Hi all! Hoping for your help - we were about to go on a long trip in the car yesterday so my partner topped up the oil. As we were driving, a message came on saying that we needed to get to a repair shop and the oil lights came on. The car then dropped speed and the engine made strange rumbling noises. We drove very slowly to the nearest garage 5 minutes away. The garage were really lovely and checked the car and explained that there was too much oil and that it had potentially caused damage. They did a small test drive and there were strong exhaust fumes and smoke out of the back of the car when they rev’ed the engine. They looked at the engine and found 6 litres of oil which they said was far too much and that the oil was very thick and black, and had metal fragments. They showed us the fragments and oil condition. They explained that in reality the car will need a second hand engine. They have not pressured us and have said that they will call with a full breakdown of costs later in the week for us to weigh up. I feel like they are being very reasonable and helpful but speaking to friends and family they were concerned that we need to get a second opinion - this would be hard as I would assume we would need to get it towed to avoid further damage. I know that there is no clear answer but would really appreciate any help or suggestions on whether this sounds likely and what we should do next! Thanks so much!
Hey there,
Sounds like you’re dealing with a major car problem. Overfilling the oil, plus the black, thick oil and metal bits the mechanic found, are bad news.
Here’s the deal:
Too much oil:This can really mess up your engine because of the extra pressure and bad lubrication.
Black oil and metal:This means parts inside your engine are wearing down or even broken.
Mechanic’s idea: Replacing the whole engine with a used one makes sense if the damage is that bad.
What to do now:
- Get a second opinion:It never hurts to double-check, especially with a big repair like this.
- Talk to your mechanic: Ask them to explain ALL your options, including how much each one costs and how long it’ll take.
- Think about your money and time: Replacing the engine, even with a used one, is expensive. Figure out if it’s worth it compared to the value of your car and what you need.
Extra tips:
Don’t drive it:You could make things worse and end up stranded.
Get everything in writing: Make sure you have written estimates from any mechanic you’re considering.
Used engines are risky: They might be cheaper, but they could have problems down the road.
This sucks, I know. But take a deep breath, get all the info you can, and you’ll figure out the best way to handle this.
If you have any more questions, just ask!
Clarifying question…
Why did your partner add the oil in the first place? Was it because the engine was actually low on oil, or did you/he add it “just in case”?
Reason I ask is… if the engine was truly low on oil beforehand, it may have been leaking or burning the oil already. In that case, a new engine was probably coming due anyway. Or at least some major engine work.
Otherwise…I fear your partner may have added oil “just in case” and created a big problem.
Did your partner check the oil level before adding oil? Also, what year and model is you Peugeot? How many km (or miles) on it? I’m guessing that you are not in the US since Peugeots haven’t been sold here for decades.
The bottom line… the engine is clearly broken. It needs replacement and whether you bet a used engine or remanufactured engine depends on the value of cars like yours. It makes no sense to install a remanufactured engine if the car is only worth 5000 Euros
The engine is probably going to need to be replaced.
When oil is over-filled, it can come in contact with the rotating crankshaft. The rotating crankshaft can whip air into the oil, or aerate the oil. And air makes for a lousy lubrication for an engine, destroying it.
Here’s what aerated oil looks like.
Tester
All I can add for the OP’s benefit is the following:
Don’t allow your partner to do anything under the hood of the Peugeot (or any other car that you might own in the future) until he/she has taken a course in basic automotive maintenance.
Has the oil and filter been changed at Peugeot’s recommended mileage pretty consistently for the life of the car? I’m guessing not, and the oil has been topped off as needed for some time. Is the oil on the dipstick black, or brown, or a clear amber?
As far as paying for a second opinion, suggest to first post a photo here of the area under the valve covers. Ask your shop to remove the covers and send you that photo. If that area is all gunked up with black crud everywhere, there’s no need for a second opinion.
The engine was over filled with engine oil and cracked a piston, that can’t be seen by removing a valve cover.
Probably no need for a second opinion then, OP will just have to pony up for a new engine. The OP has already said the oil was black, so can save the expense of removing valve covers.
Just my opinion but the damage was likely from no oil changes rather than too much oil for a short time. But If the engine is shot why worry about further damage if i5 is drivable. Hav3 the oil changed, keep a sample fir analysis and drive it home while you contemplate
If it were my car I’d be curious whether the cause for the failed engine was too much oil or infrequent routine maintenance. But its not something the OP actually needs to know, just a curiosity is all.
Well, to be fair, that is a machine designed to aerate oil for design testing.
I wonder what it actually looks like when a crank dips into the oil? I found this video which is pretty boring initially but gets very interesting toward the end. Of course, engine designs vary and how much overfill is going to cause problems varies with it.
These guys take it all the way and as you can see, even with significant overfill, the actual entrainment of air is not that bad. In fact, with moderate overfill, the crank windage is actually forcing the oil out of the way of the crank. However, once they get ridiculously overfilled, it gets pretty entertaining.-
This is wierd. First a new poster from who knows where has a problem. Then a new poster gives what looks like a cut and paste from a service publication . Then both seem to have moved on.
Not that it matters I just find it curious.
Yeah, I was expecting a follow up post with a link…
Not to dispute the dangers, but back in school my wife to be had a 61 Plymouth to use. Her dad told her to make sure to keep the oil full, which she did. She filled it to the top and drove it 90 miles home. Smoking like crazy but her dad just drained the oil and it was fine. I don’t let her check the oil.
An Isuzu 4cyl pickup was driven about 5 miles to my shop smoking and missfiring. I drained well over 2 gallons from the pan and installed 4 qts. after idling 15 minutes the smoking diminished and I drove it about 5 miles with no problem and returned it to the customer.