Over filling with oil.

[benough]

From what I understood you needed to check it at operating temp because if you were to check it cold and the oil was, for example, not much above mimimum, When the engine warms up, the oil go up into the motor and the oil level available to the oil pump would drop, not giving a true reading.

[static1800]

Having it filled up to the correct mark when all the oil is in the sump means you will have enough oil at operating temps. That what the mark on the dipstick is there for.

[brad]

From what I understood you needed to check it at operating temp because if you were to check it cold and the oil was, for example, not much above mimimum, When the engine warms up, the oil go up into the motor and the oil level available to the oil pump would drop, not giving a true reading.

I have no idea what you are saying - it probably makes sense if sketched on the back of a beer coaster. Some things need lots of diagrams & arrows.

Oil expands when hot..... but not much. Maybe a few mm on the dipstick at most. The difference between hot level & cold level isn't enough to worry about (for most people).

If you are really anal about oil level then look at your dipstick. There should be:

• A lower line. This is the "Oh Jesus I need some oil right now" line.
• there is a cross hatched area. This is the "my engine is happy" area. If it is getting to the bottom of the cross hatches then you might think about adding a cup or two of oil.
• A top line. This is the absolute maximum when the engine is hot but has sat for 15 minutes draining back into the sump indicator line. You don't want it above this line.

As i said, check your oil when the car has been sitting for a while. First thing in the morning is good. If it needs oil (bottom of crosshatch) then add 0.5L and wait 10 minutes for it to drain into the sump & repeat the checking process. Aim to get it to the top of the crosshatches, no further.

The only time I buggerise around with hot oil is when i do an oil change.

[benough]

Well for someone who hasn't understood I think you answered my question!

Ok so oil doesn't expand much I am ok with that and your argument makes sense but it is the first time I have heard it.

[Spyda]

Wow you guys need to stress less and remember its an 8v not a wet paper bag.

Oil needs to be checked when the car has cooled down. If have have warmed it up and worked it, like static has said, the oil is still in the engine and not all of it is in the sump.
You can drive a mk2 completly dry for more than 2 weeks, it will smell realy bad though. Thats speaking from experience.

When you over fill the oil the car will just burn it off, something to do with the extra oil pressure, nothing realy to worry about especialy on an 8v. If you have over filled it by heeps then best to drain it out and a fill it up properly like youve done.

As for any damage done, dont bloody stress, alot of people act like your car will explode if you fart in it. The 8v is a tuff motor and if you have only driven it for a short you probly havnt broken anything.

In an 8v you need to check your oil levels every 1000km MAX, thats when its new aswell. I checked mine every week and after every hard drive.

[static1800]

Not saying you are wrong but, you can do damage Spyda, the 8v's are a very strong reliable motor but near 20 year old gaskets can fail due to the increased pressure plus oil can get up past the rings.

I reckon heaps was going into the breather and back into the intake that's what all the smoke was. Might be an idea to clean out the breather and section where it goes to the manifold, check if its coated in oil.

The engine should be ok though, just don't make a habit of it

[benough]

Well I re-did the head gasket 10,000km ago so it's nice and strong.

Yeah well when I pulled the breather off the rocker cover no oil came out although a bit had leaked out onto the rocker cover.

Yeah will do tonight.

[benough]

Put new oil in tonight. All is fine/back to normal.

Took about 4L in the end for it to be sitting just under max.

Maybe it was the cold air or new oil but she did spin a bit free-er (spelling)