We always hear about how oil is the lifeblood of any car or truck, since having four quarts or so in the engine is what keeps everything lubricated so nothing seizes up. So you’d think there’s no such thing as “too much oil,” but a recent TikTok clip from auto tech John Brian Hernandez (@johnbrian210) tells us otherwise.
At the start we’re introduced to a black Honda sedan (possibly an Accord) with a voiceover informing us that the car owner’s son “changed” the oil but didn’t drain out the old oil first.
The son also apparently neglected to change the oil filter, which is another crucial step in any oil change.
What happens when you add too much oil to your car?
Under the hood, there’s already evidence of the excess oil in the car since it’s leaking oil from the valve cover gasket. This is just one of a laundry list of problems that will pop up when there’s too much oil in an engine. Others are:
- Engine damage in the form of bent engine rods or collapsed valve pipes.
- Damaged spark plugs.
- Catalytic converter damage.
- Burning smell from excess oil leaking and passing through hot components outside the engine.
A look at the dipstick shows there’s far more than the standard 4.4 quarts of oil in the engine.
Once the car is up on a lift and the plug is pulled to drain the oil, the black stuff just keeps going, and going, and going. By the time it’s been drained, it looks like there were close to 10 quarts of oil in the Honda’s engine.
That was enough to prompt Hernandez to note, “I’m really surprised it was running as smooth as it was.”
After installing the new oil filter and putting in new oil, a quick clean of the engine suggests that the Honda is as good as new and will be running right again. Of course, we get another reminder to close that it’s essential to drain old oil out before adding fresh oil into the engine.
Should you bother to change the oil yourself at home?
For anyone thinking about changing the oil in their car or truck on their own, here are some basic steps that can make the process easier and manageable so you don’t have to involve professionals in any cleanup or repair work afterward.
- Prepare. Park on a flat surface and wear safety glasses and gloves. And have an oil pan at the ready.
- Locate the oil plug and filter. Place the pan in a position to catch the oil, then remove the plug to drain the oil.
- Install the filter. Lubricate the gasket on the filter beforehand, then install it before reinserting and tightening the oil plug.
- Fresh oil. Insert a funnel into the appropriate engine chamber, and pour in the new stuff. Then check the level with the dipstick.
- Check your work. Start the engine and let it run for a few minutes. Check for leaks around the drain plug and filter, then check the level one more time.
It happens more often than you think. Often in the hands of the pros
Hernandez, who owns John’s Auto Repair in San Antonio, told Daily Dot he’s seen a couple of other instances of cars coming in with too much oil after an at-home oil change that wasn’t done properly. What’s worse, he said, is when a quick lube shop mistakenly drains a car’s transmission fluid and then adds more oil into the engine. Safe to say those cars don’t make it too far before something goes horribly wrong.
Commenters on the clip were incredulous over the mistake that could have caused serious damage.
“Any other manufacturer and ALL the engine oil seals would have blown out,” one apparent Honda fan wrote.
@johnbrian210 Here is a useful tip of the day , Drain first then Add ! #customerstates #customer #honda #accord #oilchange #autoshop #mechanic #mechaniclife #mechanicsoftiktok #autorepair #automotivetechnician #auto #repair #tips #tipsandtricks #cleaning #detailing #foryoupage #fyp #fy #viral ♬ original sound – JohnBrian
Another shares a similar mishap they committed: “Better than draining and forgetting to refill. I’m 32 now and work on heavy equipment but when I was 19 at the VW dealer, I did just that on an Audi A4.”
And another notes the car’s owner should have asked for more than just a proper oil change and cleanup: “Hmm why didnt they want the seals replaced? that thing is gonna be leaking oil now.”
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