Here's What the Inside of Your Engine Looks Like When It's Overfilled With Oil

Your oil shouldn’t look like a milkshake.

By: Anthony Alaniz

Apr 14, 2024 at 9:00am ET

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Combustion engines require oil to keep things lubricated and cooled. But what happens if you pour in too much? A few extra drops won't dissolve the crankshaft or blow out the spark plugs, but adding three or four times the recommended amount can lead to serious problems, including hindering the lubricant's effectiveness. A new video from the Garage 54 YouTube channel shows what happens to the liquid inside an overfilled engine with a transparent oil pan. It's not good.

Double the recommended amount packs the oil pan with fluid, but there isn't enough for the crank and connecting rods to fling it around and cause problems…yet. Garage 54 is an outfit that likes to push the limits, so more oil is added to the engine.

Major issues arise when there is so much oil that it comes in contact with the crankshaft. The spinning piece picks up and flings the oil into the engine block, which cannot properly vent the crank gases, turning the fluid into a goopy, milky-white sludge that can't lubricate or cool. It looks like something you'd see served up at an ice cream shop in July.

What do you think?

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Adding more oil results in more foam and bubbles, nearly submerging the crank and connecting rods. Eventually, there's so much oil in the engine that it leaks out of the crankcase ventilation tube, and the fluid continues to turn into foam that’s then sucked into the oil pump, which aerates it beyond usefulness.

Overfilling your engine with oil could cause the pressure to drop, starving certain components of lubrication. Journals and bearings would wear, expand, and fail due to increased friction between components. The excess oil could also prevent the liquid from properly cooling as it circulates through the engine, allowing excess heat to build up. Oil is vital for a reason, so stick with the amount well-paid engineers say is best for your car.