

I don't think it will hurt anything, but I would take it back to the dealership and have them check it and tell them to put it on record. That way if anything happens down the road its in writing.

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Yadkin

· #6 · Aug 24, 2014

Overfilled is worse than underfilled. The crank dips into the oil and foams it. Don't drive it without removing some oil.

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bodon

· #7 · Aug 24, 2014

Drain it all and put it back in 1 qt. at a time. Keeping in mind it takes 8 qts. You wont have 8 qts as a bit will be in the filter. Only way to be completely accurate.

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Grim2013

Discussion Starter · #8 · Aug 24, 2014

Well the engine didn't explode. I checked the oil on the way to Mount Washington, again at the summit, and one last time when I got to the bottom. Not a single sign of foam/bubbling from the crank aerating the oil, so I'm not concerned anymore. The dealership will still be getting an earful, though.

Gotta say, this remains one of my favorite drives ever. I always show up at 7:30 AM when there's no one else there yet, so you can be a little more spirited on the drive up

Definitely not for the faint of heart, though. The road is pretty narrow, and there are no guard rails. There are, however, a few 100 ft+ falls if you go off-road. And this year I had only one heart-stopping moment when the huge truck that waters the dirt portion of the road wouldn't budge. I was heading down, and he was heading up. He had the right of way, but wouldn't move. So I had to very, very slowly inch past him at one of the narrowest parts.

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Blazin72

· #9 · Aug 24, 2014

If it's a quart or less then it probably wouldn't hurt much. There are inexpensive hand pumps you can buy to remove what needs to come out. I don't think taking it back to the dealer will do much good if you've already driven 600 miles. You'll probably just get a question like, "How do we know that you didn't add the extra oil?".

Next time check the oil before you leave the dealer.

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cameronbrewster

· #10 · Sep 11, 2014

not a big deal if corrected right away.

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