I have a 95 Corolla 4 cyl. automatic that I overfilled with oil on my first attempt at changing it myself. I realized this problem right away, as I let the car run idle a couple of minutes and then checked oil after it cooled for about 10 minutes. I then tried to drain oil from pan again, but not much came out. I then let car sit for 24, but still not much came from the plug. My oil is still reading very overfilled. I have began to pull oil from dipstick tube with tubing and syringe, but this is painfully slow and messy. To make matters more confusing, my car will reverse but will no longer drive when put in D. The car seems to idle well and I have not notices and strange noises or leaks. Anyone have any ideas/solutions to what is happening?
BTW I have yet to see any foam, so I don’t know if the engine has churned the oil to foam yet. Thanks.
Are you sure you drained the engine oil, and not the transmission fluid? Check the transmission dipstick, and see if any transmission fluid is in there. If the transmission is OK, remove the engine oil plug, and run a rod, like a coat hanger wire, into the plug hole to try to punch out the clog.
I have read this post several times.
Are we talking about a attempt to drain and fill the engine crankcase or are dealing with a attempt to drain and fill the automatic transmission?
How did the overfill condition come about?
Did you aquire a capacity chart and follow it?
Sounds like the oil is in the transmission. You will have to have the car towed to the mechanic now. It also does sound like the transmission was drained and the oil overfilled. I can’t tell which, except that the oil light isn’t lit. I hope you looked. If you can’t find out for yourself, your training isn’t enough to allow you to do oil changes. I hope you didn’t try to fill your engine oil by using the transmission dipstick tube. Is the word OIL written anywhere else besides the dipstick? If so, it might be where to pour the oil. If you read 710, that’s oil written upside-down. You need a mechanic.
As the others have stated, there is obviously some confusion here between the engine and the transmission. I think that the most likely scenario is that the OP drained the transmission and overfilled the engine with oil. That would explain why removal of “the drain plug” did not allow any oil to come out–the OP is again opening the transmission drain plug rather than the crankcase drain plug, and the transmission is essentially dry, while the engine is grossly overfilled.
I also like to save money, but when someone doesn’t have the requisite skills to do a job correctly, that exercise in thrift can wind up costing a huge amount in the long run. As PDV stated, this vehicle should be towed to a mechanic, as it is clear that the OP has exceeded his level of expertise. The OP shouldn’t feel too bad about his goof however, because this same mistake is often made at Jiffy Lube and its clones.
Don’t start the engine, and don’t make any more attempts to move the vehicle, and it is possible that the damage that has already been done can be limited. Have it towed (or flat-bedded if it is an AWD vehicle) to a competent mechanic–not to a chain operation like Midas, Meineke, Monro, Sears, Discount Tire, etc.
My first thought was the same as everybody elses. All of the signs, especially tha comment that no oil is draining out of the plug, point to this as the error. I suspect that right now you have 8 quarts of oil in your crankcase and no fluid in your tranny.
Sorry. While this type of an error on one’s first attempt at self-service can be traumatic, don’t let it stop you from continuing to try to learn, however next time I’d suggest getting a manual and double checking everything you do with the proceudre. Remember, anybody who says he/she never screwed up is not being entirely truthful. We had a thread here awhile back of horror stories and we’ve all done some whoppers!
PostScript: hope everything turns out okay.
Live And Learn
Since this site is a gathering place for many “Do-it-yourselfers” and we have all had those learning moments or “learning opportunities,” some great, some small, I would encourage AT1212 to have the rescuing technician explain exactly what went on here.
Some of us, myself included, often wish people would become more involved and more knowledgeable when it comes to their cars, especially the ones that ask questions here. I also respect the others that don’t have an interest in DYI, always take their car to a professional, and don’t post questions here, as well. To each his(& her) own! Encouraging self-reliance carries with it the risk that “learning opportunities” will arise.
After resolving this immediate situation, I would recommend obtaining the proper Repair/Maintenance Manual for your vehicle. Try and befriend someone with car DYI experience (You may already know someone), and/or being sure you have the essential basic understanding of a procedure in place before proceeding. There are things that you won’t be able to do yourself, some not right away, some never.
Knowing your limitations or knowing what you don’t know is sometimes a very useful commodity.
Don’t give up trying. Use this learning opportunity to adjust your approach. I hope your car comes out of this just fine. Good Luck!
“To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the biggest mistake of all.” Peter McWilliams
America, what a country!
Outstandingly stated.
To the OP: post back occasionally and let us know how you’re doing. We care.
Thanks to everyone with advice. It’s nice to have a resource of experience for those of us trying our inexperienced hands at doing our own car maintenance. I went out this morning to check the trans oil and sure enough, completely empty. I didn’t notice a red tint to the oil when I drained because it was so old it was brown. This draining was the result of a well intentioned but poorly instructing friend who pointed me the wrong drain plug. At any rate, the car has suffered no damage (The oil originally went into the “710” cap like it should :D)and the oil levels are back to normal.
Thanks to those of you who support novices in this forum. I believe someone said this was over my head, and no doubt it was. But if one can’t start to familiarize themselves with the basics of car repair/maintenance like an oil change, then where do we begin?
It is good to hear that the car has apparently not suffered any damage!
As common sense answer suggested, it would be a good idea to obtain a service manual for your car. Learning how to work on your own car is a great way to save money, but an investment in a good service manual is strongly recommended before you get under the hood again.
Good luck!
Friends are nice but factory service manuals are a better source of information. These things can eliminate a lot of confusion for less than $100 on Ebay or Helms.
This is a Toyota. Their manuals may or may not tell you how to do basic stuff like changing oils. On my 2002 Sienna, it does NOT.
Go to a parts place such as Autozone or Advanced Auto parts and buy a Haynes or similar mnaual for a lot less. They usually are designed to tell you how to do basic stuff. My shop manuals which cost a fortune are actually written for experienced mechanics who do not need them.