Oil level in Vectra C, spanner light.

I did an oil/filter change in my Vectra C last Wednesday, and put a
little too much oil in:

http://www.asktoby.com/miscimages/Dipstick.JPG

(Ignore the dark discoloured area... the oil level is as marked by
"Oil level").

I thought it was okay, only just over max, so decided to wing it. I
did about 80 miles on Thursday/Friday and all was fine.

I've today done a 370 mile journey and after about 150 miles the light
came on showing a car with a spanner across it*. To begin with it came
on once every 30 miles or so and went off a minute later, but for the
last 80 miles of the journey it was on solidly, and the car was in a
reduced power mode.

I'm assuming these two things are connected!

Anyone got any insight, or tips on how to get a little of the oil out?
I'm considering taking the oil filter off, dripping off the excess,
and replacing it a few times to get the oil level down but I don't want
to spoil the filter seal.

The alternative would be to undo the sump nut a little, but that would
be a major pain, jacking the car up again, and I'm not even sure how
well that would work. I don't want to waste all the new oil I just put
in!

*fault in engine or transmission electronics.

 

That doesn't look excessively high to me
I did have a seriously overfilled Renault once and found the easiest way
to extract some of the oil was to get the works of a trigger spray and
extend the pick-up tube with some spare w-washer line that fitted down
the dipstick hole. Took quite a few minutes of pumping, but I got a
couple of pints out with little drama, and they were re-usable. Don't
have the oil too hot if you try this in case you melt the tube!

 

I'm not convinced your warning light is related to the oil overfill,
which doesn't look that bad to me.

Anyway, as a general comment i've got so twitchy about stripping sump
plugs on my recent Vauxhalls I suck the oil out of the dipstick hole
these days:-

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/21663/Van-Car-Accessories/Mechanics-Tools/Laser-Fluid-Extractor

Not super cheap but saves crawling about in the dirt.

 

I'm amazed how stupid you come over as.

So that will be 1 EXTRA litre of oil. See the handbook.

What a fool you are! It's not just over, it is well over MAX.
Why drive the car after filling it with too much oil?
Why did you want to damage it?

Oh I wonder why the car is complaining! You really are thick.

What, you being thick and causing a fault on your car?

Yes, the same way as you drained the old engine oil off.
Why would you need to ask this question?

Why? The car will not work without it. Oil will drip down the engine
and burn causing smoke. That will only make you ask further stupid
questions.

Oh dear. You might be better going to a garage if you can't do something
as simple as an oil change.

That's the biggest laugh I have had for a while. I suggest you buy a
small diameter plastic tube, put it in the top of the engine via the "710"
cap and suck the oil up.

More like Tosser.

 

Why can't people look at how much oil is required and measure it out or
look at the dipstick while it is being filled!
Do you just tip bits of oil in from different containers.

 

I'm not convinced your warning light is related to the oil overfill,
which doesn't look that bad to me.

Anyway, as a general comment i've got so twitchy about stripping sump
plugs on my recent Vauxhalls I suck the oil out of the dipstick hole
these days:-

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/21663/Van-Car-Accessories/Mechanics-Tools/Laser-Fluid-Extractor

Not super cheap but saves crawling about in the dirt.


You would really pay £40 becaue you couldn't be bothered to measure out the
amount of oil your car requires? It would only cost you £20 to get a garage
to
change the oil and filter if you are unsure of how to do it or how to
measure the
correct amount of oil. By puting the correct amount in you wouldn't damage
the
car and would avoid the extra self-imposed costs.
I'm still amazed at why people are so thick - just measure the oil.

 

D'uh ... the oil sucker is to suck the old oil out, not to measure the
quantity of fresh oil going in.

 

Hmmmm..an anonymous poster who comes on superior and insults the poor
fellow who's likely got an oiled up plug and a check engine light from
his inexperience at changing oil.

I expect its an inhabitant of the Gorbals or the Birmingham slums
with nothing much to do but offer impractical ideas and insults.
I should mention this: don't get used engine oil in your mouth or you
might turn out like this anonymous guy.....

Ask an oil change outfit to dump a little oil. Then try cleaning your
plugs, or replace them.

Brian W

 

REMOVE THE ADDITIONAL OIL ASAP!!!!
Or else at least the oil seals will be damaged

 

I particularly liked this idea because of the low cost and ingeniuity,
so built a pump out of a Windowlene(TM) bottle and plastic tube.

http://asktoby.com/miscimages/dipstickSaga.JPG

Took about 25 minutes to pump what looks like 1/4L of oil. The
dipstick now measures exactly between MIN and MAX. Thanks for the tip!

Hopefully no damage was done before I got the oil out.

 

I'm a bit surprised that a quarter of a litre accounted for such a
significant drop in level, per the dip stick.

Anyway, job sorted - mega.

 

Me too. The book indicates that it's a litre between MIN and MAX. I'm
glad I checked it when I did because I could have easily sucked too
much out.

 

The saga continues.
I had the engine light checked out today:
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve problem, at £366.85 to fix.

This makes some sense to me, because the car will have been burning
that extra oil, which means carbon deposits in the exhaust system.

And to think I did a home oil-change to save money!