MGB Register Forum

On an oil change today I have oveerfilled the sump by about an inch above the full mark and am considering the various options to drain some of the oil. I've done the reundoing the drain plug before and managed to loose the lot, so that's out. Looking at the oil cooler return pipe to the rear of the engine ( 1978 car), that looks like a possibility.
Does anybody know if the union is undone, if there would be access with a pipe to the sump contents. If so I have good suction pump to get the excess oil out, I don't want to disturb the union before undoing it until I know.
Thanks, Dave

I would just run it and check that nothing untoward is happening.
Leaks, foaming etc.

Ian F

Hi Ian. I did think about doing that, but I thought the oil level was too high. The car doesn't use any oil, so it would take a long time before the level would get down.

When I did that I used a syringe with tubing pushed down the dipstick tube and sucked the excess out.

It could be worth loosening the oil filter to drain the excess out that way. The thread on the oil filter is longer than that on the sump plug so you would be able to get a more controllable flow of oil

Vic. I've tried that but the size of the tube that I can get down the dipstick hole is very small and the oil is thicker now that the engine is cold.
Not_ANumber. Possibility except that my car has the upward facing oil filterand it would several goes to get enough oil out. Very messy.

I reckon the least messy way is to drain the sump into a clean container & then refill with the evacuated oil , perhaps after sieving it to ensure no sludge or metal particles are reintroduced!
The rear oil cooler pipe union is best left well alone , until it's replacement is required
Cheers,
Charles

After warming up the engine, I've just undone the flexible pressure gauge pipe at the bulkhead and restarted directing the small flow from the pressure pipe into a container. I've taken a litre out and the dipstick level is now 1/4 inch above the max level. Oil pressure was at 50 psi during this operation against a normal running pressure of 70 psi. Hopefully no damage done,
Thanks for all replies
Dave