Varies quite a bit by engine. E.g., people who put a high volume pump on a SBC can actually suck the sump so low at high rpms, the pickup can become uncovered when moderate g-forces are applied.
How much oil is actually out of the oil pan when running?
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Try this. Have someone in the driver's seat and you hold the wiped dipstick just started into the dipstick tube. Tell the other person to shut the engine off and immediately after the engine quits, dip the stick for one second and pull it out. Should be close to what is down there when it is running, unless some drips down from above onto the stick.
You would be suprised though at how fast the oil will drain down. Once I shut off my pickup, jumped out, hit the ground and rolled under the truck. Pretty fun laying there and listening to all the hot oil drain down.
You would be suprised though at how fast the oil will drain down. Once I shut off my pickup, jumped out, hit the ground and rolled under the truck. Pretty fun laying there and listening to all the hot oil drain down.
Is there any typical ratio engine designers use to determine how much oil is actually out of the pan vs. in reserve during high revs? The reason I ask is that my F150 manual states with emphasis to NOT add any oil if the oil is in the hatched area of the dipstick. However, the bottom of the hatched area is about 5 quarts cold . The top of the hatched area is about at 6 quarts cold. This is including filter change. So realistically a person will probably be at 4 1/2 to 4 quarts before they should add according to the manual. The manual also says the capacity is 6 quarts with filter change.
The dipstick runs out very shortly after the add mark. So most of the time if you are under by a quart or so there will be nothing showing on the dipstick. 4 1/2 quarts does not register at all.
Sounds like your dipstick is too short
I have a 302 with a HVHP oil pump in it and I will try this at like 3500rpm and let you know. My dipstick is long enough that it should read to about 3 1/2 qts low. What engine is in your F150?
I would be most worried about the oil not running back fast enough when high rpms are used while the oil is still cold.
I have a 302 with a HVHP oil pump in it and I will try this at like 3500rpm and let you know. My dipstick is long enough that it should read to about 3 1/2 qts low. What engine is in your F150?
I would be most worried about the oil not running back fast enough when high rpms are used while the oil is still cold.
The dipsticks on the modular engines are notoriously inaccurate. Mine reads at the bottom of the hatched area with 6 quarts (including the filter) and full with 7 qrts. Some people find that 5 qrts read min and 6 qrts read max. The majority of F150 owners find that 6 qrts get the oil level somewhere in the middle.
If you keep it in the hatched area, I think you'll be fine. I usually keep about 6.5 qrts in mine to run in the middle of the dipstick with no evidence of foaming (even with 7 qrts).
If you keep it in the hatched area, I think you'll be fine. I usually keep about 6.5 qrts in mine to run in the middle of the dipstick with no evidence of foaming (even with 7 qrts).
I did some measuring this weakend on my 302 with the HVHP oil pump. The oil level was at the full line when cold after sitting overnight. Pan holds 6 qts w/filter. Engine warmed up and the 10w-40 at 180 degrees. At idle(800rpm)and 52psi the oil level was 2 to 2 1/2 qts down from the full line. At 3000rpm and 78 psi the oil level was the same, 2 to 2 1/2 qts low. This suprised me, I figured it would be a lot lower at high rpm than at idle.
In my case if the engine was a qt low to start with I would only have 2 1/2 qts in the pan
I do a lot of fourwheeling with this truck and have never seen a blurb in oil pressure. I don't think a street drive vehicle that doesn't corner hard would have a problem.
The reason the Ford manual says not to add oil in the hatched area is because most people are stupid. If you check your oil after it has sat overnight in the same level spot in the driveway, you shouldn't have any problems adding when 1/2 qt down. Hope this helps
In my case if the engine was a qt low to start with I would only have 2 1/2 qts in the pan
The reason the Ford manual says not to add oil in the hatched area is because most people are stupid. If you check your oil after it has sat overnight in the same level spot in the driveway, you shouldn't have any problems adding when 1/2 qt down. Hope this helps
I tried it once and the oil was all over the stick from being thrown around in the crankcase. Maybe some engines have a sheild in front of the stick.
It's a 4.6. Sorry I took so long, I missed the recent responses for some reason. Thanks everyone.
I used the dipstick to measure the oil level. The readings may not be accurate-it's hard to say. I assumed the dipstick is not lying because it had a nice defined oil line on both sides just as it does with the engine off. I have had the pan off this 302 before and if I remember right the dipstick protrudes from the dipstick tube only about a 1/2 inch. The full line is about 2 inches up the stick so the area I used to measure was covered by the tube. It could be there is less oil in the sump but definitely not more.
Maybe I will overfill with a qt of cheap oil before the next change and see what happens.
We need a clear oil pan to know for sure. They make clear diff covers, why not oil pans. Temps are probably to high.
Maybe I will overfill with a qt of cheap oil before the next change and see what happens.
We need a clear oil pan to know for sure. They make clear diff covers, why not oil pans. Temps are probably to high.
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