CEL After Oil Change - Crankcase Ventilation

[bk5]

I just changed my oil and I'm getting a CEL related to crankcase ventilation. I did a search for those terms and didn't see anything.

Any ideas what this could be? I don't see any leaks, and I followed the procedure from a Vince Christmastree video. I used the recommended 0w20 oil, I changed the gasket in the oil filter housing along with the filter, swapped out the drain plug crush washer too. I used exactly 6.5L of oil.

One thing I did do was use the "check oil level" procedure after letting the car idle for 5 minutes instead of the recommended 30. Oil level reports at MAX.

I don't have the exact code b/c I did this at a friend's house. But he's coming back over with the scanner, so I can get it if it's important.

The car drives fine, isn't making any noises, makes boost, etc.

The only thing i can think of is the oil filter housing gasket isn't seated correctly (or it cracked?). I let my friend do that, but he just got done rebuilding the top end on a 2.0L Mini, so he's not a noob.

Sponsored

 

[J29DB03]

Did you put the filler cap back on?

 

[bk5]

Yep. I took it off again and checked that it was seated correctly.

I also went out with a rag and checked around the filter housing for leaks, and I didn't see/feel anything.

 

[itzTang]

did you make sure it was 6.5 LITERS and not QUARTS?

 

[bk5]

Yes, I double double checked that.

Also, wouldn't the oil level check report underfilled in that scenario?

 

[exe36m3]

I think you overfilled the oil.

So in my experience you don't dump all 6.5 liters/6.9 quarts into the engine after an oil change. That is the capacity. Nearly 1 liter/1 quart can sit in all the oil passages and lines. So it's easy to overfill the oil. Too much oil and you can quite literally change the crankcase pressure, which is the error light you mentioned.

When I change the oil – I drain and then I put in around 1 jug of oil, which is 5 quarts/5 liters depending on your brand.

I then do a short drive, assure the car is warm and measure.

For me, most of the time it shows I need to add .5 to 1 of whatever. So I shut off the car, add it in small increments, start car and measure again.

I have been anal enough to empty the used oil into an empty jug (with tick marks) just to confirm how much I removed. Usually about 5.5-6 quarts on my old 435i. Which is much less than the 6.9 quarts of the books. I just did an oil change last month and I pulled about about 5.5 liters from my Supra (2022).

So my theory. You over filled the motor and that is why the light tripped. If you want to try it out, I am thinking drain your oil. And put in 5 liters-ish worth back in. Start engine. And measure again.

*Add oil as needed to bring it back up to full*

 

[bk5]

Thanks @exe36m3 . I'll try extracting a bit of oil if the light comes back.

One thing I did notice is a bunch of schmoo under the filler cap, so I cleaned it off along with the mating surface on the engine. Then we cleared the code. But I haven't had a chance to drive it again.

 

[bk5]

Update: cleaning off the oil cap fixed the problem.

 

[jchadwell]

I think you overfilled the oil.

So in my experience you don't dump all 6.5 liters/6.9 quarts into the engine after an oil change. That is the capacity. Nearly 1 liter/1 quart can sit in all the oil passages and lines. So it's easy to overfill the oil. Too much oil and you can quite literally change the crankcase pressure, which is the error light you mentioned.

When I change the oil – I drain and then I put in around 1 jug of oil, which is 5 quarts/5 liters depending on your brand.

I then do a short drive, assure the car is warm and measure.

For me, most of the time it shows I need to add .5 to 1 of whatever. So I shut off the car, add it in small increments, start car and measure again.

I have been anal enough to empty the used oil into an empty jug (with tick marks) just to confirm how much I removed. Usually about 5.5-6 quarts on my old 435i. Which is much less than the 6.9 quarts of the books. I just did an oil change last month and I pulled about about 5.5 liters from my Supra (2022).

So my theory. You over filled the motor and that is why the light tripped. If you want to try it out, I am thinking drain your oil. And put in 5 liters-ish worth back in. Start engine. And measure again.

I dumped 7 quarts in for more than five years and the earth continues to spin. As did the Supra. I’ve done the same (dump in whatever the specs say) for every car I’ve owned over 40 years and counting. No need to overthink or make it so complicated.

 

[razorlab]

I think you overfilled the oil.

So in my experience you don't dump all 6.5 liters/6.9 quarts into the engine after an oil change. That is the capacity. Nearly 1 liter/1 quart can sit in all the oil passages and lines. So it's easy to overfill the oil. Too much oil and you can quite literally change the crankcase pressure, which is the error light you mentioned.

When I change the oil – I drain and then I put in around 1 jug of oil, which is 5 quarts/5 liters depending on your brand.

I then do a short drive, assure the car is warm and measure.

For me, most of the time it shows I need to add .5 to 1 of whatever. So I shut off the car, add it in small increments, start car and measure again.

I have been anal enough to empty the used oil into an empty jug (with tick marks) just to confirm how much I removed. Usually about 5.5-6 quarts on my old 435i. Which is much less than the 6.9 quarts of the books. I just did an oil change last month and I pulled about about 5.5 liters from my Supra (2022).

So my theory. You over filled the motor and that is why the light tripped. If you want to try it out, I am thinking drain your oil. And put in 5 liters-ish worth back in. Start engine. And measure again.

I overfill mine by a quart, but I also use forbidden fruit oil.

Under filling is a bold move.

 

[Rocksandblues]

My Supra goes faster with less oil in it.

 

[exe36m3]

LOL, gentlemen... BOLDED the portion of my comment where I mentioned adding oil to bring it to maximum fill.

For a daily driver, oil starvation (like the old S52 and S54 BMW motors under track conditions) is not a thing.

So overfilling by a 1 liter or a quart isn't necessary.

 

[jchadwell]

 

[jchadwell]

This counts as an oil thread, right?

 

[climhazzard]

I think you overfilled the oil.

So in my experience you don't dump all 6.5 liters/6.9 quarts into the engine after an oil change. That is the capacity. Nearly 1 liter/1 quart can sit in all the oil passages and lines. So it's easy to overfill the oil. Too much oil and you can quite literally change the crankcase pressure, which is the error light you mentioned.

When I change the oil – I drain and then I put in around 1 jug of oil, which is 5 quarts/5 liters depending on your brand.

I then do a short drive, assure the car is warm and measure.

For me, most of the time it shows I need to add .5 to 1 of whatever. So I shut off the car, add it in small increments, start car and measure again.

I have been anal enough to empty the used oil into an empty jug (with tick marks) just to confirm how much I removed. Usually about 5.5-6 quarts on my old 435i. Which is much less than the 6.9 quarts of the books. I just did an oil change last month and I pulled about about 5.5 liters from my Supra (2022).

So my theory. You over filled the motor and that is why the light tripped. If you want to try it out, I am thinking drain your oil. And put in 5 liters-ish worth back in. Start engine. And measure again.

*Add oil as needed to bring it back up to full*

This is terrible advice that should be ignored. Manufacturers account for leftover oil in the engine when specifying the oil change quantity. They do not expect everyone to guess how much is leftover, that’s nonsensical.

You do realize the level displayed within iDrive is contains a buffer, right? You‘ve convoluted this process for no reason.

LOL, gentlemen... BOLDED the portion of my comment where I mentioned adding oil to bring it to maximum fill.

For a daily driver, oil starvation (like the old S52 and S54 BMW motors under track conditions) is not a thing.

So overfilling by a 1 liter or a quart isn't necessary.

Razorlab‘s Supra regularly sees track conditions…

Sponsored