FE Power Forums
FE Power Forums => FE Technical Forum => Topic started by: djburton on March 25, 2025, 10:18:47 AM
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Probably the dumbest question ever but...Have a 390 a guy wants me to get running. He stuck a deep front sump oil pan on it,and put some Driven break in oil also. The problem is he has no idea the volume of the pan and can't remember how much oil was put in. I would kind of like to know where the full mark should be on the stick. Anyway,the tube sticks out of the block 9 inches,reasonably sure it's original. Not that sure on the stick. If anyone has a tube that length, I would greatly appreciate it if you would measure from your mark to the handle on the stick. Thanks!
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If he doesn`t know how much oil is in the engine, if it was me, I would drain the oil, measure how much oil came out, and then dump the oil in again. There are numerous deep sump oil pans, some are much deeper than stock, others have widened sumps, if you knew the depth and width of the oil pan sump, that would help. On my 59s 428, I am running a deep sump Canton oil pan (straight sides, no "kick outs"). My pan is listed as a 7 quart pan, and I am using a stock replacement 428 CJ dipstick and tube, and I run 6 quarts in it, which puts the CJ dipstick at the "Add 1" mark. Not all dipsticks are the same length, or have the same markings on them.
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The real issue is how deep is the bottom of the oil pickup or how much of the oil will never get used. Did he use an extended oil pick up?
I used to put the dip stick in and mark it even with the bottom of the pick up. When filling the pan the first time I would then add marks for each quart I added.
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The owner says the pick up came with the pan so I'm assuming that's not an issue. The pan looks like an original type with about 2 1/2 inch extension on the sump which,to me,looks like a 7 quart. Probably never really know but I'm going to call it 7. Really wanted to avoid draining the oil and measuring but I guess that's my next move. Need another bag of oil dry.
One more question...Does the oil level in relation to the block remain the same from stock to added volume deep sump? Never thought about it before but never had so many variables.
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One more question...Does the oil level in relation to the block remain the same from stock to added volume deep sump? Never thought about it before but never had so many variables.
I had that question, too, but didn't want to derail your thread. I was wondering if the oil level should always be x" below the block skirt? If so and you had an unknown pan and it was not installed yet, I thought you could fill up the pan with water to that level counting the quarts, then dump the water, install the pan, pour in that much oil in the engine and mark the dipstick. Obviously a lot more work than you'd want to do in your current case.
Pat
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I usually used the correct factory stock dipstick and tube
that was built with the block you are using.
The full mark will be the same if its a 5qt. or 7qt. pan.
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The main purpose of a deep sump oil pan is to have a lower oil level, to keep the crankshaft counterweights from hitting the oil and aerating the oil into a frothy mess. Just because an oil pan is advertised as a 7 or 8 quart pan, doesn`t mean that you need to use that much oil in it. That is why I run my Canton dep pan on my 428 at the "Add 1" mark on the dipstick. Deep pans also often have more vertical sump shape, trap doors and baffling, to keep the oil pump pickup tube submerged in the oil.
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Rory Thats a great base line to start with.
A deep sump pan also helps in keeping the
oil a bit cooler in temp.