When I changed my oil for the first time, I noticed that while the manual says to put in something like 4 quarts, I actually drained about 5 quarts of existing oil. After 3000 miles, could that much extra oil damage something... like, oh, I don't know... the valve seals? I know you guys say the valve seals are a common problem, but it's a problem the car didn't have at the time I bought it, and I've only put about 3000 miles on it since then (most of which was during the time it had too much oil.)

Comments? Questions? Concerns? Donations?

Thanks.

I have always put like 4.5 Quarts in. And make sure you don't keep on changing from synthetic to non-synthetic..THAT is bad for your engine.

Usually the pan can hold X amount of qts and then there will be more which is physically sucked up by the engine.

I'm normally around 4.5 qts. Basically, 4 qts is "low" on the dipstick and 5 is "high." 4.5 is middle. Its not bad unless its way over high. Then you'll get blue smoke out that back as the oil is burning inside the engine! w00t. Your valve seals should be alright. If you so inclined, take off the valve cover and replace the valve cover seal and valve seals.

How easy is it to just "take off the valve cover and replace the valve cover seals and valve seals?"

From what I hear, that's several hundred dollars' worth of labor over a very inexpensive part. Is it a simple task?

Thanks.

Simple but time consuming. Thats all. Normally its hard on any other type of vehicle. Since ours is a I4 laid out right in front its easy. Not easy if you have a v8 with one cover underneath the car. You just need the right tools. I haven't taken my valve cover off yet, but have on 4 bangers before. I'm not sure, but I think its 4 bolts and ta da. NOW, I dont think you need to. You trying to fix something thats not broken. Just put 4.5 qts back in and drive until you think something needs a good fixn'

Well, everyone says it's not broken, but I don't like the idea of burning oil every time I start my car. After putting in 4 quarts of oil maybe 500 miles ago, the dipstick reads dangerously low. If it's a fix I can do easily, I'd rather do that than have to constantly feed it oil.

Heh. Then again, changing the oil and the plug wires was a challenge for me...

*edit: Yeah, I was one of those people who posted about blue smoke on startup.

Again, you should have 4.5 qts in the Celica. Thats probably why its low. You can smell if its burning oil normally. Very noticable. Plus exhaust gases are visible during the day.

yeah i changed my oil less tha ntwo months ago with 4 quarts and i checked it yesterday and it was at a little below LOW so i was like HOLY CRAP so i bought and added another quart and i will check it before i go to work.

at first i thought i had a huge oil leak but since 4 quarts is LOW on teh dipstick then I figure it was a little lower because of the oil I burn from the valve seals

about the synthetic.. Its a cleaner oil.. There for it can and will break apart any sludge build up that your old oil made, witch is turn is keeping seals togeather. or them from leaking. Thats why one reason its not good to switch with high milage. Also sence your useing two dif oils your engine is going to run dif.. smother ruffer what ever.. If youhave higher mileage.. just use norm oil.. synthetic is good for when you do a swap or somthing like that..

Also To much oil wont hurt anything.. To little will.. If you have to much, your just going to burn it off. not a big deal. but that could be whats causeing you to burn a lil oil out the rear.. I know my car will burn a lil here an there. but Il somtimes add to much.. an it will just burn it off. an il be like ah ****.. i broke somthing now.

If you add too much oil (servel qt more) then the oil pressure can build and actually shot the dip stick out of it's lil home and through your hood

If to much oil is inside of the engine, you could easily blow almost all of your oil seals. Too much oil pressure is really bad for cars. 4 qts for me is perfect, I usually put it between half and full. My friend ( who is a dumb ass and doesn't know anything about cars) put 4 qts too many in his girlfrieds accord. I laughed my ass off, but then my other friend emptied the oil out and changed it. There were almost 8 qts of oil in the thing! How long were you driving it before you noticed that there was too much oil in it? And about synthetic oil, my car runs MUCH smoother with Synthetic. I use fully synthetic Mobile 1, good stuff. Regular oil is fine but if you want more out of your engine use synthetic.

