What Happens When You Put Too Much Oil in Your Car

The internal combustion process in your car is a very complex process that generates the required power needed by the vehicle to run smoothly.

Most people are aware of the crucial parts and their functioning but little is known about the working of the engine which involves the combustion process.

Inside the internal combustion engine, the metal components move very rapidly with tight clearances under intense temperature and pressure.

For the proper functioning of these components, lubrication is highly important otherwise these components will wear out fairly quickly. The engine oil is designed to prevent these catastrophic damages.

The engine oil needs to be thin enough to allow the engine to start and yet thick enough to provide adequate protection at the engine’s operating temperature. The engine oil is circulated throughout the engine so as to lubricate all the components.

When the car is parked, the oil sits in the oil pan and upon ignition, the oil pump switches on and sucks the oil up to start it circulating in order to lubricate all the moving parts. However, an excess amount of engine oil can also prove detrimental to your car and lead to various issues.

Engine Damage

It may sound unusual, but overfilling the engine oil actually leads to reduced lubrication between the moving components. This is caused because the crankshaft is located above the oil pan in most cars and rotates quickly as the car moves.

If the level of engine oil is very high enough to touch the crankshaft, then the system will whip the oil into foam which will then not be able to lubricate any moving parts in your engine. Moreover, it won’t be able to move perfectly through the system as it should.

The flow of oil can get slow or stop completely which leads to the overheating of the oil. When the engine is not lubricated properly, the parts will wear prematurely and the engine may suffer permanent damage.

Failing Seals and Gaskets

The volume and pressure in the engine oil increase substantially when the crankshaft whips the oil. The gaskets and seals in your car are responsible for preventing the flow of engine oil into certain areas where it is not supposed to go.

When the engine oil gets pressurized beyond a point, then there is a high risk of oil flowing into these areas. In addition to this, some of these seals like the front and rear main seals of the crankshaft are difficult to access and replace.

Malfunctioning Spark Plugs

Whenever you are poring excess engine oil in your car, then there is a high possibility of these oils leaking out and coming in contact with the spark plugs. Once the spark plugs are coated with oil, they will not be able to receive the high voltage pulse that initiates the spark or the spark might not be able to jump the gap to initiate combustion.

Furthermore, malfunctioning spark plugs can often lead to engine misfires and rough running. This will cause starting issues in your car and eventually you will have to replace the spark plugs in your car.

Clogged Catalytic Converter

The catalytic converter is a crucial part of the emission control system in your car. The catalytic converter is responsible for reducing the toxicity of the exhaust gases.

When the catalytic converter is running, it is very hot and if any engine oil gets into the combustion chamber or farther in the exhaust system, then it will burn up when it gets into the catalytic converter if it hasn’t already by then.

Oil getting into the catalytic converter will hamper the functioning of the catalytic converter as it will not be able to clean the exhaust gases and its lifespan will also shorten. Moreover, it is also very expensive to replace the catalytic converter.

In worst cases, the excess oil will clog the catalytic converter and a blocked catalytic converter is a serious issue as it will heat up excessively and cause a fire.

These problems are caused whenever you fill your car with excessive engine oil. The best way to know the requirements of your car is to go through the owner’s manual.

The owner’s manual contains all the details that can help you in carrying out the basic maintenance needs of your car without any trouble.