OIL PAN

[hanger]

I purchased an 87 GW with a 360. After changing the oil and putting 5 quarts in it barely showed on the dipstick. I found some numbers on the dipstick and discovered it’s thee right dipstick for the engine. I dumped an extra quart in making it six now but still shows about 2-3 quarts low. I know the engine was rebuilt and thought maybe an oversized oil pan was put on. Don’t oversized oil pan come in 1-2 quart extra?

[BCRAWLER]

Wonder if they used a longer dipstick tube?

[letank]

the dipsticks are not that accurate, I compared mines and there was a 1/4" difference. Remember that as you go up the oil pan has less volume.



6 quarts is safe, too much and you will have issues

[hanger]

Mine registeres below the add mark all the way down where the twist is. I ordered a new one and the dipstick and the tube are the same length as what’s in it now.

[letank]

Mine registeres below the add mark all the way down where the twist is. I ordered a new one and the dipstick and the tube are the same length as what’s in it now.

Time to measure the tube... it must be too high... I can do that latter 1) from engine block to top of dipstick tube and 2) how far from valve cover gasket surface to top of dipstick tube and 3) from the top of the valve cover to top of dipstick tube

[1979bettywhite]

And while you are in there measuring, if you don't already have the dipstick bracket that mounts to the valve cover, I would pick one up. Nice to add some rigidity to the tube so it doesn't break off at the block. Don't ask me how I know. BJ's has them.

[GrandW]

Believe the proper amount is only 4, add a quart or so if the oil filter had 0 oil in it when installed. You may want to remove at least 1 quart / liter. When you turn it on, what does the oil pressure indicator say? If it's at 80, you can definitely take some out to avoid putting excess pressure on gaskets etc.

[letank]

Mine registeres below the add mark all the way down where the twist is. I ordered a new one and the dipstick and the tube are the same length as what’s in it now.

I measured the position of the top of the dipstick tube from the bottom of the valve cover gasket which I expect to be common to most of our engines, it is 2 1/4", it is almost in line with the air tube, photo to follow shortly

[letank]

Believe the proper amount is only 4, add a quart or so if the oil filter had 0 oil in it when installed. You may want to remove at least 1 quart / liter. When you turn it on, what does the oil pressure indicator say? If it's at 80, you can definitely take some out to avoid putting excess pressure on gaskets etc.

Manual specs are 5 quarts for the 360 V8 and 6q for the 6cyl

In fact you have enough room to put 6q in the 360, there is a pict somewhere here or on the mothership where one of the poster has a pict of the oil pan with 5 and 6 quarts and the oil pan is not overflowing and the level is still way below the lower crank bearing caps

here we go, from the amcforum, w 6q posted by SC397, one of our master engine rebuilder

http://theamcforum.com/forum/oil-and-oi ... il+filters



a topic from the mothership

http://ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?t=157581

or for posterity

The oil filter and entire lubrication system holds about 1 quart, anything over that goes into the pan. If you pour 5 quarts into the engine (4 in the pan), it will bring the level up to the full mark on the dipstick.

The AMC V8 oil pan can hold far more than 4 quarts, though. It holds 5 without a problem, the oil level is still below the internal baffle that keeps oil away from the crankshaft. Next time you have your oil pan off for some reason, try it and see for yourself.

More proof is in the Heavy Duty police interceptor 360's and 401's installed in AMC Ambassadors and Matadors in the 1970's. The owner's manual for them specified 6 quarts in the system (5 pan) even though the engines used the exact same pan the civilian engines used!!!

Let's say your engine is running 5 quarts. There is 1 quart in the oil passages, at least another quart up in the valve covers and other places where it likes to pool and not drain down very fast, especially when running at high RPM. Under those conditions, there is only 2-3 quarts left in the oil pan! Start to tilt the engine while offroad, and it's sucking oir, droping pressure, and foaming the oil. Not good.

So why did AMC not specify 6 quarts for their civilian engines? Because the other American V8 manufacturers weren't either and it became a marketing thing.

I have run 6 quarts for nearly 6000 miles now without an issue. The length of the zone on the dipstick is 1 quart, so just fill that length OVER the safe zone, and it's all set.

An issue can come up when one uses oil filters that have faulty drain back valves, because then the extra quart in the oil passages and filter drains back into the pan after the engine is shut off. Now the pan has all 6 quarts in it and there is danger of the crank splashing into the oil on startup before the oil circulates. perhaps the pan can hold 6 quarts OK, but I haven't tested that to be certain yet.

You can tell if a filter drains back if the engine takes a different ammount of oil to reach the same dipstick level with a different filter of the same size. The difference will be 1/2 to 1 quart.

[79 Chief]

I gave mine a heart transplant to a GM 350 but 6 qts was the norm for the 360.

[hanger]

I measured the tube front the bottom of the valve cover to the top and had just over an inch. What is the length of your dipstick?

[candymancan]

Believe the proper amount is only 4, add a quart or so if the oil filter had 0 oil in it when installed. You may want to remove at least 1 quart / liter. When you turn it on, what does the oil pressure indicator say? If it's at 80, you can definitely take some out to avoid putting excess pressure on gaskets etc.

Proper is 5 quarts.. the police engines used 6.. and people took the pans and filled to the oil baffle and it took 6 quarts.... i fill my to 6 every time i do an oil change regardless of what the dipstick says.. engine seems to run better with 6 then 5


Also letank even if all 6 drsin back into the oil pan i highely doubt 3 seconds of the engine spinning would do anything if thr crank hits thr oil... it takes seconds to builds oil pressure on a empty oil filter