Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

I wanted to fill the Ol' 59 Flatty with oil for the first time, so what better opportunity to check the correlation between the dipstick marks and the actual quantity in the pan. Over the years parts can get swapped out and mismatched. Do this check so you know exactly where you are and can make allowances accordingly.
Just a quick tech short, recorded on the fly.
Take care and I'll catch you next time.
Mart.
https://youtu.be/CoissekFJrY

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

Bought a pretty chrome dipstick for my rebuilt 59. At five quarts it showed nearly an inch above the full line. I put a section of rubber tube that long over the dipstick, so that it now reads full with 5 quarts in the pan. Could have just notched or scribed the stick at the right level, but this way, anybody that looks at the oil level has an unambiguous indication.

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

Funny enough, I just went out and added a little more oil, straightened the slight bend in the stick and tested it again. I was about 1/4" above the mark. I, too, cut a piece of hose and put it over the dipstick. The level now reads about 1/16" below the mark. I'm happy with that.
Good point about there being an unambiguous reading.
Mart.

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

I have a ford manual and remember something about distick readings will try and find it and post info

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

Five quarts w/o filter change?

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

Am I wrong or does the stock oil filter canister not drain by gravity back into the oil pan when the engine is shut down. If so, the only additional oil needed for the oil filter is the small amount that would stay in the filter paper?

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

I believe you are right. Oil return out of the filter canister is through two small holes high up on the canister's interior tube, so only maybe an inch of gravity drain-down out of the filter canister.

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

Bigger question to me is: should it take 4 quarts or 5 quarts? Mart filled with 4 ltrs/qts and I have seen that elsewhere, but I have seen at least one manual say capacity is 5 without filter. I marked the replacement dipstick after 5 qts, on an engine with a dipstick tube S-bent to clear headers.

I guess it would depend on the pan on each particular engine. I don't want it over-filled and have the oil frothing from being beaten by the crank throws. Is there a standard we should be using?

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

Hi Everyone, JayChicago the answer has been the same for a hundred and ten years. Whatever the manufacturer recommends. Deviate at your own discretion.

{adding} In 2014 Don Rogers encouraed me to pick up this book and I immediately took his advice.

Documents delivered with a 1936 car are attached to be used as an example because I have it handy. Page 30 is where oil pan capacity is addressed.

A mechanic should consider if the engine interior condition is known or unknown. Prof. Mart began with a clean engine.

Then remember that sludge could be a factor in displacing fluid and creating another reason that dipstick readings can be difficult or misleading to interpret.

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...7&d=1615247922

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...8&d=1615247944

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

Don't forget as well 4L for Mart converts to 4.25 quarts for usa. Just to muddy the waters a little more.

My '38 service book also calls for 5 quarts.

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

Interesting discussion fellas. I'm not saying you should use 4 litres or quarts, I'm saying it's what I have been using. On reflection I might up my working volume closer to 5 us quarts. Will give it a go. 5 quarts (US) is approx 4.75 litres. Lars in Sweden says he has been using 4.5l so I will use that as a good recommendation and reset the stick to read full at 4.5l. 4.5l is 4.75 us quarts. 4.5l is also ~4 imperial quarts or 1 gallon imp. so it seems like a good number to go for.
Thanks for keeping the dialog going. I did say in the video to pick a value YOU were happy to run at. I was running much less that 4 quarts by accident, because I was once told not to run at the max but somewhere in between. Throw in a dipstick mismatch and that easily gets you into the danger territory. Mart.

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

I just went and revised the oil volume to 4.5 litres as stated above. It's just under an eighth above the full mark. I'll check it after the motor has run before making any adjustments.
Mart.

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

Thanks to all for the advice. 5 quarts it is, for this nearly-new rebuilt engine.

With my '40, a 50,000 mile original engine with the original dip-stick, 4 quarts gets up to the full line on the stick. So I guess this speaks to the point of sludge build-up will reduce capacity.

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

My 39 is at full mark with 4 quarts and a clean pan. The reference manual states 5 quarts. I added a oil filter and a quart more.

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

Found this in Canadian ford mercury monarch shop manual dated Jan 2 1947

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

Rotated. (And enlarged. I find it nice when I use my non-pc devices.)

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...0&d=1615326286

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

Thank you

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

Guess it goes without saying... :) Figure out what condition your condition is in. Never assume. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AULOC--qUOI




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Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

I know it's not a Ford but my 46 flat head V8 Cadillac takes 8 qts. And it says that in any and all publications we can find. We have tried 4 different tubes and sticks and two oil pans . Always with the same result, 8 qt's is one full inch below the full mark. When I tried bringing the oil level up to the mark I blew the rear main seal, ( did this twice as I'm a slow learner) bad idea. I go with the book on this from now on !

Re: Oil level. Is your dipstick lying? Make sure you know what you've got.
 

My F1 doesn't have it's original engine, but does have the oil pan and dipstick. With four quarts of oil and a clean oil pan it puts oil level right in the middle of the full mark. Just looked in my shop manual and it says capacity is 5 quarts.
BTW, no mention of oil filter.