Well according to the RAVE we use about 6.66 liters of oil after a filter and fluid change. Last night I added about 6.1 quarts and decided I'd grab the last quart and pour in less than half today. I start it up today after doing that and while its warming up I start seeing smoking from the back of the manifold. Figuring it was just a little spilled oil I let it warm up, but I also started noticing that my exhaust seemed to be letting out a bit too much smoke so I go and put a finger in there with a glove on and it seems to be exhausting oil. I again check operating temperature, things are fine, no real noises, but the smoking from the back of the manifold has slowed alot, but hasn't stopped over about 15 minutes, making me think I put too much and a bit of oil is leaking out from somewhere near the manifold.

Here's the issue. I legitimately can't tell if the oil is over because, having just changed it, the liquid is almost clear, and the dipstick doesn't show well whether it's over or not, but at this point I'm assuming it is, as at least 4 quarts of oil came out of the car and it wasn't leaking or smoking before this. I'm waiting to get a second opinion from someone when they get home on the dipstick as my eyesight is pretty bad when it comes to minute things like this.

I don't understand though, I assumed the RAVE accounted for oil changes NOT fully draining the engine, and I did have the passenger side propped up with my mechanic. I'm wondering if there are any other fluids which have the improper amounts in the rave. The only other thing I'm thinking is that perhaps the oil change and change of oil maybe moved some gunk around in the engine causing the exhaust (that calmed down a lot a few minutes after the change, but there still seems to be oil in the exhaust) issues, but I still dont get why theres that little bit of smoking from the manifold, and I cant see it from under or above the car.

Edit: Oh and I'm pretty sure the viscosity is fine 10W-40 Valvoline.

 

If oil is so clean it is hard to see on stick sometimes you have to touch stick to something like a blue piece of cloth, or a tissue to transfer the oil so you can see it.

The valve cover gaskets are prone to leak, so fresh oil at the proper level may find that leak that made oil low to start with. Many owners have to snug up valve cover gaskets at each oil change. 8mm 12point socket, either 1/4 drive, or a "slimmed down" 3/8 drive.

 

How fast did you dump the oil in? It's possible the valve cover gasket is loose or has a crack in it from age and the oil found it's way through. If you filled it fast perhaps the oil didn't drain down to the sump quickly and flooded the top of the head momentarily. If this was the case it may have gotten past the valve seals and guides, causing some of it to be burned in the cylinders.

If this is what happened I would be concerned about what is keeping the oil from draining to the sump quickly, 10W40 isn't very thick. The valve cover gaskets are cheap and easy to replace, the valve seals not too bad to do either.

Can you see any sludge built up in the oil filler area?

 

There's a tiny bit of carb build up on the filler, but nothing too crazy or out of the normal as far as I know. Also, the oil wasn't low when I changed it, was just doing the maintenance, which is why I didn't think it was Valve Cover gaskets, although with this overfill I probably caused them to start leaking lol.

I had gone out and did what you suggested before reading your post Savannah and that last quart definitely put it above full, at least by a half inch, so I'm going to dump a quart or two out and see what happens. I also climbed under and saw why it was smoking (a bit of oil was leaking from somewhere behind the manifold and dropping down onto the exhaust causing it to burn. Gonna still look to tighten the valve cover gaskets, but I'm pretty sure it was just the overfill making the car act up, as it didn't really happen until operating temp was up and oil pressure was normalizing. Unfortunately I'm going to have to wait until my friend gets here because he literally ended up tightening it so hard last night that I cant get it off with a breaker bar and socket (although I don't have the car propped, which might make it easier but he loves over torquing things so I'll let him remove it before I strip the nut trying to undo his work).

In the future, I won't assume my car has been leaking oil and probably will only do 3/4 - 4/5 of Land Rover's recommended. There had to be at least a litre of oil or so left in there for it to cause this, which is understandable especially because I didn't do a full flush .

 

Every time I changed my oil and filter, it was 6l to the drop, but I usually stopped half way through the 6th liter, just to make sure I didn't overfill.

Now just don't ask me what happened the time I changed out my trans fluid.

 

Lol honestly, please share, because I'll be doing that when I get back (no problems, but again, need to make sure she's up to par) and could use the advice.

Also, I know there are four V/Cs although I can't remember the location's now I'm sure I'll find them in the RAVE or just muscle memory will help, but I noticed that there are a few other bolts underneath the manifold that looked like they had build up (haven't had a chance to clean yet), and I'm wondering if I might as well just tighten up everything I see down there lol.

Edit: And now that you've said that, I've definitely over filled. LR says 6.1 and an additional .56 for filtered changes, I did at least 6.2-6.3 and assuming some didn't get out of the engine that probably means I'm near 7 liters or more. Gonna drop at least a liter or so to be safe. Glad I didn't go far, would've been furious to have finally (fingers crossed) had a decent Disco back in my life only to have the engine explode because of an overfilled oil tank.

