Hello and Oil Level

[TommyP]

Having found your forum by searching for an answer to the following question this afternoon, and reading threads for hours, I couldn't wait to join!  But I didn't want to just jump on board and blurt out a question without at least a brief introduction. 

My name's Tommy, and I'm fairly new to FE's, building my second 428 now.  Got started by doing a total and complete restoration on a '63 1/2 Galaxie and deciding to exchange the original 352/Cruise-O-Matic with a 428/C-6.

Being sorta familiar with stock FE oil pans, their baffles and dip-sticks, I have a very "basic" question:

If you were to build a custom pan and use an aftermarket dip-stick, at rest, where should the surface of the oil level in the pan be?   About how far below the crankshaft counter-weights?

[drdano]

Welcome Tommy.  I think Mr. Jay has some pictures of an oil pan on his dyno that he plumbed a clear tubing line into to see how much oil was being sucked up during a dyno run.  That would make it pretty easy to use a calibrated eyeball to see how far below the pan rail the full capacity of oil was. 

[Joe-JDC]

Install the dipstick tube and dipstick, and you will have a gage where the full mark level should be, with the pan off.  There was a TSB on 428 CJs back in the day to run 6 quarts instead of 5 in the stock pan.  Joe-JDC.

[jayb]

With six quarts in my 428CJ, the oil level is about 1/2" below the windage tray, up near the center of the sump.  With the engine tilting back a little in the car, it wouldn't surprise me if the oil level was touching the windage tray.  The tray is probably 1/4" or so below the crank counterweights.

Having said all that, for power purposes you really want the oil level as far below the crank as you can get it.  If you are going to build your own pan, I'd make it as low as practical from a ground clearance perspective, and design the sump so that it will hold 7-8 quarts, with the level a couple of inches below the crank.  Once the engine is running, you can figure on having about 3 quarts up in the engine, so make sure you've got a couple inches of oil over the pickup with the 4-5 quarts that are left in the pan.

Good luck on the project!

[TommyP]

Thanks fella's,.....I appreciate the help.

Joe, I've got a stock dipstick and tube and I'll do just that, I'll get the distance from the dipstick full mark to the bottom of the deck skirt, that'll give me an idea.  I've got a copy of that memo from Ford on the extra quart of oil, (the following year I believe Ford made the adjustment on a new dipstick).  As a matter of fact it's that very memo that caused me to question the surface level of the oil in the engine at rest.  If Ford could raise the level of the oil that easily, it can't be that critical in relation to the crank counterweights......and what I just learned from Jay, (thanks for your help, Jay), it's not the surface at rest l need to be concerned about,....it's the amount of oil covering the pickup at high rpms.

Exactly what I needed to know.

[Drew Pojedinec]

hiya Tommy.
Here, just for fun:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=y28pPcml59U

Jay's book has some oil level info as well with a marked sightglass.

[TommyP]

Thanks for the link Drew,....I had watched a few of Jays dyno vids in the past but failed to see that particular one.

I've decided to use one of the Milodon 7 qt pans and matching p/u.  Out of the box and on the bench, I'll see where 7 qts fills it to and make note of it,....then add the additional quart that Ford recommended, and make a note of it's level also.
Then I'll be able to calculate the distance between the crank counter-weights and the two oil levels. (just for curiosity's sake if nothing else)
Then I'll remove those 3 quarts that Jay said are flying around the engine in order to see where that level is in relation to the p/u screen.

   I guess I should add the fact that there's a reason for the silly questions,.....I just last month ruined a brand new engine on account of an oil related issue, so I'm a little gun-shy with this new one.

[fe66comet]

If you want to run the level really tight and want extra insurance you could run a accumulator with an auto pressure valve. My plan is to use a 1 1/2 quart with a low pressure valve and oil cooler, it adds some capacity and if a low pressure situation occurs then it releases at a set pressure.

[ScotiaFE]

Pictures of different levels in the link.

http://fepower.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php?topic=201.msg1304#msg1304

[MeanGene]

Really flogging this one, eh Tommy? Better answers/less peanut gallery here of course 
As I said before, just put 8 quarts in it, run it to fill the filter, shut it off for 15 minutes, and then mark the dipstick FULL where the oil level is. It's really that simple

[TommyP]

No, not flogging it, Gene....after reading all the remarks, as you say, from the "peanut gallery" over there I discounted most of those replies and asked the question here. 
Had I know about this board, I never would have brought it up over there.   I'll know better next time.

Thanks for your help, I do appreciate it.