Oil change - Have I actually managed to mess it up?!

[wevcore]

Peugeot 306 LX DT 1998 - Have I messed up an oil change?!

So I was changing the oil on my car, everything was going as expected, removed the sump, oil came out (though not as much as I expected), changed the filter, added some new oil, checked the dip stick - it was completely clear and only showed new oil. Waited some, added some more, checked the dipstick. Did this a few times. I've added 3.5l of oil (most things I've read say it's 4.5 to max). It still wasn't showing anything on the dipstick, so I ran the engine for about 2 minutes. Upon checking the dipstick again, the oil is showing like an INCH above the max line, with black oil.

WTF?!!!

So I though maybe the sump didn't drain completely as the car wasn't on completely level ground (but the sump was lowest point), so I stuck my head underneath the bonnet and to my horror, have noticed another sump plug...

Checking my Haynes this plug is the one that's closest to the oil filter, and I'm pretty sure is the one that I should have used. I removed a plug from molded engine looking place closer to the passenger side of the car.

My question is, which oil have I removed?! And why did the dipstick show clear/no oil before I ran the car?!

Now i'm feeling really stupid, have I broke my car from doing an oil change?!

Thanks in advance.

[john_h]

normally the sump plug is litrally on the sump at the lowest part and thats where you drain the oil

i normally run the engine or go round the block to warm the oil up. then on the ramps and leave it for a good 30 mins for all the oil to drain out. then i take the filter off and more comes out.

but yeah your suppose to get the car on level ground to get all the oil.

is your car a diesel or petrol.

diesel cars turn oil black straight away

petrols tend to keep oil honey coloured for a while

[wevcore]

Hello,

It's a diesel.

The only things I can think of is that there are 2 sump plugs? Is this unheard of?

Or, the more likely explanation is that I drained the gearbox oil (!). When I removed the oil filter, it drained enough oil to drop the old, black oil below the dipstick mark, so when I was checking it I only saw new shiny oil. When I ran the engine, it mixed it all up and is overfilled.

Meaning I need to replace the gearbox oil and all the engine oil.

Thoughts?

[danthevan]

Sniff the oil.......... if it smells like cats p**s then you have drained the gearbox oil. It's usually a heck of a lot thicker than engine oil too.

[wevcore]

To conclude:

Yes, I had managed to drain the gearbox oil. Oops. Yes, it smells!

My thoughts are that when I removed the oil filter, it dropped the main engine oil sufficiently so that the old black oil didn't show on the dipstick. Then when I ran the engine and it all mixed up, showing me I was WAY overfull.

In the end (this is for people who do endless searches like I did!), I removed the passenger side wheel to replace the gearbox oil, then re-did the oil change, draining from the correct sump this time.

You live you learn.

Thanks for your replies

[davidireland]

Originally Posted by wevcore

To conclude:

Yes, I had managed to drain the gearbox oil. Oops. Yes, it smells!

My thoughts are that when I removed the oil filter, it dropped the main engine oil sufficiently so that the old black oil didn't show on the dipstick. Then when I ran the engine and it all mixed up, showing me I was WAY overfull.

In the end (this is for people who do endless searches like I did!), I removed the passenger side wheel to replace the gearbox oil, then re-did the oil change, draining from the correct sump this time.

You live you learn.

Thanks for your replies

2 litres of 75w 80 gear oil will sort gearbox out.