Overfill shows up on the back of the car??

[JHZR2]

Car is a 2008 Volkswagen rabbit with the 2.5 engine, takes about 5.8 quarts of oil to fill after an oil change with filter.

Did an oil change this weekend and installed Castrol edge 0W 40 because it meets the correct spec. This was the German made product. I put in the full contents of the 5 quart bottle I bought, then drove it a little bit to get an accurate assessment. Of course it looked to be about a quart low as the level was at the lower notch on the dipstick. So I added just under a quart of oil, let it sit for a little while, and it was at about the three-quarter mark. Nothing out of the ordinary in terms of how I usually fill the car after an oil change no difference. So I added a little bit more a little too much more. It was maybe 2 mm above the full point on the dipstick. Not excessively overfilled not anything to write home about really. I would imagine that many mechanics just install 6 quarts of oil on these engines to begin with and leave it that every time.

Fast forward to after a 200 or so mile drive, we get home and I noticed that on the back of the car there are a ton of little oily specs with dirt mixed in them (the car still is rather dirty from the winter).

Immediately I checked the tailpipe wondering if something went terribly wrong. Dry as could be, not the slightest indication of oil or residue of any sort.

I know I leaked a little someplace onto the engine because those edge bottles "glug" quite a bit. But there is a big shroud/cover over the engine, and a rubber ring around the filler. Everything within sight was dry.

So any thoughts on this? I would imagine that the engine is designed for someone to fill with at least six cords and then a good deal over that in terms of safety margin. I got well over five cords out I know that from when I was filling it to take it to the recycler. If I overfilled it was bad less than a half quart.

Has anyone observed oil speckling on the back of a car due to being slightly overfilled??

 

[spasm3]

Could it be that some oil ran down where the filter was changed, and the airflow from driving sprayed it onto the back of the car?

 

[WeenieHutJr]

I've always put 6.3 quarts in the 2.5s, never had a problem.

 

[JHZR2]

The oil filter is about the lowest point on the entire car. There's not really anything for its drops to touch other then the aerodynamic part that screws onto the car. Of course that is removed when the oil changed performed, and there's no indication at all that the filter is leaking. Whatever amount that I did miss the filler hole could have it down the engine and then slung off to the back.

In the big scheme of things that would be hardly any though.

 

[ram_man]

Just a tid bit of Info not sure if it applies to the castrol bottles but alot of times if you turn the bottle around so the cap when Pouring is at the highest point on bottle it wont glug.

 

[bvance554]

I'm gonna guess the oil on the back of the car was from some source other than your car spitting it out because it had a fraction of an ounce too much.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Has anyone observed oil speckling on the back of a car due to being slightly overfilled??

As others have indicated, I wouldn't be surprised in the least if your car wasn't the source of this in any way, shape, or form. Between recent construction and other leaking vehicles driving on wet pavement (i.e. recent snow or rain), a lot of stuff can be sent airborne that has nothing to do with your vehicle.

 

[JHZR2]

Yeah, I generally dont think it is because of the potential amount of overfill (small) and the chance of other sources.

Still, my question remains, if one were to overfill and it were to blow out of the engine or tailpipe is there enough turbulence for it to splatter the back of the vehicle?

Ive never had a chance to experiment

 

[Garak]

Good question. I would think not, at least if it were blown out the tailpipe. I've had enough oil consuming vehicles over the years, and have never seen such deposits. Diesels are sometimes a little bit different, but that's not the lubricant, per se.

Now, for my question, out of curiosity, do they do very messy road repairs in NJ? Boy, I had a mess once on my Town Car. They oiled a highway, but it was a rainstorm. It was marked, of course, but my usual procedure is to slow down and avoid the oiliest spots when such a repair is done. During the downpour, it was impossible to tell where the oil began and the water ended, or how bad it was, and it all turned into a giant cloud of oil and water that settled all over the side of my Town Car, which, of course, I couldn't notice until I got off the dark highway and out of the rain. I was none too happy.

 

[Quattro Pete]

If you had so much oil getting into the exhaust that it was spewing out your tailpipe, wouldn't your cat converter be shot at that point?

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Yeah, I generally dont think it is because of the potential amount of overfill (small) and the chance of other sources.

Still, my question remains, if one were to overfill and it were to blow out of the engine or tailpipe is there enough turbulence for it to splatter the back of the vehicle?

Ive never had a chance to experiment

Oil out the tail pipe will spatter on the back of the car, but I really really doubt you have oil coming out your tail pipe unless you are seeing big blue clouds of smoke as well.
Either some spilled into an under tray during your change and is now spattering or you've got a small leak(double filter gasket?) that's dripping.

 

[Finz]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Good question. I would think not, at least if it were blown out the tailpipe. I've had enough oil consuming vehicles over the years, and have never seen such deposits. Diesels are sometimes a little bit different, but that's not the lubricant, per se.

Now, for my question, out of curiosity, do they do very messy road repairs in NJ? Boy, I had a mess once on my Town Car. They oiled a highway, but it was a rainstorm. It was marked, of course, but my usual procedure is to slow down and avoid the oiliest spots when such a repair is done. During the downpour, it was impossible to tell where the oil began and the water ended, or how bad it was, and it all turned into a giant cloud of oil and water that settled all over the side of my Town Car, which, of course, I couldn't notice until I got off the dark highway and out of the rain. I was none too happy.


+1...

Here in northern NJ they are doing a lot of pot hole repairs and, frankly, make a poor job of it. I would guess that most of what is on the back of your car is attributable to your tax dollars hard at work

(I know, Mods - I touched the line.... End of rant)

 

[Warstud]

Fluid Film? I noticed the other day that the Fluid Film I sprayed into my liftgate was leaking out.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
those edge bottles "glug" quite a bit.

They do? How are you holding the bottle when you pour? Spout at bottom or spout at one side? If the former, then that's why the bottle is "glugging": you're holding it wrong.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
If you had so much oil getting into the exhaust that it was spewing out your tailpipe, wouldn't your cat converter be shot at that point?


Of course. But if there was some intermittent excess vapor it might not.

There was an oil spot on the driveway today. Whatever I missed must have found its way to an aerodynamically active location.

Yes, I was holding the spout at the bottom as the handles are positioned such that it is logical...

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Finz
I would guess that most of what is on the back of your car is attributable to your tax dollars hard at work

That would be my guess. Thinking back, too, the F-150 used to leak like a sieve. I never had big messes anywhere at the back, or underneath the back. My vote is for roadway contamination. I've seen vehicles mucked up pretty terribly from road work.

The worst I saw was a brand new Chev pickup a couple years ago with all four wheel wells bright orange from road line paint. I'm not exactly sure how that one went down.