Marking full spot on a dip stick

[pjc360]

I'm helping a friend of mine put together a 1981 dodge power ram 150 truck, he bought a 360 magnum crate engine that we put in it, the engine came with a 6 quart oil pan.
He bought a dip stick for the motor that you have to mark the full spot on. The oil filter he is going to run is a shorter filter to clear hedders. The wix part number is 51085 and according to wix the filter holds around half a quart of oil. My question is do we put the oil filter on dry then add 6 quarts to the engine start it up then shut it off and check the oil and where ever the oil level is on the stick mark that as full, or do we fill the filter up then install it and then add 6 quarts to the engine start it up then shut it off and check the oil level and where ever the oil is at on the stick mark that as full?

 

[JethroBodine]

Take 6 quarts...fill the filter...pour the balance into the engine. But I would check what the manufacturer says the engine capacity is as well. But do fill the filter because you do not want to dry start the engine. In fact, I would pull the coil wire(s)and run the engine on the starter for 30 seconds to get it pre-oiled.

 

[javacontour]

Don't you need to start 1 qt low to get the add point and then add the final quart to determine that level.

 

[JethroBodine]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
Don't you need to start 1 qt low to get the add point and then add the final quart to determine that level.


not a bad idea.

 

[KrisZ]

I would install the filter, pour in 5.5 qts of oil, run the engine, let it settle for 5-10 minutes and mark the low mark on the dipstick. Then add a quart and mark full line on the stick.

 

[GreeCguy]

The dipstick on the world famous "Luv" machine is long gone. What I did was cut a wire clothes hanger, straighten it out and use that as a dip stick. What I did was drain the engine oil, pour in four quarts, run the engine, then shut it off and after about 20 minutes, inserted my wire dip stick, pulled it out and with a file, marked the "low" level. I then added a quart, ran the motor, shut if off and let it sit for about 20 minutes and then checked the oil level and once again with a file, made a mark for "full." To make sure it always measures the same distance, I bent the top of the wire over to serve as a handle so it's always at the same spot to measure oil. I don't run the motor with the wire dipstick inside but instead, hang it on the wall of my shop. To keep dirt and water out of the motor, I whittled a stick of wood to fit inside the dipstick tube. Works perfect.

 

[GreeCguy]

BTW - depending on the angle of this filter when installed, I would try to get as much oil in it as possible before you spin it on. I totally agree with previous comments, you don't want to start this engine with a dry filter. I've owned a couple of 318's and as I recall, the filter sits at a 45 degree angle on the side of the motor, so you won't be able to completely fill it, but you can get a lot of oil in there for a nice, oily start.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: JethroBodine
Take 6 quarts...fill the filter...pour the balance into the engine. But I would check what the manufacturer says the engine capacity is as well. But do fill the filter because you do not want to dry start the engine. In fact, I would pull the coil wire(s)and run the engine on the starter for 30 seconds to get it pre-oiled.


^ This.


That engine was originally 5 quarts, glad the builder used a larger pan.

 

[pjc360]

We only had 6 quarts of oil to work with, so what we did was fill the oil filter up as much as we could without it spilling, the filter does sit at a 45 degree angle. So we almost poured half a quart into the filter then installed it.
Then we put the 5.5 quarts in the engine, then we fired it up and let it idle for about 5 minutes, then we shut it off and let it sit for another 5 minutes, then pulled the dip stick and where the oil level was we made a mark, and that will be our low mark, tommarrow when the part store opens we will get another quart of oil and put half a quart more in the engine, then we will mark that as our full mark.
Since the filter he runs can only hold a half quart max, we figured it will be full with 6 quarts plus half a quart for the filter. Does this sound right? Our low line will be half a quart low instead of 1 quart like most dip sticks, but since his filter is so short we think it is ok to have the low mark a half quart low and we think adding a half quart to the 6 quarts that's already in the engine should be just about perfect.

 

[Kuato]

IMO it should 6 quarts total, not fill the filter then add 6 quarts on top of that.

How did you mark the dipstick? Color will wash off in short order; my brother always took his small drillbit and made a hole to mark low and high.

