31 Deluxe Roadster too much oil, should I drain some?

[old31]

Should I drain some out so that it equals full, or just leave it?

I did an oil change and put in 5 quarts. The oil is about 3/4 in above the full mark.

After reading some oil threads it looks like I should have put in 4 or 4.5 quarts.

So, is the correct amount 4 or 4.5? I do not have a filter.

[Mitch//pa]

Make sure your checking it on level ground.
Yes put it at the full mark, some run less than that to cover up oil leaks and rear main problems....

[JOHN CT]

Well you have a choice you can try to drain a quart or you can clean it up off of the garage floor. Any extra oil will leak from the rear main. It will find a happy level.

[Skibb]

To drain a quart, have someone tightly cover the oil fill tube while you loosen the oil drain plug. But, this could be messy. You are not the only one who's done this at least once or twice.

[katy]

Instead of trying to drain out one quart, drain all the oil out into a clean drain pan and then put 4 quarts of that oil back in, check the level on the dipstick and adjust as necessary.

[RonC]

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Leave it. It takes 5 but only about 4.5 come out when you drain it. 1/2 over will do no harm

[C26Pinelake]

Originally Posted by katy

Instead of trying to drain out one quart, drain all the oil out into a clean drain pan and then put 4 quarts of that oil back in, check the level on the dipstick and adjust as necessary.

Likely will save a big mess. Add four quarts and check and run the engine a little while. Then check the level the next morning after it has all drained down, Wayne

[Tom Wesenberg]

3/4" over the full line sounds like quite a bit for adding 5 quarts instead of 4 1/2 quarts.
Is there any chance the oil pan has a lot of sludge, or have you cleaned it?

[old31]

No I have not cleaned the oil pan. The engine has about 1,500 miles on a rebuild. I would only "assume" they cleaned it.

I just checked it again after a 50 mile ride. More like 1/2 inch over the full mark.

I like Katy's method of fixing it, and will do it that way.

So, is the correct amount 4 or 4.5. I guess I will start with 4 and slowly see when it stops on full.

[Tom Wesenberg]

The pan would be clean with only 1,500 miles on a rebuild.
I use 4 quarts for an oil change because I buy it in a gallon jug.

[700rpm]

Originally Posted by RonC

Leave it. It takes 5 but only about 4.5 come out when you drain it. 1/2 over will do no harm

I have to disagree. Put five qts in if the engine is newly rebuilt and has not yet had oli added. After that initial fill, only four qts should be added at oil change. Excessive oil will be pushed out the rear main, an unnecessary waste and mess.

[Utopia Texas]

I've wondered in the past whether all Model A dip sticks, especially repro, have the fill line in the correct place. My Model A takes five quarts to reach the "F" . What is the proper distance on the dip stick from the tip of the loop down the stick to the proper fill mark?

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Utopia Texas

I've wondered in the past whether all Model A dip sticks, especially repro, have the fill line in the correct place. My Model A takes five quarts to reach the "F" . What is the proper distance on the dip stick from the tip of the loop down the stick to the proper fill mark?

https://fordbarn.com/forum/showthread...ipstick+length

Do a search "oil dipstick length". All sorts of info pops up to answer your question

[old31]

So, would this make any difference with anything? Is it the correct dipstick?

I have a 29 engine with a 30 style dipstick.

Dipstick is 7-15/16 inches.

1 and 1/2 inches to the top of the F mark.

1/4 inch to the L mark.

[old31]

Tom, I might have been wrong about my sludge. I just drained the oil into a clean pan, I did an oil change about 200 miles ago.

I had about a 1/2 inch of sludge built up on the top of my drain plug in 200 miles.

The previous owner and me have been using non detergent oil.

1: Should I be using a different "non sludge" producing oil? If so, what is recommended.

2: I am going to pull the pan and see what is in there. Besides an oil pan gasket, is there anything else I should get? What is the best pan gasket?

3: Once the pan is off is there anything else I could/should do?

I have read many past threads on types of oils synthetic vs non, and pan gaskets.

[hardtimes]

Originally Posted by katy

Instead of trying to drain out one quart, drain all the oil out into a clean drain pan and then put 4 quarts of that oil back in, check the level on the dipstick and adjust as necessary.

Hey old31,
X-2 on katy advice.
As an extra 'bonus' to doing it this way, after 1500 mi, when you drain it all, the entire contents can then be closely looked at for evidence of what has been going on during the 1500 mi. Any silver flecks and iron chips, etc will tell you good, bad and/or ?

[Dollar Bill]

That's a lot of sludge for such a low mileage engine. I wouldn't recommend no detergent oil for anything except an air compressor.

[Mitch//pa]

1500 miles and an 1/2 inch of sludge....wow... Some rebuild job

Make sure you run a thermostat to heat the engine up better

[katy]

In this day and age why would anyone want to run non-detergent oil? It was used "back in the day" because that's all there was. IIRC detergent oil came out in the late '50s, correct me ifn I'm wrong.

[tbirdtbird]

"The previous owner and me have been using non detergent oil."

big mistake