1940 engine oil capacity question??

W

warren va

Senior Member
:confused: How many quarts of oil is correct for a stock 1940 flat head V/8 with out a filter? I have heard 4 without a filter and 5 with a filter. Which one is correct?
Thanks
Warren
 
I do not run a filter on my flatheads and I have always used 4 qts. However, I always check the level of my dipstick and that I am at the fill line on the stick. Just a precaution.

The stock filters usually take up to another qt so that's why you have the difference in the numbers of qts with or without.
 
warren va said:
:confused: How many quarts of oil is correct for a stock 1940 flat head V/8 with out a filter? I have heard 4 without a filter and 5 with a filter. Which one is correct?
Thanks
Warren
Click to expand...
This one has been kicked around over and over again (for years).
The engine (crankcase capacity) was designed to be five quarts. That's it. Simple truth documented by Ford archival drawings.
The only oil pan on our prewar flatties that I know of that had a four quart capacity were the very first 60HP pans. They too were soon redesigned to a capacity of five quarts.
I have yet to understand where folks keep coming up with four quarts?
 
warren va said:
:confused: How many quarts of oil is correct for a stock 1940 flat head V/8 with out a filter? I have heard 4 without a filter and 5 with a filter. Which one is correct?
Thanks
Warren
Click to expand...
The 1935-48 Motor's Repair Manual (page 439)says this:
1940 Ford model 022A Crankcase capacity is 4 qts.
1940 Ford model 01A and 09A Crankcase capacity is 5 qts.
My 1940 Ford Owners Manual says; "Oil pan capacity 5 qts." (page 61)
No mention is made of adding an additional quart if you have a stock oil filter.
 
Kube

Kube,
Do you have a copy of the "Ford archival drawings" that you can post? My 46 owners manual and 1946 service manual states the capacity as 5 Qts "minus oil filter absorbtion". So, if you think the filter could absorb 1 qt than the crankcase capacity is 4 quarts. I don't personally think the filter could hold a full quart so how about a compromise? 4 1/2 quarts? Best bet is to fill it to the full line.
John
 
Re: Kube

oldford2 said:
Kube,
Do you have a copy of the "Ford archival drawings" that you can post? My 46 owners manual and 1946 service manual states the capacity as 5 Qts "minus oil filter absorbtion". So, if you think the filter could absorb 1 qt than the crankcase capacity is 4 quarts. I don't personally think the filter could hold a full quart so how about a compromise? 4 1/2 quarts? Best bet is to fill it to the full line.
John
Click to expand...
Just be certain you have the correct dip stick. Many times they have been swapped through the years.
Oil filters were an option in those days. Usually (not always) they were installed at the dealership. The owners manual, service manuals and service letters did not take into account an oil filter. They merely stated what the crankcase capacity was, that is 5 quarts.
I do not have copies of the drawings. I did however view them. The 022 model mentioned in another post is in fact the 60HP. I do not recall when Ford changed that to 5 quarts but can look it up in my notes of anyone desires.
 
19Fordy said:
The 1935-48 Motor's Repair Manual (page 439)says this:
1940 Ford model 022A Crankcase capacity is 4 qts.
1940 Ford model 01A and 09A Crankcase capacity is 5 qts.
My 1940 Ford Owners Manual says; "Oil pan capacity 5 qts." (page 61)
No mention is made of adding an additional quart if you have a stock oil filter.
Click to expand...
Right on!
I did look through my notes and see that Ford changed the capacity of the 60HP (022A) late in 1937. I made a note to the side of my research that dealers were supposed to change these 4 qt. pans when the cars were serviced and send the old pan to Ford for credit.
All 85HP pans were 5 quart design. C'mon guys, I ain't makin' this stuff up. It is what it is.
 
Kube,

O K. As long as you can "recall seeing it" I will consider that the 1946 owners manual and service manual is wrong. John
 
Kube said:
Right on!
I did look through my notes and see that Ford changed the capacity of the 60HP (022A) late in 1937. I made a note to the side of my research that dealers were supposed to change these 4 qt. pans when the cars were serviced and send the old pan to Ford for credit.
All 85HP pans were 5 quart design. C'mon guys, I ain't makin' this stuff up. It is what it is.
Click to expand...
The attached photo from the 1940 Ford Reference Manual used by the salesmen shows 5 quarts for the 95 and 85 HP engines. I've had diehard flathead experts tell me that is a misprint and just plain wrong. When I showed them that 4 qts covered the dipstick less than 1/2 way between FILL and FULL they just shook their heads. IMO the "4 quart" rule became gospel when the mechanics couldn't get the rear seals to stop leaking.
 

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But when is a "quart" not a "quart"? US quarts are 32 ounces while Canadian quarts are 40 ounces. So for you (us) Canadians, it is really confusing - EH! I use 4.5 "liters" or so, in my 41, which is about the same as 4 US quarts - no filter, which gets me to the fill line on the dipstick that I have which I hope is the correct length.

Gitchi
 
4 quarts without a filter fills all my old Fords to the full line on the dip stick with no filter. Any more then that and the oil drips out the cotter pin hole. I also find it takes about 4 3/4 quarts with a filter. 105,000 miles on one engine with 4 3/4 and a filter and still running good. G.M.
 
I can only comment on the 40 Ford 85 HP pan, cuz that's what I've got. I took the pan after it was cleaned, leveled it from front to back and side to side. Then I filled it with (4) four quarts of Kerosene. At 4 quarts, the fluid level is above the sump area in the pan. When I added an additional quart, the level gets real close to the rear oil pan seal, and it becomes very apparent that without a pan baffle, when braking, too much oil is sent forward and will pile up and leak, I think. I like 4 quarts: + 1 with a filter
 
4 quarts with no oil filter. I like the filter but I do not trust the old original cloth lines.
Definitely 4 quarts on a stock 1940 oil pan.

Travis Brown
Kolb CO.
 
I wonder the same thing. Its kind of funny the things published in those old books We will never figure out the mistakes that was made in black and white.
I sure am not interested in an argument or debate over oil pan capacity I am simply stating the facts 4 Quarts in a 1940 pan.

Travis
 
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