I was only talkign about 1/2-1 quart to much not 4 .. how the F could you do that.... canyonking, when did you switch to synthetic??

Im very happy with synthetic as well. I find the car to run better on it as well. I talked to several car guys and they said that switching back and forth is very bad for the engine, juset like switching different oil weights all the time. They highly sugested if you go to synthetic never switch back.

^ very true. One thing that I could add is that regular is better for those people that start and shut off their engines multiple times a day, synthetic oil is so runny that it drops out of the crank case so fast and when you start the engine it has no oil up in there, which can cause a little more wear and tear. It is VERY minimal, its not going to cause much damage if any at all. Regular oil tends to stick a bit better to the block and doesn't run down as much, so when you start and stop your engine it still has some lubrication up in the crank case. Well there you have it.

Cody

i thought out cars only needed 4qts

Holy cow, this thread took off while I wasn't looking....

Yeah, there was definitely about 5 quarts in there when I drained it, and that was after I'd been driving it for maybe 2500 miles or so, and the smoking on startup only happened maybe a month before the oil change (I wanted to catch it right at 90,000 miles so I could keep track of the 3000s.) The manual says only to put in 4 quarts, which is why I was suspicious. I just use regular motor oil, but I change it religiously every 3000 miles.

Mixing regular and synthetic is bad for 2 reasons. Not all oils can mix together, if you mix synthetic and regular together it could seperate much like oil and water seperate causing damage.

Also using synthetic or regular in an engine that has had the other in it for some time, can cause your seals to swell or shrink causing leaks.

And our cars only take 4 quarts of oil, it is a waiste to put more than that in it. My 4.0 inline 6 only took 6 quarts and it was twice the size of the engines in these cars.

i THINK the exact amount for our cars is like 3.75 or 3.8 ....i read that somewhere 1 qt per cylinder isnt exactly true

Too much will cause trouble, if its full enough to touch the crank, the crank can stir it hard enough to foam, causing excess crankcase pressure, which can force oil out thru otherwise good seals, PCV also sucks more thru as there is more airborne oil in the craqnkcase, also you lose horsepower trying to spin the crank thru oil, you can also get it too full to the point its hydrauliced from the bottom, and it won turn over, or if it does, oil comes out everwhere

As for synthetic oil, it actually will leave a film to help protect against dry starts. (At least Amsoil synthetics do). And the bit about the seals swelling or shrinking really shouldn't apply anymore, The first synthetics years and years ago had problems with that, Amsoil fixed that years ago, I would imagine the other brands have too, (dont know for sure).

More info From the Amsoil site: Amsoil info

Frequently Asked Questions


General Questions and Answers

How can I purchase AMSOIL products?

You can order products directly online by clicking on the Online Store link at the top of every page on our website. Or click on Preferred Customer Orders to get info on receiving a discount.





Where can I find a Dealer near me?

You can request the location of the nearest AMSOIL Dealer on the form here. You can also find a Dealer by searching your local Yellow Pages. Or try one of the Internet Yellow Pages by clicking here.





Can I use AMSOIL AFF 0W-40 in my new 4-stroke snowmobile?

Absolutely! AMSOIL AFF 0W-40 was specifically formulated for use in small, hard working 4-stroke engines. AFF is ideal for 4-cycle snowmobiles, ATV's, personal watercraft, 4-stroke boat motors, lawn equipment etc...


Can I use AMSOIL AFF 0W-40 in my car or truck?

AMSOIL AFF can most certainly be used in cars or trucks but it is not our first choice for automotive applications. We offer a full line of automotive oils. AFF is specifically formulated for small recreational 4-stroke engines, and is an excellent choice for 4-Stroke outboards, ATVs, lawn equipment, snow blowers etc….



How long have AMSOIL lubricants been on the market?

AMSOIL introduced the first synthetic motor oil with an API (American Petroleum Institute) Service Classification in 1972. Since that time, AMSOIL has varied and expanded its product line.

What are AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils?

