On Thu, 29 Sep 1994, martha rubin wrote:

> 
> Anyone want to theorize all the bad things that could happen if
> you add TOO MUCH oil to your vanagon/bus?
> 
> /martha
> 

What will probably happen (I'm talking about less than a pint to much) is 
that the Crank will whip it to a foam causing it to overly coat the 
cylinder walls and the excess will be burnt off.  Your level will return 
to normal, the back end of your van will stink for a day, your exhaust 
will blow oil smoke (Blue-Black) and things will return to normal (maybe 
with slightly de graded oil).

If the oil/foam ratio gets bad enough, you could get foam (oil with too 
many air bubbles) going into the pickup where it could cause a sort of 
vapor lock around the pump starving engine parts of oil for half a minute.
NOT GOOD! But also not as likely as the first result.

You could blow a seal. this is caused by the reduction of crankcase air 
volume.  The air acts as a cushion to the constant, violent pressure 
changes in there.  The oil doesn't compress as well as air.  This one is 
also NOT GOOD,  but not as bad as #2 and Not as likely as #1

Hope I've helped a little.
Cheers
<sstones@io.org>
SStones             Toronto,  Ontario.