help pls. About 700 miles ago my 4.2 was serviced and somewhat overfilled with oil.
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help pls. About 700 miles ago my 4.2 was serviced and somewhat overfilled with oil.
I looked at it this weekend and found the level a tad over the orange plastic on the dip stick. I assume this is about a 1/2 quart over. I looked at the instruction book and it mentions to NEVER fill over the grid which stops short of the orange plastic. Since getting the car in March 2000 I have noticed an odor (like something burning (oil)or more like dirty exhaust) which I complained about in the first service last September and was told nothing wrong. I feel as though that smell is now more prevalent. Could it be that the overfill of oil is being burned in the cylinders? Wouldn't that go out the tail pipes without my smelling it? Can the engine be so sensitive to overfill (the dealer shouldn't have done it)? Anyone else experience this? April?
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Oil level seems to be an ongoing discussion
Audi has issued several TSBs on this subject, and it's not unusual for dealers to overfill cars.
If you think it's a significant overfill, you can either insist the dealer take some out, or you can try a gadget sold by Griot's Garage that allows you to do oil changes by suction through the dipstick tube. Using this contraption, you can probably remove a quart or so pretty easily.
Or you could pull up the latest TSB yourself and go to an indy shop with oil and quartage amount in hand.
If you think it's a significant overfill, you can either insist the dealer take some out, or you can try a gadget sold by Griot's Garage that allows you to do oil changes by suction through the dipstick tube. Using this contraption, you can probably remove a quart or so pretty easily.
Or you could pull up the latest TSB yourself and go to an indy shop with oil and quartage amount in hand.
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I haven't had experience with overfilled oil but...
I've had and still have, rarely now, an oily/waxy smell which is, I believe, cosmoline added as a protectant during initial shipping. Someone mentioned this on here when I was concerned about the smell. During hotter weather and after driving hard it can actually be seen pooling in some areas and occasionally on the garage floor.
Hope that's all this is you're smelling.
.../jp
Hope that's all this is you're smelling.
.../jp
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Shouldn't harm the engine unless very overful. You can foul the cats though
The oil impairs the conversion process. The emissions are warranteed longer than any other component ( 100k ).
I would have the dealer extract the oil or do it yourself. You don't want to get an a gross polluter list when it comes time to smog it.
I would have the dealer extract the oil or do it yourself. You don't want to get an a gross polluter list when it comes time to smog it.
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It's not too full unless it is touching the upper orange plastic...Mine was overfilled at the...
5k check by 1/2 quart which I checked after I noticed the engine seemed to be very slightly less responsive or lugging (very slight, but enough that it reminded me of when my 3.6 qt CRX was filled with 5 qts).
I remedied this by taking 1/4" PVC tubing and sticking it down the dipstick tube and hooking the other end to a pump spray bottle and sprayed 1/2 quart into a paint can (several hundred sprays). An easier thing to do would be to use a siphon with 1/4" OD or less tubing, but I couldn't find one.
Mine was about 3-4 mm up on the upper orange plastic. Anything below the plastic is OK, though, even if it's above the hatched area.
I remedied this by taking 1/4" PVC tubing and sticking it down the dipstick tube and hooking the other end to a pump spray bottle and sprayed 1/2 quart into a paint can (several hundred sprays). An easier thing to do would be to use a siphon with 1/4" OD or less tubing, but I couldn't find one.
Mine was about 3-4 mm up on the upper orange plastic. Anything below the plastic is OK, though, even if it's above the hatched area.
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I smell this too, thanks for letting me know what it is. I used to get a burning smell...
which was from a leaky coolant overflow tank hose leaking coolant onto the engine. Now the smell is occasional, smells very similar, but there is definitely no leak.
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Interesting...Had my 5,000 mile service Saturday and the dealer initially shorted me by a quarter...
...of a quart; filled below the hash marks. Took it back later in the day to get it topped off. Service advisor said they tend to err on the side of slight under-fill, rather than overfilling.
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Mine half way between "max" and the top of the plastic, so I...
Put the car up on ramps and had some fun, took off the apron and drained out 1/2 a quart or so from the drain plug (19mm bolt).
Is there any risk in overfilling that oil will go into parts of the system that they should not, like vacuum hoses and such?
Is there any risk in overfilling that oil will go into parts of the system that they should not, like vacuum hoses and such?
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Re: Shouldn't harm the engine unless very overful. You can foul the cats though
April, even if it's only 1/2 quart over? Can I be smelling oil burning or do you think it is cosmoline. I have smelled something ever since I got the car once in a while and now it has over 12,000 mi.