AMSOIL Synthetic Lubricants are fuel efficient, extended life lubricants manufactured from select synthetic base stocks and special purpose additives. These lubricants provide improved overall performance characteristics when compared to conventional petroleum oils.

What are AMSOIL Synthetic Blend Motor Oils?

AMSOIL Synthetic Blend Motor Oils are a blend of synthetic fluids and petroleum oils. They are combined to form an all season motor oil that demonstrates many of the performance features of synthetic lubricants.

Can AMSOIL Motor Oils be used in any engine?

Certainly, AMSOIL Motor Oils may be used in any mechanically sound gasoline or diesel fueled engine. Basically, that means they are excellent for use in any vehicle’s engine.

Will AMSOIL Motor Oils void the warranty of a new vehicle?

Absolutely not! Manufacturers’ warranties are based upon the use of oils meeting specific API Service Classifications, for example, SJ/CF. (AMSOIL lubricants meet the current API Service requirements and, thus, are perfectly suited for use in any new vehicle without affecting the validity of the new vehicle warranty.)

Are AMSOIL Motor Oils All-Season Oils?

Synthetic oils are made to protect and perform better than petroleum oils at both high and low temperature extremes. That’s why every jet engine in the world is lubricated with synthetic oil. AMSOIL Motor Oils have extremely low pour points and flow readily at extremely low temperatures for easier winter starting and significantly reduced engine wear. At high temperatures, no conventional motor oil can compare to the overall protection AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils provide. That’s extremely important for today’s turbocharged and small, non-turbocharged engines!

Are AMSOIL Motor Oils compatible with other motor oils?

Yes. AMSOIL Motor Oils are compatible with all other synthetic or petroleum motor oils.

Why are AMSOIL Motor Oils capable of extended drain intervals?

AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils are highly resistant to the destructive effects of heat, and do not break down like petroleum oils. This means that AMSOIL Motor Oils can provide much longer drain intervals than conventional lubricants.

Will AMSOIL Motor Oils decrease oil consumption?

Yes. When used in mechanically sound engines, AMSOIL Motor Oils can reduce oil consumption. Under test conditions, a reduction of as much as 42% was demonstrated for prolonged periods. However, this should not be taken to mean that AMSOIL Motor Oils are “cure-alls” for engines that consume oil because of mechanical problems.

Is there a recommended procedure for changing to AMSOIL Motor Oils?

There are no special requirements; however, in older vehicles or those with high mileage, it may be advisable to use AMSOIL Engine Flush first. This will ensure that the engine is clean and free of any accumulated contaminants which might have an effect on the service life of AMSOIL Motor Oils. In all cases, it is good judgement to install a new AMSOIL Super Duty Full-Flow Oil Filter (SDF) every time you change oil.

Should Oil Additives or After Market Products be added to AMSOIL Motor Oils?

No, they are not necessary! AMSOIL Motor Oils are properly formulated under the strictest Quality Control procedure to provide superior lubrication performance.



And yes, I am an Amsoil dealer, have been since about 1978, I simply will not use anything else in a motor. My website: My Amsoil site

I'd appreciate linking thru my web site to buy online, (I get a small commission) (you could too, if you become a dealer), or at least buy it wholesale by doing the "preferred customer" thing online.

Sorry to start preaching, but if you aren't using a good synthetic, you are losing HP, using more fuel, and wearing out your motor. (and transmission etc) ((not to mention all that extra oil either dumped in the environment or needing to be recycled.

if you put to much oil in your car it dosent just burn off it also ruins seals(crank seals), raises oil pressure, and lowers power because the crank has to spin through all of it.

also the best oil to use in your car is the one that the MANUFACTURER RECOMENDS they are the people that made the engine and did all of the testing on it and tried it out with a ton of diffrent oils, they recomend the best oil for that engine because they dont want to pay for it with a warrenty claim.
some synthetic oils are also known to brake down some seals in youre engine, and can hurt it more than help it.
switching between synthetic and regular in my opionion is ok if done it many times, if you put both in your car at the same time with the right mix of oils they can also foam real bad