Hi All

I've had my civic for about 3 months, hadn't added any oil. I put some in yesterday (a small bottle), now I just checked my dipstick with a cold engine. Pics below:



Green is like a little pool of oil
Blue lines are the min / max level indicators
Red is where the oil actualy comes up to.

This concerns me. I know how bad things can get if you overfill the sump. I defintely don't want it to be overfilled. Am I reading this wrong or have I put too much oil in? Is there anyway to check more acurately? Whats the best way to get rid of some excess oil if it is overfilled?

Thanks in advance

 

First wipe the dipstick and check again. If still overfilled, just drain it to the proper level using drain bolt on the oil pan.

 

+1, DONT DRIVE IT UNTIL YOU DO THIS, possible piston ring blowout.

 

I did wipe it, it's got to be overfilled then. Sh*t.

Can I do this without a new crush washer and just use reuse the old one?

 

Manual says no, real life - probably yes, just check for leaks afterwards.

 

Next question, how do I know how much to drain?

 

only trial and error... drain some, check, drain, check, drain, check,... don't tighten the plug completely until you are done.

 

Cheers, that helps. I think I might drop by the local auto shop, pick up a crush washer and drain away tomorrow.

 

I dont know if anyone knows the proper way of checking their oil, but you are supposed to leave your engine idling for at least 2 to 5 minutes before check the oil. That way the oil is dispursed everywhere in the system and when you check the oil after that, you should put it to full. Checking your engine cold will give you a false reading and run the risk of having low oil when reaching operating temperatures. Also, when doing an oil change you should do the same thing, run the engine for 2 to 5 minutes and then drain your oil, it gets and the dispersants, detergents and poor point depresents worked up in the oil so that they flow out of the oil pan readily and you get more of the "bad stuff" out. And a really easy way to get tiny bits of oil out of the system without getting under the car and fooling with the oil plug and then checking and then all that bullsh*t is to use a plastic syringe with some tubing, just put the tubing down into the oil dipstick shaft and draw up your oil. Good Luck.

 

Well... you should make sure ur cars not tilted.. and are on flat ground stupid.. but it happens.