I had the engine in my 93 GMC truck replaced with a new 6.5 Optimizer diesel. When I got it back, I drove it somewhere between 30-50 miles before figuring out that they had seriously overfilled the crankcase with oil. The engine calls for 7 quarts. I drained 6 1/2 quarts out of it this morning to get it down to the full line on the dipstick. It was filled almost double with oil. The oil was filled 3 1/2" above the full mark on the dipstick. The distance between the add and full mark on the dipstick is slightly under 3/4".

What I'd like to know is people's opinions about whether and how much this did damage to the engine. I'm pretty sure the oil was aerated and foaming because I noticed problems with the lift pump which is energized via the oil pressure sender. I think the aerated oil was hindering the operation of the sender switch. I sent in an oil sample to Blackstone for analysis. I don't know the distance from the surface of the oil at the normal level and the crankshaft counterweights but I doubt it is anywhere near 3 1/2" so the weights had to be flying thru the oil.

Long term, I suspect serious damage would be done in these conditions. Short term I'm unsure. Most of those miles were under 40mph city street driving. About 10 were at interstate speeds.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Was it dumping smoke? Making any odd noises? Does it have an upper and lower pan? Bedplate?

I overfilled a Honda Accord that was destined for the junkyard back in HS to see what would happen. Idled fine, but smoked like a SOB and felt down on power. Unsure if it caused any long term damage, but ran fine for a week or two after correcting the oil level.

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

No odd noises. No smoke. No bedplate--that's only on the P400. No upper/lower pan. What caused me to check the oil was the lift pump cutting out at idle when it was warm after a 10 mile drive. That was the only oddity. It had never done that before.

I like the idea of experimenting on an old car with an overfill.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Did yo get any lifter tap ( from aireated oil ) ?

In any event I don't see this to be a problem in the short term. ( I've build countless engines having been in and around the auto repair business for nearly 40 years )

Before you do anything else, I'd drain the remaining oil and dump in 6 to see where the stick reads. If you were really 2x over, it should have been pushing oil out the breather.

No lifter tap. Does the 6.5 have hydraulic lifters? Engine calls for 7. I took 6.5 quarts out. I measured it exactly. It's now sitting just a hair above the full mark.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I'd be surprised if you did any damage.

__________________
Jim

I'm hoping you called the idiots who did this. Get it on record. TBS, I doubt if it hurt anything

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Сделать Америку великой Снова
"I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left." Margaret Thatcher

Yes, I called and talked to the shop manager. He investigated and confirmed that his worker had indeed overfilled the engine. He offered to rectify the problem but I didn't want to drive it back to them with that much oil in it and I also wanted to get a sample for analysis so I drained the excess myself.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Yes, the engine has hydraulic lifters.

You don't seem to get that you _REALLY_need to drain all of the oil and put in just below the factory amount. If the dipstick / tube is incorrect, you could be low on oil.

Don't mind TXJAKE, he thinks everyone besides him self is an idiot, just have a look on the other open topic board.

You make a valid point. I bet Kerry has not forgotten that point.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I have no reason to think the dipstick tube is inaccurate. Do you? It's a brand new engine. What are the odds of a new engine having a bad dipstick? The shop told me they put in 12 quarts. I took out 6 1/2 and it's right about at the mark. Those numbers don't quite coincide but there could have been some oil in the pan before they put the 12 quarts in.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

The point is we don't know for sure and the ramifications of the wrong stick / tube are too great.

Having the wrong stick / tube is a far greater concern than having run the engine a short distance with too much oil.

Was the oil you removed clean?

(Just to rule out other possibilities all the other fluids are present and correct aren't they?)

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

I think the odds of a wrong stick/tube are virtually nil. I'm pretty sure AM General only makes one engine so there wouldn't be a bunch of different tubes available on the production line. I'm also familiar with the tube/stick in the 6.5 and this one looks completely normal. I'll keep a close eye on the oil pressure gauge.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Yes, the oil was fresh and the other fluids are there.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13