Oil level

G

gadgetgeeza

Member
I have been regularly topping up the oil level to the dipstick mark and then leaving a trail of oil on the road on sharp bends. I have the oil catcher fitted which overflows. The car has been using up to 2 pints every 40 miles so very thirsty.
I stopped topping it up to see if it stopped leaking at a lower level - and sure enough it has. Oil level is still on the dipstick but about 1 inch lower than the mark. The level has stayed constant over the last 150 miles and no trail of oil.
What is the correct oil level? Am I at risk of running it too low? What is the correct marking of a dipstick?
 
Sounds like you may be overfilling your oil. When you drain your pan and refill with fresh oil you should only add 4 quarts of oil which should bring it up to the full mark. Just pulling the drain plug does not purge all the oil as some is held in the dipper wells. If you fill a totally dry pan after an engine rebuild you should add 5 quarts. Your engine may be fitted with an incorrect dipstick which is causing your problem. Check the below link which will help you identify if your dipstick is the correct one. http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=167443&highlight=correct+dip+stick
 
My first A did the exact same thing, while I do not believe I was overfilling I suspect an A with a leaky rear main will find a lower level where it leaks a lot less. Not scientific, just my thoughts based on experience.

Still eying the '30 roadster somewhat suspiciously, as he (Clyde) has all fresh fluids throughout but does not seem to leak at all other than a slight drip at the oil plug. I try not to turn my back on him because he might be up to something...
 
Really useful Roadrunner. Non of our problems are new I guess - I just couldn't find the earlier thread with the search function - is it me?
I will check my dipstick against the measurements and report back.
 
a tight motor can be run with 5 QTS in the crankcase without leaking. running a new motor low on oil does not make sense. it should not leak
 
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When I change the oil and add 4-1/2 qts it is right on the Full mark. 5 qts and it's over full.

We know about the dipper tray retaining half a quart and all, but what always puzzled me was, the owner's manual says 'add five quarts' and I'm sure that back in the Model A days that is what everyone did. From the dealership to the local Texaco station because that is what the manual AND the lube charts said to do. Nothing was ever said, that I can find, to only add four-and-a-half quarts.:confused: Ford never specified that.

So, if five quarts worked out in 1928 thru say at least after WWII why is it different now?? Are we missing something? It didn't seem to be a problem back then. The old timers from those days are gone we can't ask them their take on this:eek:

I would think that the Model A Ford engine, being a low oil pressure system that was engineered for splash-and-dip, would benefit from a little bit MORE oil in the pan vs. less???
 
Firstly - from the photos in the other thread, it seems I have an original dipstick which is a good start.
Second - my oil level has settled at 7 3/8" from the top which is just above the Low mark. Note measurements from the TOP of the stick which is what matters.
My take on this is that the FULL mark is the recommended level for filling a completely dry engine. Some then goes into dipper tray, some in the valve chamber and some in the oil filter if you have one. The dipper tray ensures that the correct amount of oil is always available to the big ends even when the level is very low. With the level on my car, I'm sure there's plenty left for the bearings.
Henry would have almost certainly have designed the engine to tolerate low oil levels for the careless owner.
Anybody disagree?
 
There is not much info to go on, so, its all subjective.

Over all these years, one probably doesn't know if the correct dipstick is being used. Plus, a lot can depend on whats in the oil pan. If the oil pan is full of crap then the dipstick reading doesn't mean much.
If the oil pan [and dip tray] is clean and dry, add 4 qts of oil and check the dipstick. If the dipstick reads correctly, fine. If not, just mark it. Then add the 5th qt and check it and mark it again.
One needs a good reference to work from.

Since your engine is throwing out the oil and then maintaining the level, then thats probably where your engine wants the oil level to be. But, I would still prefer to know just exactly how much was in it.
 
Make sure that both halves of the dipstick fit firmly in the hole in the block. I've seen where some have not done this; (ie: only inserted until the short tang hits the block) then proceeded to fill it to the Full line. That puts it about 2 quarts too full. And YES, it leaked like a sieve.
 
I had some of the same issues. The dipstick on the top is the one that was in my car when I bought it. Note that the length and the full mark are almost a half and inch different from the correct stick.
 

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I recall Brent Terry commenting on the Rear Main Janitor and he said that it was a band aid fix, and that a properly restored engine would never need one.

I have to agree with that.
 
BlueSunoco said:
I recall Brent Terry commenting on the Rear Main Janitor and he said that it was a band aid fix, and that a properly restored engine would never need one.

I have to agree with that.
Click to expand...

I only used one until I got it fixed so that it didn't leak anymore. That's why I started out by saying "when I was using one". I now have it sitting handily on the shelf in my garage as a reminder as to times past.
 
BlueSunoco said:
I recall Brent Terry commenting on the Rear Main Janitor and he said that it was a band aid fix, and that a properly restored engine would never need one.

I have to agree with that.
Click to expand...

I totally agree Bluesunoco. And now my oil level has stabilised near LOW on the stick I don't need one any more either
Could a high oil level be the fundamental problem leading to the folk law about A's leaking oil?
 
Now that you have confirmed that you have the correct dipstick and that you are filling with the correct volume of oil you must assume that your problem is elsewhere. Using 2 pints of oil in 40 miles is far from normal and should be addressed. Reducing the oil level to solve your problem would only be a band aid fix and also put you at risk of doing further damage to your engine.
There are many reasons for oil loss, more than likely your rear main bearing is very worn or badly damaged. Other problems which may also cause leaking include excess blow-by due to worn rings, restriction in your crank-case breather, oil return pipe in rear main may have broken off. Was your crankshaft modified to accept the modern rear main seal which has now failed.
Do you know the history of your engine. Is it just an old banger that has never been rebuilt. If it has had a rebuild, was it done by a competent builder. As Mitch said in a previous post "a tight engine is capable of taking 5 quarts of oil without leaking.
 
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