oil level too high

[mikehammer69]

my primastar wouldn't start recently

-it was turning over but wouldn't start

i checked the oil level and it was way over the max level on dipstick

and like treacle

had it drained and new oil-all ok now

no problem with head gasket

is it possible that this entered throught the air intake or filter-or was it overfilled accidentally?

thanks

 

[Mursal]

Overfilled with the incorrect oil.

Just keep a close eye that its not filling up with diesel, but that would usually make the oil runny/lighter.

 

[mikehammer69]

i had it serviced 6 weeks previously-would it run that long before suddenly giving trouble

had it towed back to the same garage and they told me it was getting in through the air filter housing but i don't believe it

they showed me the wet air filter-but i don't recall any floods and filter is bone dry since

is it possible-can it mix with the oil if it gets in through filter or intake-assuming it doesn't blow the engine?

 

[Burnerman]

Its only crankcase fumes that enter the air filter, not oil. They have overfilled it from the start. The only way that diesel engines can increase their own level is if fuel can enter the crankcase somehow. Common enough via the old mechanical fuel lift pump on the side of the block, but not these days.
Keep the oil level correct - if its vastly overfilled the engine can run to destruction with its own lubricant - which is hilarious from 100 yards away if it isn't yours. The same thing can happen with blown turbo seals (Mr. Renault)......
John

 

[mikehammer69]

they said it was water getting in

is it possible for water to get in this way and mix with engine oil-through air filter

and also is there likely to be long-term damage-it seems to be running reasonably ok

thanks

 

[Avocet]

When water mixes with engine oil, it forms a white-ish emulsion, sometimes called "mayonnaise". If your oil was black when it came out, I'd be pretty confident that there was no water in it.

Take the oil filler cap off and look at the underside of it. Is there any mayonnaise on that?

As has been said, the only way an engine can acquire more "oil" is by fuel seeping into the sump. It wouldn't be like treacle though, it would be like something much thinner.

If an engine has been grossly over-filled, it is quite likely to "puke" some of the excess into the crankcase ventilation system, and that could find its way into the air filter. I take it the filter was "wet" with oil rather than water?

 

[iwaters]

So firstly they said some magic oil was appearing from nowehere and coming through the air intake? And now they are saying it is water getting in from somewhere?

At this garage do they dress in boots with spurs, where Stetson hats and ride horses?

 

[mikehammer69]

no-they said it was water getting in through the air filter

anyhow at least i'm back on the road

 

[MrTinker]

no-they said it was water getting in through the air filter

No chance thats just a bullpoo excuse, because they don't want to admit to overfilling it.

 

[mikehammer69]

yes-they're charging me for fixing a problem they created i think


can someone clarify for me-if for arguments sake water entered through the air filter-could it possibly mix with the oil and raise the level?

is this impossible?-i can then refuse to pay

 

[1john]

Water may enter through the air intake, down a breather pipe maybe, BUT you would have white cream and crap inside the oil cap if water was in there, same as when a head gasket goes on a car and the water and oil chambers mix.

 

[MrTinker]

The only way water entering through the inlet(air filter), could get into the sump is if it somehow gets past the piston rings, I have seen this but only when the water has caused the engine to hydraulic lock, and the piston rings where damaged/shattered, also resulting in bent/snapped con rods, and other damage, i.e. the engine suffered catastrophic failure.

 

[mikehammer69]

i get the idea now -the piston rings would keep the water separate from the oil-if they're not damaged compressing it

there was no damage -van was back up and running next day after 2 oil changes


i'm pretty convinced at this stage it's a fairy story

 

[MrTinker]

The other thing is where did this water come from, I think you would probably remember driving through a lake or a three foot deep puddle!
I would love to hear where they think it came from, and how it got in there.

 

[Avocet]

i get the idea now -the piston rings would keep the water separate from the oil-if they're not damaged compressing it...

...and boy would you know about it if they had! As Mr T says, the chances of a diesel engine surviving that are almost zero. It's very rare that a petrol engine survives the experience. My wife trashed her engine in the Cockermouth floods the other year, driving through deep water. When I investigated, I found no. 1 piston was nearly 1/8" lower tha nthe other three at the top of its stroke. The engine oil had a lot of mayonnaise in it, and the car wouldn't run. That was a petrol engine. Due to their much higher compression ratios, diesels invariably come off even worse!