 

[javacontour]

I would put the entire 7th quart in the engine. A dry engine takes a bit more oil than an oil change. If you have a 6 qt pan and 1/2 quart in the filter, the total capacity is probably 6.5 qts

 

[pjc360]

We used a small drill bit, drilled a hole for low and a hole for full. We decided to call it good with 6 quarts in the pan and half a quart in the filter. He's going to consider that full and not let it get below the low mark which is 6 quarts total.
So low is 6 quarts, full is 6.5 quarts and the other half quart is there for the filter. Don't know if this is right or if it should be 6 quarts total filter included, but I was thinking since the pan holds 6 quarts, that he should add half a quart for the filter. Because if you just put 6 quarts in it then with the filter full there would only be 5.5 quarts in the pan. My thinking on this is correct right?

 

[streetperf]

jethrow,

I'm glad I don't build engines for you. Didn't you ever hear of using a dummy dist or a hex socket to spin the intermediate shaft to lube all the bearings and fill the lifters before starting the engine. If all else fails use a bug sprayer can(approx 2 gallons) use a hose to screw into the oil pressure sending unit portion of the block and pressurize the can, release the pressure and what do you know all the bearings now have oil.
By the way, cranking the engine over for 30 seconds on today's oil(I presume you don't use a specialty break in oil) if it is a flat tappet cam, you can wear the taper from the cam in that timeframe.

the method you mention was used when oil had ZDDP in it, however it wasn't the recommended way to prelube an engine on initial startup.

 

[pjc360]

this motor had already been ran before. This was it's second oil change.

 

[javacontour]

That's a key bit of info that was missing.

I think 6 or 6.5 quarts will be fine. So many vehicles survive with more than two quarts low, so 1/2 quart either way probably won't make much difference in the grand scheme of things.

I hope he enjoys the new engine.

Originally Posted By: pjc360
this motor had already been ran before. This was it's second oil change.

 

[pjc360]

We just figured since the engine has a 6 quart oil pan that if we filled the filter with half a quart and put it on the engine and put the remaining 5.5 quarts in the engine that it would be half a quart low because of the filter. We called wix and they said the 51085 filter holds half a quart. So we made the low mark on the dip stick at 6 quarts then we made the full mark with 6.5 quarts.

 

[JethroBodine]

Originally Posted By: streetperf
jethrow,

I'm glad I don't build engines for you. Didn't you ever hear of using a dummy dist or a hex socket to spin the intermediate shaft to lube all the bearings and fill the lifters before starting the engine.


Yes that is what I have done but I would use Brad Penn or T5 oil for break in. Most people won't pull the dist to do what you say. They won't get it and will put the gear beck on wrong and create all kinds of timing issues. Running on the starter while not optimal is an easy to do way to partially pre-oil the engine.

 

[JethroBodine]

Originally Posted By: streetperf
jethrow,

the method you mention was used when oil had ZDDP in it, however it wasn't the recommended way to prelube an engine on initial startup.


Use this oil: http://www.penngrade1.com/Products/High-Performance/SAE-10W30.aspx

Hellooooo?

 

[Mr_Incredible]

This is not rocket surgery.

Put in 5 quarts, run the engine. Wait 30 minutes. Pull the dipstick and mark the level. Put in another quart of oil and wait 15 minutes. Mark the level.

Job done.

How to mark the levels is up to you, but I would use an engraver.

 

[asand1]

Originally Posted By: pjc360
the engine came with a 6 quart oil pan.


It is a 6 quart pan, simple as that. Moroso, Milodon, Hamburger or whoever manufactured it, does not know if you are running a remote double filter and bypass or what. They are not saying that your oiling system will have a 6 quart capacity. They are simply stating that the pan will hold 6 quarts.

AFAIK 360s have an angled or horizontal filter, you will not be able to put enough oil in it to really be beneficial.

Fill with 5 quarts, mark "low" level. Add a quart and mark "full" level. Start engine for a few seconds and top off oil after level drops.

Priming the system with the starter is no better than just starting it. The crank shaft is turning either way, and running, the pressure will build quicker. Ideally, you would pull the distributor and prime with a drill driven priming tool with the engine not turning over until the filter and galleys are primed.

This is just based in my opinion, and only worth what you paid for it.