Finally figured out I was overfilling my oil change after 12 years of driving

I always thought more oil meant better protection. Last month my 2015 Corolla started smoking and a mechanic at the Jiffy Lube in Austin told me I was putting in a full quart too much. He showed me the dipstick and explained how excess oil can blow seals. Been doing it right since then and the engine runs smoother. Anyone else learn basic car stuff way later than they should have?

3 comments

3 Comments

thomas.tyler20d ago

Kept doing the exact same thing on my old Civic for like two years before I figured it out lmao. I was convinced the dipstick was lying to me and more oil just meant smoother everything. Ended up blowing a rear main seal on the highway and that was a $600 lesson I will never forget.

felix8248d ago

Watched my buddy @thomas.tyler do the exact same thing on his Accord. I remember him pouring in a whole extra quart 'cause he thought the engine sounded "thirsty." Then his car started smoking like a barbecue pit on the interstate. He had to pull over and call his dad, who just sighed into the phone for a solid 30 seconds before showing up with a tow strap. Took me way too long to learn that more oil does not equal more better.

jamie_smith20d ago

and @thomas.tyler that's the kind of lesson you never forget, right? I did the same thing with my old Corolla, kept adding oil like it was a magic fix for everything. Thought the dipstick was just being dramatic, you know? Ended up with a sad little puddle of oil in my driveway and a mechanic who couldn't stop laughing (while charging me $400, so jokes on me).