Dipstick not measuring - Canton pan and tray

[fairlaniac]

Last week I had the engine upside down on the stand and the pan off checking dipstick clearance. Seems to be a nice notch at the front of the windage tray/screen and the dipstick passed freely but did seem angled pretty hard. Finished assembly and added oil. Did some pre-oiling exercises and checked the oil level. It's a Canton 7 qt. pan. I have 7 qts. in but nothing measures on the dipstick. I also hear the dipstick scraping as it goes in the last inch or so. Might be hitting the edge of the tray? I saw an old post of bending the last inch of the dipstick. I guess all I need is some oil to show up on the dipstick and knowing I have 7 qts. I should be good?

I took the dipstick from my 390 that was in my Fairlane to use on the 427. It's a much sloppier fit in the 427 block. I could just add some sealer around the insertion point. Any issues there?

I thought about using the dipstick port in the Canton pan but it seems low and oil would come out if I removed the plug. I assume Canton sells a dipstick and tube for this? Then how would I block off the OEM hole in the block? Seems using an OEM dipstick would be easiest? Any tips or suggestions?

Thanks,

[Falcon67]

When I put the Milodon drag race pan on the 393 in the dragster, I had to actually drill the pan windage and tweak the stick to clear, so IMHO not unusual.  I don't even run a stick now, so not a problem LOL. 

On the door car, I use an aftermarket (china) dipstick.  The ring on the stick doesn't meet the block properly and it reads wrong.  I slipped a small clipped piece of hose over it to seal against the block port and just marked the oil level for the 7 qt pan using a chisel. 

[blykins]

Use the Canton dipstick.  Put a cup plug in the block.

[338Raptor]

This topic makes me curious about the correct oil level in a pan.  Is there a target oil level?  Since mixing and matching pans and dipstick tubes and sticks there must be an optimum level to shoot for.

For example: On a street engine, should the oil level be 2” below the crankshaft counterweights on an FE engine regardless of the style of pan?   

[6667fan]

Doug, what is the part number on that pan? I can’t recall if you went with a T pan or not. The front deep sump pan they offer is a 7 qt system. 6 in the pan and one in the filter. Canton sells a tube and stick package. They might even ship direct to you. You have to manipulate the tube, ( it’s soft), to clear headers and oil filter mount. Can’t bend it too crazy or the stick will fight you going in/ out. Bend the tube, try the stick, repeat until you have clearance from headers, etc and have a removable dip stick.
Good luck,
JB

[Ranch]

I once measured the oil level mark on my dip stick relative to the pan rail.  I believe it was 2 1/2".  That was a stock dip stick on a '62' 406.....Hope that helps
 

[fairlaniac]

Doug, what us the part number on that pan? I can’t recall if you went with a T pan or not. The front deep sump pan they offer is a 7 qt system. 6 in the pan and one in the filter. Canton sells a tube and stick package. They might even ship direct to you. You have to manipulate the tube, ( it’s soft), to clear headers and oil filter mount. Can’t bend it too crazy or the stick will fight you going in/ out. Bend the tube, try the stick, repeat until you have clearance from headers, etc and have a removable dip stick.
Good luck,
JB

No T pan, I have the 7 qt. I did order a dip stick & tube by Canton. Now to figure the size for a cup plug to seal the OEM dip stick hole and if I have one on hand. I'm ready to drop the engine in. I'd hate to have to order a cup plug and wait.............. :-)

[blykins]

A 7/16" plug gets you down against the shoulder.  I use a roll pin punch and drive her in.

[fairlaniac]

A 7/16" plug gets you down against the shoulder.  I use a roll pin punch and drive her in.

Brent,
The first diameter drilled is about 7/16" but if I put a plug there it will not be surrounded by 360 degrees of block material and it is just sitting on the ledge of the next hole drilled about 3/8". A 3/8" plug will go in the hole and seat on a ledge about 3/8" deep. See pic, I cannot image a 7/16" plug would seal here/

[blykins]

A 3/8" plug is fine. 

I have shallow 7/16" plugs that will drive down in there, but 3/8" will work just fine.  Doesn't take much, sometimes when I dyno a factory style combo, I'll leave the dipstick out and just shove a bolt down in there, with no leaks or issues.

Your plug will work fine. 

[6667fan]

Hi Doug,
You are going to want to drain it all out to get back to zero for dipstick marking purposes.  With 7 qts in there you will be over the bung level of that pan anyways, might get messy screwing in the dipstick tube, lol.

JB

[Heo]

I think you could plug it with a 9mm casing 

[fairlaniac]

Hi Doug,
You are going to want to drain it all out to get back to zero for dipstick marking purposes.  With 7 qts in there you will be over the bung level of that pan anyways, might get messy screwing in the dipstick tube, lol.

JB

Yep, got that planned.

Thanks

[TomP]

I just knocked the plug out of a 360 from a 4x4. It is a cup plug in the smaller hole down deep.

[57 lima bean]

This topic makes me curious about the correct oil level in a pan.  Is there a target oil level?  Since mixing and matching pans and dipstick tubes and sticks there must be an optimum level to shoot for.

For example: On a street engine, should the oil level be 2” below the crankshaft counterweights on an FE engine regardless of the style of pan?

     
                             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOmMDF8sNro