Overfill engine oil symptoms

September 27, 2018


Have you ever wondered about the overfill engine oil symptoms? Everything in excess is bad for you! And the same goes for your vehicle when it comes to engine oil. Engine oil is one of the most essential lubricants to diminish the friction of moving parts, avoid overheating, cushions the joints of an engine and keep the parts neat and clean. Hence, it becomes necessary to perform routine oil changes several times throughout a year. Though, whether you are a professional or beginner at DIY oil changing, you are subjected to error and as a result, you may pour an excessive engine oil into the car. So, the questions arise are; what are the overfill engine oil symptoms and what happens if you overfill the engine oil?

What will happen if you overfill engine oil?

If you will add an excess engine oil in car accidently overfill engine oil symptoms may not show up right at that time. But the excess oil will be plunged into the crankshaft as it spins and will be submerged in it. As a result, the more air will be drawn into the engine’s combustion chamber. This mixture of oil and air along with rotating crankshaft will create a foam-like mixture. The foam actually weakens the lubricating capacity of the engine oil by decreasing the oil pressure which gradually decreases the pumping capacity of the oil pump. If the engine oil would not spread across the moving parts, the more heat will be produced and friction will tear those parts which can cost significant bucks. So how can you identify if your engine is overfilled with an engine oil? Here are some of the overfill engine oil symptoms that you can rely upon to check if your car’s engine is overfilled with an excessive oil.

Overfill engine oil symptoms

There are several symptoms you can call up to help to identify whether your engine is overfilled or not. Knowing below-mentioned symptoms can help you to prevent the abovementioned damages caused by pouring an excessive engine oil.


  • Oil leakage

  • Unusual noises & smokes from the engine compartment

  • The smell of burning engine oil

  • Overheating

  • Smoke or black exhaust from the tailpipe

These are some of the most common overfilled engine oil symptoms. You can also check if your engine is overfilled or not simply by using the dip stick. If you find that your car is overfilled you can simply remove the oil plug attached to the bottom of the engine. If you find it hard to locate the oil plug you should check the owner’s manual.

How to check your engine oil level

So what to do if you realize that you added too much oil in your engine?

Here is a clip on how to remove oil from your engine:



Do you know any more symptoms that will show when your engine oil is overfilled, or any tips on how not to overfill? Make a comment below.