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Oil level reading - The absolute maximum?

5K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  ThatUp!GTI 
#1 ·
Greetings, my fellow UP owners!

Totally kooked my oil change today... First I borrowed the worst jack ever, then it was a mission and a half to get the filter off. Well, eventually I had everything back in place.

I had an open oil can showing exactly 3.4 litres on the outside measure. Beautiful, I thought, and poured almost all of it into the motor.

Checking the dipstick I saw that the level was now just at the bend. Maybe a bit on the bend. With no oil in the filter yet I started the motor, expecting the level to drop a little, just where it should sit after a change.

However, the oil level is now still on the upper bend of the dipstick. Sort of in the middle of that bend, I'd say.

Is this something I should worry about?

Thanks for your advice!
 
#2 ·
If it is just on the bend or very slightly over, and you're sure the car is on a flat surface, engine warmed (but off), etc., when measuring the level, you'll probably be ok - the dipstick is not a precise measuring device by any means (neither are oil cans, as you've discovered!), and the engine is designed to cope with a little variation in 'full'. If it's much higher then that, then the safest option is to open the drain valve and let the excess out - it will not take much to get the level back down again. These are small engines so there's comparatively less wiggle room, and the risk of fouling spark plugs or getting oil in the wrong place is comparatively high (I've also seen one or two mentions of smaller VW engines being more sensitive to overfilling than others, but can't confirm that point).

Not all of the following suggestions are advisable, but they'll give you an idea of the problem:
 
#4 · (Edited)
If it is just on the bend or very slightly over, and you're sure the car is on a flat surface [...]

Thanks a lot for this extensive info, very appreciated!
Car was perfectly levelled, but not really warm (getting the filter off took ages...) when I measured. Gonna re-check with a fresh head tomorrow and, in case of doubt, open the drain plug ever so slightly to let a bit out.
 
#3 ·
Mine is just below the curve, but not quite on level ground, not worried.

OVERFILLING is a big no no, blew up a Chrysler Horizon back in the day (anybody remember those). It had a low oil light that wouldn't go out.................. until I overfilled it and blew it up :confused::ROFLMAO:
 
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