I read a post linked to this site that stated early cars oil dipstick reads full when it is really a qt low. I changed my oil and filter and filled it up with 5 qts oil... it reads full..did I put in enough oil?
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
LPB,
4 qts in the pan & 1 qt in the filter, 5 qt total, is normal for a Cleveland with the oem oil pan.
You can run 1 extra qt in the pan, 6 qt total, without causing any problems. I recommend doing this. The Boss 351C installed in the 1971 Boss Mustang had a dipstick calibrated for 6 qts, using the same oil pan as the standard Cleveland engine.
Add the amount you wish to run, 5 or 6 qts, run the engine for 30 seconds, long enough to make sure the filter is full of oil, turn the engine off & let the car sit for 15 minutes to give the oil in the heads a chance to drain back into the oil pan. Take a reading with the dip stick. If there is no line where the oil level is, make your own using a triangular file, or lay the flat tip of the dipstick on a solid flat surface and make a line with a careful tap of a chisel (don't hit it too hard & knock the tip off the dip stick).
your fiend on the PIBB, George
4 qts in the pan & 1 qt in the filter, 5 qt total, is normal for a Cleveland with the oem oil pan.
You can run 1 extra qt in the pan, 6 qt total, without causing any problems. I recommend doing this. The Boss 351C installed in the 1971 Boss Mustang had a dipstick calibrated for 6 qts, using the same oil pan as the standard Cleveland engine.
Add the amount you wish to run, 5 or 6 qts, run the engine for 30 seconds, long enough to make sure the filter is full of oil, turn the engine off & let the car sit for 15 minutes to give the oil in the heads a chance to drain back into the oil pan. Take a reading with the dip stick. If there is no line where the oil level is, make your own using a triangular file, or lay the flat tip of the dipstick on a solid flat surface and make a line with a careful tap of a chisel (don't hit it too hard & knock the tip off the dip stick).
your fiend on the PIBB, George
Hey George,
My stroker engine uses a lot of oil. I hear this is typical of a 6+" stroke. I have the stock pan and on a road trip I have to add a qt after each 2 or 3 hours of highway driving. I'm planning to install a new 10qt pan thinking running low with 8 of 10 is better than running low with 3 of 5. Is this correct thinking or is the plan flawed.
My stroker engine uses a lot of oil. I hear this is typical of a 6+" stroke. I have the stock pan and on a road trip I have to add a qt after each 2 or 3 hours of highway driving. I'm planning to install a new 10qt pan thinking running low with 8 of 10 is better than running low with 3 of 5. Is this correct thinking or is the plan flawed.
Deeb, If you are using oil like that..you must be oily in the rear of you car..your pipes should be white like this..I hope I can attach it
I cannot get the link right..........its a bad ass 180 degree header car and the pipes are lean white. If you wanna look maybe you can gt to it... My engine uses no oil, there is a freash pantera motor on ebay............im not even going to try to send a link...
David,
the larger width & length of the sump of the high capacity oil pan will require more oil to keep the oil pump suction bathed in oil at a certain level.
While you have the oem pan off & before you install the new pan, you'll need to take some measurements, add measured amounts of fluid to the pans & get an idea what the minimum & maximum amount of oil your pan requires. Keep in mind there is 1 quart in the filter & at least 2 quarts circulating in the engine, at high rpm there can be 3 quarts circulating in the engine. If your larger pan requires 3 quarts to keep the oil pump suction bathed in oil, then at high rpm you'll need 7 quarts, minimum. 3 + 3 + 1 = 7
Having said that, the oil level in the high capacity pan will not vary as much with the loss or addition of 1 qt of oil as it will in the oem pan. So the large sump pan may allow you to add 2 extra quarts, where with the oem pan you can only get away with adding 1 extra qt.
If you think of it from that point of view, the ability to "stuff" more oil in the pan, you may be able to stretch the miles between oil "fill ups".
I say this for the benefit of others reading this post, if you purchase a stroker kit in which the piston wrist pins intersect the oil ring grooves of the pistons, your engine WILL burn oil. High volume oil pumps will exacerbate this problem.
your friend on the PIBB, George
the larger width & length of the sump of the high capacity oil pan will require more oil to keep the oil pump suction bathed in oil at a certain level.
While you have the oem pan off & before you install the new pan, you'll need to take some measurements, add measured amounts of fluid to the pans & get an idea what the minimum & maximum amount of oil your pan requires. Keep in mind there is 1 quart in the filter & at least 2 quarts circulating in the engine, at high rpm there can be 3 quarts circulating in the engine. If your larger pan requires 3 quarts to keep the oil pump suction bathed in oil, then at high rpm you'll need 7 quarts, minimum. 3 + 3 + 1 = 7
Having said that, the oil level in the high capacity pan will not vary as much with the loss or addition of 1 qt of oil as it will in the oem pan. So the large sump pan may allow you to add 2 extra quarts, where with the oem pan you can only get away with adding 1 extra qt.
If you think of it from that point of view, the ability to "stuff" more oil in the pan, you may be able to stretch the miles between oil "fill ups".
I say this for the benefit of others reading this post, if you purchase a stroker kit in which the piston wrist pins intersect the oil ring grooves of the pistons, your engine WILL burn oil. High volume oil pumps will exacerbate this problem.
your friend on the PIBB, George
Thanks George!
Last,
My pipes are spotless. Not white. Not black. Not greasy inside. No smoke. No leaks. No drops on the garage floor.
Just a fine spray of clean oil (tiny dots) over the rear face between the lights after a few hours at speed.
My pipes are spotless. Not white. Not black. Not greasy inside. No smoke. No leaks. No drops on the garage floor.
Just a fine spray of clean oil (tiny dots) over the rear face between the lights after a few hours at speed.
If your going through a quart of oil after 2-3 hours of normal driving, you have a bigger problem than the size of your oil pan. Regardless of the motor your running.
quote:Originally posted by deeb:
Hey George,
My stroker engine uses a lot of oil. I hear this is typical of a 6+" stroke. I have the stock pan and on a road trip I have to add a qt after each 2 or 3 hours of highway driving. I'm planning to install a new 10qt pan thinking running low with 8 of 10 is better than running low with 3 of 5. Is this correct thinking or is the plan flawed.
Is the underside of your car coated with oil? If so you have got a leak someplace that is carrying back and getting swirled up. Mainly, you have a serious issue if 1 quart of oil is being lost after only 2 hours of driving. If you go for a weekend ride that mean you have to carry a case of oil with you.
quote:Originally posted by deeb:
Hey George,
My stroker engine uses a lot of oil. I hear this is typical of a 6+" stroke. I have the stock pan and on a road trip I have to add a qt after each 2 or 3 hours of highway driving. I'm planning to install a new 10qt pan thinking running low with 8 of 10 is better than running low with 3 of 5. Is this correct thinking or is the plan flawed.
I'm stumped. Dry underneath. Clean and dry all around. No oil anywhere - except in my trunk for refills.
Just talked to Dave on the phone. He's got fresh oil on the rear of the car. Intake gasket is leaking.