Ideal Oil Level

[andoys_manoy]

Regardless if you roll in a Honda, I'm just curious what is/ are the repercussion/s of driving with the oil level ABOVE the Max Level of the dip stick?

I'm no newbie into cars, but I would love to hear a near-scientific point of view to this query of mine.

Thank you and happy reading.

[Good Mechanic]

[SIZE=3]The engine shall overheat.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3]The oil in the oil pan would not cool since it is design for the design volume.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3]I hope I gave you a good advise. Thanks.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3]My email is practicalmechanic*gmail.com[/SIZE]

[v6dreamer]

The engine produces a lot of heat which the oil helps to remove from critical bearing surfaces. Too low an oil volume will have your oil temperature going up and cooking the oil which turns it black prematurely. If overfill it can blow your main seal.

Modern vehicles have a warning system built into them to warn drivers of a low oil condition though I am not certain of this on your car. When the oil pickup sucks air instead of oil for only a fraction of time, the oil warning light will flash on the dash. If oil pressure is ever lost completely, this light will stay on solid.

[Good Mechanic]

[SIZE=3]Other purposes of oil are lubrication, maintain engine temperature and provide detergency action. To maintain your engine power you have to maintain oil level otherwise, lack of oil is equivalent to low engine power. If you notice your oil turning to black, this shows your engine oil is effective (detergency is cleaning your chamber).[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3]The oil pressure switch provides the signal to your car’s instrument panel. If it is below the minimum level, the warning will light up. This is available on all vehicles.[/SIZE]

[redorange]

The damage caused can depend on how much over the max you put in the engine. If you put a lot more than what is needed then you will create too much pressure and blow seals. If you put in a little over then you may cause the oil to foam or froth from having the crankshaft contact the oil. If the oil is a froth(think milk on top of your Starbucks cappucino) then your oil pump can't pump it through the engine. I fill mine to about 3/4 before hitting max on the dipstick(if I don't know the exact amount per owners manual), remember oil flows slowly so you'll still have some flowing to the crankcase.

[dodo_bird]

Regardless if you roll in a Honda, I'm just curious what is/ are the repercussion/s of driving with the oil level ABOVE the Max Level of the dip stick?

I'm no newbie into cars, but I would love to hear a near-scientific point of view to this query of mine.

Thank you and happy reading.

[SIZE=3]First of all, the 3 main functions of an engine oil is to a) separate moving metal surfaces & prevent them from coming into contact with each other (act as a lubricant), b) to remove undesirable amounts of heat near the combustion chamber & to transfer it to another location where heat can be safely released/cooled (act as a coolant), and c) serve as a barrier in the piston rings & enabling the engine to harness the expanding air-fuel mix to be converted into mechanical work (act as a sealant).[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3]The effect of oil way above max level results in "undercrown oil splashing". This means that the higher oil level in the engine's sump is churned by rotating crankshaft. This results an undesired amount of oil being thrown underneath the pistons. Since the piston operates at a high temperature (from conductive heat transfer from the combustion gases at the combustion chamder), this exposes the oil to additional heat stress.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3]Diesel engines, as compared to gasoline engines, have a provision for oil being splashed underneath their pistons, known as undercrown cooling. This means that some diesel engine designs incorporate a small oil line for each cylinder that sprays a regulated amount of engine oil under the piston for cooling purposes. But this is another story. The undercrown oil splashing by excessive oil levels in gasoline engines is uncontrolled, and thus undesirable.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3]Of course, modern gasoline engine oils are formulated with anti-oxidation additives, which fight deterioration due to heat. However, the additional heat speeds up consumption of the anti-oxidant additive, which results in a) oil thickening (increase in viscosity), b) oxidation byproducts (hydrocarbon deposits resulting in higher pentane & toluene insolubles), and c) acceleration of wear (since piston deposits are highly abrasive & results in worn rings & cylinder liners).[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3]There is a last line of defense by the engine oil for the reduced anti-oxidation levels: the detergent & dispersant additives. These 2 additives help remove the piston deposits & keep them suspended in the oil. Suspended carbon deposits are eventually captured by the oil filter.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3]The problem with this past scenario is that it results in 1) depletion of the detergent & dispersant additives of the engine oil, and b) oil filter clogging. You've seen the effect of the det/disp additives. But once the oil filter is clogged, assuming that a good oil filter is used, its bypass valve opens. The result is unfiltered, dirty oil is circulated in the engine (well, better dirty oil than no oil at all!). Again, this accelerates engine wear resulting in loss of power, high fuel consumption & early replacement of engine components.[/SIZE]
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[SIZE=3]There, is this near-scientific enough for you?[/SIZE]