Oil over the limit - is it ok?

[speedbird]

Hi,

Two days ago I had a longer trip with the Suburban and on the way back I got the Check Engine light. I thought that I hadn't added any oil for a while so perhaps that was causing the light. Since the engine had just been running, the oil stick was a bit inaccurate and I believe I added slightly too much oil. It didn't really get rid of the light either because later the light went out by itself the next day and the diagnostics said it was "FUEL MIXTURE TOO LEAN".

I checked today with cold engine and I believe the oil level was about half an inch above the operating limit scale.

Is it okay?

Thanks!

[phoebeisis]

1/2 inch is maybe 1/2 quart. I would really doubt that it would hurt your motor(blow out a seal or something like that).

However, I'm compulsive, and I would get under it this weekend, and let about 16 ounces drain out. If you trake the drain plug out, give a 4-5 count,one, two, three, fou, five r and screw it back in, and that will be about 16 ounces.

It isn't any big deal-especially if you don't really get on the motor, but I would get it back to normal level in the next week or two.

Charlie

[speedbird]

Thanks! I'll try to drain some of the oil in this case. Oil pressure has been certainly normal and not more than it used to be, so hopefully no seals are being damaged.

I hope I can pull myself under this truck without lifting it up. I've never tried it but I changed oil on my Jeep Grand Cherokee just fine this way. This C1500 might be sitting a bit lower and I have a spoiler bar on the front bumper, too.

[phoebeisis]

Speedbird- you aren't damaging the seals- no way. GM knows that occasionally they will be overfilled, and they allow for that in the design-. 1/2" is just 1/2 qt or so.

It might hurt your mpg a tiny bit, but I doubt it.

You will be able to get under it. You don't actually have to take the plug completely out. You could just unscrew it until it leaks and them let it leak for about a minute-while checking the oil. This is actually easier than taking the plug completely out- it is a pain to screw the plug back in while oil is pouring out.

Just let it drip out rather than taking it completely out-especially since it will be a bit tricky to get both hands down there.

No big rush-you aren't damaging it.

Heck, I once bought a motorcycle that was overfilled by almost 3 quarts(called for 2 .2 quarts). It kinda gurgled/burbled. The sight glass was to cloudy to see the oil so the owner would just randomly add oil. He wondered why "it just doesn't want to rev anymore".

Put many thousands of miles on that bike after buying it-no problem.

1/2-1 quart overfilled is nothing.

Charlie

[unplugged]

Whenever I've overfilled the engine or trans, I use my one man brake bleeder and a fresh piece of clear vinyl hose down the oil fill tube. In short order you can drain a half quart, without a lot of mess.