2002 XJR with 70K miles. Oil change performed yesterday at highly rated local shop. I provided the oil -- about 6.75 Quarts. The capacity is stated as 6.9 Quarts. I only provided 6.75 Quarts on this occasion because the dipstick showed slight overfill during the prior oil change. And now the oil level again shows slightly (3 or 4 mm) above the Max level. I´m wondering whether to go back to the shop and ask the mechanic to remove the excess oil. At what point (oil level on the dipstick) would you say that engine oil overfill poses a substantial threat of engine damage? Thank you in advance for your feedback.

 

If it’s just 3-4 mm overfilled, I personally wouldn’t sweat it but, it is your car. If it was my car, I wouldn’t mess with it just because it’s normal to add a small amount between oil changes anyways.

 

Drive the car!

 

At 70 K you probably still have pretty good oil pressure. One or two millimeters over is usually not too much
of an issue, but three or four and you are pushing it. The crank can cause the high oil level to froth which then
is not picked up properly by the oil pump and poor lubrication is the result. I would take it back to the shop and
ask for a little oil removal.

 

always overfill them a qt over the new dipstick max and update the dipstick if you have an older engine.

for an xjr 8.5 is good to go

 

Thanks for your feedback. So far I haven´t added any oil between changes on this baby (during 10 years of ownership) -- no perceptible oil leaks or burn.

 

OK, thanks. Be nice to see two responses that align.

 

There´s a Max level indicated on the dipstick for a reason. But is "Max" a strict limit or merely a guide?

 

I asked a chatbot for advice on this and the reply is below.

If a car engine is over-filled with oil during an oil change, it is advisable to drain some of the freshly added oil. Overfilling engine oil raises the level of oil in the pan, allowing the crankshaft to come into frequent contact with it. The crankshaft moves fast, essentially whipping your oil into a froth that can’t be properly distributed by the engine. Running an engine that isn’t properly lubricated gets overheated quickly and damage can happen soon after. If you realize that your engine oil is overfilled immediately after an oil change, the oil is in good condition, and all you need to do is suck out excess oil and keep it to the proper level . However, if you notice that the engine oil is turning into a foamy substance that cannot lubricate the engine, you might need to drain the entire engine oil.