Crankcase overfilled by 125% of capacity

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I maintain a friend's truck and he's been telling me the oil level is checked. This past weekend I changed the oil and I was wondering why 11 quarts drained out instead of the usual 4-5 I expect to see from a SBC. Oil looked and felt fine, no signs of a coolant leak - I did the IMGs with the updated Fel-Pros in 2016.

I ask my friend about how he's checking his oil. He said when I see it halfway up the dipstick. I corrected him - it's supposed to be in the upper area of the crosshatched area. The truck was running a little sluggish but I'm worried about aerated oil starving the bearings. Truck sounds fine, but I wonder how much overfilled would the crankcase be to cause any damage from aerated oil or hydrolock?
 
Originally Posted By: nthach
Truck sounds fine, but I wonder how much overfilled would the crankcase be to cause any damage from aerated oil or hydrolock?
Empirically I'd say about 6 quarts over is apparently ok...

Yeepers. I'd think he wasn't too far from the bad level.
 
He should not be checking his oil......................
eek.gif
 
Originally Posted By: oldhp
He should not be checking his oil......................
eek.gif


He didn't check his last car - which was known for oil pump and distributor o-ring leaks(Toyota Camry from 1990-2001 with the 3S-FE/5S-FE engines). It died when I was wrapping up a timing belt job.
 
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Never ceases to amaze me how an old 5s-FE can turn it's gaskets into slate.
Not sure what you mean? I did have a bad VC gasket and then an oil pump o-ring; I think something else is still leaking on mine (could be VC, again).
 
I knew a guy that looked into his valve cover under the oil cap, "saw all that metal in there" and kept pouring court after quart of oil in, until "all the metal was coated with oil". Like 20 or 30 quarts of oil. There are some dumb people in the world.
 
Originally Posted By: nthach
I maintain a friend's truck and he's been telling me the oil level is checked. This past weekend I changed the oil and I was wondering why 11 quarts drained out instead of the usual 4-5 I expect to see from a SBC.


11 quarts of oil in a 5 quart capacity? 125% of capacity? Your mathing it wrong. Try over 200%.
 
Several decades ago, a lady walked into the "ABC auto parts store" I was working & wanted to buy 5 quarts of oil. Another sales associate asked if she would also like an oil filter, as well. She said "what is that for"? He explained that it is common to change the oil filter at the same time as the old oil is drained from the engine & new oil poured in. She replied, "I never do any of that… I just dump in 5 quarts of oil every 5000 miles"

Sure enough, she had about 3 gallons of oil in her engine.
It was a Ford 5.0 in a Lincoln town car
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
I knew a guy that looked into his valve cover under the oil cap, "saw all that metal in there" and kept pouring court after quart of oil in, until "all the metal was coated with oil". Like 20 or 30 quarts of oil. There are some dumb people in the world.


That’s priceless
 
My 5S leaks more than it burns. It will occasionally leave a drop in the garage. All seals have been replaced except for the oil pump seal. Still only equates to about 1 qt per 5K. I just don't see how someone would think that much oil is needed!
 
Tell him to keep an eye on the gaskets for leaks now, all that pressure with the extra oil.

A buddy of mine is a mechanic and a customer has a 94 Jeep Cherokee 4.0L and he kept adding oil because of an oil pan leak but didn’t check it. When he drove it in it was smoking from oil being all over underneath, he drained just shy of 5 gallons of oil from it, or close to 20 quarts. Had somewhere around 260k miles on it. Still running good.
 
These people must know something we don't. They found the secret to super long OCIs. More oil!
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Originally Posted By: nthach
I maintain a friend's truck and he's been telling me the oil level is checked. This past weekend I changed the oil and I was wondering why 11 quarts drained out instead of the usual 4-5 I expect to see from a SBC.


11 quarts of oil in a 5 quart capacity? 125% of capacity? Your mathing it wrong. Try over 200%.


11 quarts in a 5 quart capacity engine would be filled to 220% of capacity, which means it was overfilled by 120%.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Tell him to keep an eye on the gaskets for leaks now, all that pressure with the extra oil.

A buddy of mine is a mechanic and a customer has a 94 Jeep Cherokee 4.0L and he kept adding oil because of an oil pan leak but didn’t check it. When he drove it in it was smoking from oil being all over underneath, he drained just shy of 5 gallons of oil from it, or close to 20 quarts. Had somewhere around 260k miles on it. Still running good.

When I was underneath it, it was as grungy as any old engine is. PCV didn't puke oil.
 
Originally Posted By: KD0AXS
Originally Posted By: bubbatime


11 quarts of oil in a 5 quart capacity? 125% of capacity? Your mathing it wrong. Try over 200%.


11 quarts in a 5 quart capacity engine would be filled to 220% of capacity, which means it was overfilled by 120%.


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