2010 Chevy Malibu overfilled oil car heating up what could

MELINDA ARTERBERRY

MEMBER
2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU

Engine Performance problem
2010 Chevy Malibu 6 cyl Two Wheel Drive Automatic/Manual 8200 miles
2010 Malibu LTZ So dealership first provides 5 quarts of oil for car on oil change 6/29. 7/10 take car back heating up and smells like burning oil/melting plastic. They say car just runs hot didn't find any ting wrong. Reluctantly took car that night smoke was coming from back. Next day went to town 7miles parked for about 20 min. Came out to puddle of oil about 8"across alot. Drove car to cousins 2miles parked checked oil while car was hot still said full. Took car to dealership next day leaked out more in the bay in a 2min or so whole underside of car was covered. They said filter was loose but no worries oil never went below full on dipstick.? But when they said they just replaced filter and cleaned underside of car. Car almost red lined next day. Towed back to dealer but would not authorize work till figured out what had happened the GM was not there. Later looking at Invoice noticed it said while replacing filter and cleaning they add 3Q oil.?? My appology letter clearly said it came in full on dipstick. Went back asked if at the time of that service they had drained any oil from the car they said no just what would have came out in the filter and they topped it off. ??? with 3Q!! No answer for it but I had them document it on my invoice. So moral of story car will not go up hills without heating up well ove half??? My guess is they lied and my car was not full and had actully been ran with only 1 3/4Q - 2Q of oil. What is wrong with my brand new car no one wants to tell me. They just want me to keep driving until it throws a code!!

Original dealer told me that was not overheating overheating is when it hits the red. Hence why I towed my car out. In the picture the key is on the car is not running the check engine light was not triggered to stay on just on for mode before start up.

1 Reply

FACTORYJACK

MECHANIC
4,159 POSTS

At first, forgive me if I don't give you all the answers you seek, You included a lot of information. The car should not be heating past the mid point, it may be a correct statement that newer cars run hotter, but it should not show to the consumer(i.E. The gauge). Gauges are there for visual purposes, and unless there is a software issue, I would say too hot on the gauge is just that, too hot. As far as the overfill, there is some margin for error, and realistically a 1/2 quart should be unnoticeable as far as operation goes. Another thing to consider, although this doesn't apply since you verified it as overfull, I believe some dealer operating systems only recognize full units. By that I mean, when it is posted to the repair order, it is not going to allow a decimal or fraction, so they have to put a whole unit in. So yes, when you should only be getting 4.5 quarts, your bill may say 5, but that is not the case.

The loose oil filter not leaking until a week after is possible, think of expansion and contraction, and/or vibration working on the seal. Rather than thinking of a possible 7.5 quarts in the crankcase, I would be more concerned that it had only 2 in it. An overfilled crankcase is not going to increase oil pressure. In theory, and overfilled crankcase to the level that it starts interacting with rotating parts(crankshaft), is going to start to foam. This may cause cavitation, you could also have misfires and smoke, especially if the oil level is high enough to seep past the rings of the lowest piston at rest. 1/2 quart will not do that.

As far as the overheat, it may not set a code, especially if it is conditional(pulling hills/increased load). I would be more concerned of a cooling fan issue, or possible internal leak. Diagnosing either of these, requires no codes to be set. It is basic electrical/mechanical knowledge. One of the things that should be done as well, is a roadtest with a scan tool in place to read what the engine coolant temperature sensor is reading. This will add to the confirmation of overheat.