Overfilling oil can clog a brand new EGR valve

[grindMARC]

I put about a quart and a half too much oil in my P5 by mistake. It was parked on a bit more of an incline than I had thought and I guess there was a bunch left in the oil pan when I put the plug back in and pour 4 quarts in.

According to the stealership, it was just enough of an overfill for oil to get sucked up into the intake and clog up A BRAND SPANKING NEW EGR valve in just a couple of days.

Worse, this all happened during the diagnosis of a idle issue. A new MAF fixed that problem. But while that was being worked on, the dreaded 'stuck open' EGR symptoms crept up. It developed this horrible hesitation at "tip in" on the throttle. The throttle could push through the hesitation, but it was not pleasant!

2 Lessons here. 1) always check the oil level even if you think you drained it all out and put exactly the right amount of oil back in. 2) never change or check your oil on an incline! Yes, automotive basics 101!!

Before anyone jumps on me with the "dumbass replies," keep in mind I'm taking one for the team here posting up my embarassing story!

 

[slavrenz]

Those stories are embarassing (and you are braver than me for posting yours here), but they are all part of that great learning experience that comes with doing your own maintenance

 

[wiprotege5]

With you research, we have all learned a lesson here.

I will never overfill my oil!

 

[Sveivo]

4 quarts is still extremely over full on this car. Perhaps this is a lesson for next time?

 

[bgibb68]

yeah considering the p5 needs just over 3.5 quarts.....puttin .5 of a quart over is still a good bit

 

[Sveivo]

yeah considering the p5 needs just over 3.5 quarts.....puttin .5 of a quart over is still a good bit

Actually mine reaches the full mark with around 3.3 quarts put in (dunno)

 

[bgibb68]

is that before or after you turn the motor to get oil in the filter and system???

 

[Sveivo]

is that before or after you turn the motor to get oil in the filter and system???

Yes, that is after. If I do 3.5 quarts it actually covers the letter F on the dipstick, which is technically over full.

 

[bgibb68]

that's wierd.....i put in just over 3.5 and mine is just below the F


edit: and the manual calls for 3.7

 

[Sveivo]

that's wierd.....i put in just over 3.5 and mine is just below the F


edit: and the manual calls for 3.7

You're right, that is weird.

edit: yes it does. I've had this car for 4 year and put over 100K miles on it. And I still get the same result every time

 

[bgibb68]

yeah so do i....sorry i'm good at math...not spellin haha


edit: only i've had mine 6yrs and 103k

 

[Sveivo]

yeah so do i....sorry i'm good at math...not spellin haha


edit: only i've had mine 6yrs and 103k

There are some members on here that actually have the same experience as me. I think they must have updated some part on the car or what have you to eliminate this issue. It might have to do with build date or whatnot. I really have no idea.

 

[bgibb68]

my dakota takes 4 quarts of oil.....but it's the 3.9 v6

 

[Guvner]

I'm curious to know where the oil got into the intake to the point of actually getting into the EGR. Was it the PCV?

 

[el_Don]

Wow I would have never guessed that it would be caused by just over-filling.

 

[bgibb68]

unless it's probably from more oil being blown out the top of the valve cover....some guy had posted up about doing a DIY oil catch can but he was abducted by aliens or something

edit: i've had my p5 new since the end of 02 and i just cleaned the intake mani and it was NASTY black as well as the egr valve....i guess i'm gonna have to buy a oil catch can and new coolant res

 

[flash75]

I don't understand it either, the extra oil will be in the crankcase and there shouldn't be any more oil under the valve cover than usual.

Clifton

 

[bgibb68]

what causes higher oil pressure....more or less oil??

 

[Guvner]

I have looked through the service manual trying to find something I may have missed, but there is nothing. There is no way that overfilling the crankcase could possibly cause the EGR to get any oil in it, first of all the EGR recirculates exhaust gas into the intake mani so it does not suck anything from the intake manifold, it blows into the intake. Second, the only source of oil that comes from the crankcase is the PCV which comes off the valve cover and causes the usual oil slick within the intake manifold, the oil in the valve cover comes from the cam oiling, thats it. So unless you fill the crankcase to the oil cap with oil there is no way oil would get into the intake significantly enough to clog an EGR.
Sadly grindMARC I think you got hosed by the dealer....unless someone can prove me wrong here.

 

[grindMARC]

I have looked through the service manual trying to find something I may have missed, but there is nothing. There is no way that overfilling the crankcase could possibly cause the EGR to get any oil in it, first of all the EGR recirculates exhaust gas into the intake mani so it does not suck anything from the intake manifold, it blows into the intake. Second, the only source of oil that comes from the crankcase is the PCV which comes off the valve cover and causes the usual oil slick within the intake manifold, the oil in the valve cover comes from the cam oiling, thats it. So unless you fill the crankcase to the oil cap with oil there is no way oil would get into the intake significantly enough to clog an EGR.
Sadly grindMARC I think you got hosed by the dealer....unless someone can prove me wrong here.

Hosed? Hardly! They spent 6+ hours chasing this down (I kept telling them the EGR was brand new so they didn't check it) but they only charged me for 1.5 hours labor. The car runs like a top (new MAF might have helped this) and my wife is pleased as punch!!

Feel free to call the stealership and ask them about it. Ask for Johnny at Reedmans Mazda service in Langhorne PA.

Any ideas if seafoaming the motor twice via the vac hose might have caused this? That was the only thing I did that I never mentioned to them. PCV was also brand new.