Is it safe to assume that as long as the engine oil level is within the hashmarks on the dipstick, that there's sufficient oil to keep the engine lubricated?
On my F150, there is an oil pan gasket leak that will require too much time/money to fix. If I fill the oil level to MAX on the dipstick, I'll slowly lose about a quart due to the bad pan gasket.
With the truck parked on a level surface, it is my understanding that the pan gasket can only leak until the oil level is below the top edge of the pan.
From my testing so far, it seems like that oil level (where it's below the top of the oil pan, and no longer leaking) is about a quarter inch above the MIN hash mark on the dipstick.
I'm trying to figure out if I can stop the leak by keeping the level right below where it leaks. However, I do not want to put the engine at risk if the oil level should be near MAX.
(I know the best solution here is to fix the pan gasket, but to do so would require removal of the engine at a cost of roughly half the KBB value of the truck)
On my F150, there is an oil pan gasket leak that will require too much time/money to fix. If I fill the oil level to MAX on the dipstick, I'll slowly lose about a quart due to the bad pan gasket.
With the truck parked on a level surface, it is my understanding that the pan gasket can only leak until the oil level is below the top edge of the pan.
From my testing so far, it seems like that oil level (where it's below the top of the oil pan, and no longer leaking) is about a quarter inch above the MIN hash mark on the dipstick.
I'm trying to figure out if I can stop the leak by keeping the level right below where it leaks. However, I do not want to put the engine at risk if the oil level should be near MAX.
(I know the best solution here is to fix the pan gasket, but to do so would require removal of the engine at a cost of roughly half the KBB value of the truck)