 

Let's just say I forgot that there's still fluid after you drain the tranny and didn't take that into consideration when refilling my tranny fluid after a change. I didn't follow my rule of filling and checking. Needless to say, had to do a little draining, luckily I caught it as soon as I started it.

 

Ok, because I am in the US I use US qts, which are 32oz last time I checked, the 6.6L is 6.97 US qts of oil, so 7 qts of oil is what is needed.
As long as you use the standard sized oil filter and add 7qts of oil you will be fine.
Good luck trying to only drain a qt or 2.
Being over full by 1/2"...leave it alone.
Your valve covers are leaking, adding the oil and then starting the engine before it has had a chance to drain down will overfill the valve covers because you have the oil you added plus what the oil pump is pumping, that equals leak, leak equals smoke when the oil hits the hot exhaust.
Let the engine sit overnight, check the oil level first thing in the morning, in the mean time tighten the valve cover bolts.

 

A couple of other questions: What did the oil look like that drained out? Was it nice and black?

With a fliter change, it will take 7 quarts. Had you checked the level prior to draining? If you only got four quarts out, it was definitely low.

And with the drain bolt, if you over tighten it you will regret it. You can screw up the threaded hole even break the bolt or crack the oil pan. Did you get crush washers to go under the head of the drain bolt?

Also did you partially fill the filter before spinning it on or did you leave it dry?
Also remember to check when you remove old filter to ensure the rubber gasket came off, wipe that area clean before you put new filter on. Moisten the rubber gasket on the new filter with a coating of oil to help it seal well.

It is also possible since you just bought it that it has a significant leak or other such problem that the seller did not inform you off. It could be anything from loose bolts to bad gaskets in a variety of places.

You mentioned lifting the passenger's side? Are you able to gt under it without lifting it or is the vehicle sagging due to original springs needing replacement?

We did have one young couple with the hubby away in the military and his wife could not see any oil on the dipstick. Running it a short while should darken that new oil some. Use a bright light shining on the stick you should be able to see it.

 

Wow, wish this was up when I was doing this. First off you were right as always, tightened up my Valve Cover gaskets and it seems as if there's been no leaks, no more smoking, etc. Wish I would've known not to start for a bit while I let the oil drained rather then awaken any sleeping leaks. Drained about a quart and a half and filled to a bit above the low mark.

I encountered something that's made me decide to ensure that everything's alright though and not go on my trip this weekend with the Disco. She was running fine when I stopped somewhere with a friend. WE get back in and start the car and I notice that for a few seconds there's a bit of hesitation and it's idling like 50 RPMs below normal. Don't think anything of it. We stop at his house a few minutes later and I'm inside for about an hour, come out to start and again the same thing, a bit of hesistation and idling low for a few more seconds. At this point I'm worried that there's something maybe wrong with the oil pump since this has only occurred since changing the oil, but at the same time the car has been running so well that I was having a hard time believing it was the oil or fuel. There's still a bit of burning oil smell but that was only about an hour after working on the car again, draining the two quarts and refilling with one, as well as tightening the V/Cs, so I don't know if that's just residual oil being burned off or if there is still a remaining leak, but it doesn't smell when I drive and nothing is on my driveway.

Anyway, I stop somewhere else, go inside and come back and go to start and am greeted with the following noise. I thought it was my starter, but I'm pretty sure that's the starter making the clicking noise (or the solenoid) and before a tow could arrive, a friend came by, offers to try jumping it (which I didn't think would work) and we're fine. Before this the battery seemed to be fine and she started strong. I'm wondering if the ground cable behind the battery terminal could be the culprit covered in oil/coolant/grime since my fluid changes or something, as I know we probably spilled a bit of coolant down there, or if this is somehow related to what's quickly turning out to be the oil change that never should have been.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuvK_...ature=youtu.be

Edit: To danny:

I had checked the level and while it was near the low marker I recall thinking it was fine. It also came out pretty clean (pretty sure it had been changed within 5k miles) and there had to be at least 5.5-6 quarts there.

Yea, my mechanic has a tendency to overtighten so I was worried about this but what's done is done, hopefully we won't see any damage done there. Partially filled the filter and coated the outside, and as far as the guy selling it with leaks he told me about the PS leak, but besides that and the V/Cs I haven't noticed any leaking yet and I've checked quite a bit, although from the service records a while ago it looked like a differential might have been leaking at one point but I cant find what happened there.

I can get under the vehicle without lifting it as well, I just did so because DiscoMike's service points out that it's easier to grease U joints and drain as well, which it ended up being. I'm wondering if it's not the cable though, if there is another leak I cant find that's maybe spraying onto the starter? I feel like it wouldn't degradee from perfect working condition to not starting at all within an hour though. When I get back from this weekend I'm going to have to read up on cleaning the engine bay so I can get a final answer.