Another Oil Question

OK, I’m still learning things about the truck I’ve been driving for all these years.

The F-134 engine holds 4 quarts of oil. Now, I assume (and I know very well what assume does) that if I pour 4-quarts of Valvoline VR-1 10W-30 oil down the fill tube, I will get a “full” reading on the dipstick – the meniscus is about at the top of the checkered area.

But, I have an oil filter on the engine. The standard answer is “4-quarts plus 1 quart for the filter”. After the engine sits for a while, the filter seems to pretty well drain back into the oil pan – there isn’t a lot of carry out when I pull out the old canister.

If I pull the dipstick after things sit a while, should I get a high reading on the stick?

Nope. First, you know you drove it after the top off, just for kicks. So that probably burned some off. Second, some of it poured out on the road. And, third, you probably measured wrong. I know this because an old S-10 I had held 7 quarts but it said it only held five. I know that because the mechanic yelled at me about overfilling. And last, these days it probably evaporates faster given the climate change and acid rain factors.

5JeepsAz just said Senior Chief Larry's freshly rebuilt '48 blows, burns and leaks oil. Oh man... all I can think about is how Larry preaches "Payback".

Well 5JeepsAz is in the penalty box for an unknown time frame... OK that's long enough, he's out now!

Larry I think the answer might be in the process. I am willing to bet if you run it. Shut it down and check it immediately, it will be about 1/2 to 3/4 quart low. If you top it off right away to full, it will then read overfull after it sets and drains the filter. When you drain it after it has set a while or is a new motor, almost all the oil that would be in suspension in the motor, is not there yet. When you run it, a lot of oil gets trapped in a lot of places. It could take a day or so of setting to get most of it all back to the pan. what you are probably seeing is the difference between what is in suspension at the time you check it, and what is back in the pan. When I first fired the fresh L134, after running it was about 3/4 of a quart low on the immediate check. I promise you it burned and leaked very little. That 3/4 of a quart was in the motor and lines, as well as a fairly full filter. After it set it did read full in the pan. However the filter was now low due to the initial filling of all the traps and lines.

The pan and filter take 5 quarts. It should read full on the dip stick checking it immediately after running. That would be 4 quarts in the pan and 1 in the filter. After you top it off the first time when it is warm, if it sets overnight it should read a little high. 4+ in the pan, a little in the filter and some in the motor. The orifice in the timing cover filter line is pretty small. It takes it a good few minutes or more to drain the filter back into the timing cover. So checking it immediately after running it should read full. After setting only your particular motor knows what it will read.

[QUOTE=bmorgil;11309]5JeepsAz just said Senior Chief Larry's freshly rebuilt '48 blows, burns and leaks oil. Oh man... all I can think about is how Larry preaches "Payback".

I probably spill as much oil as the engine burns.

That reminds me of the old story - the doc asked the drunk if he drank a half-pint a day. The guy replied, "I spill a half-pint a day".

But - just about every Jeep leaks oil. Like an old airplane, if it quits leaking - it's probably empty. A bit more seriously - most of them do have a level they like. You can fill them to spec and they will throw out what they don't like.

When roads dry out and salt gets washed off, I'll go get the truck out of Butch's garage.

Bmorgil is right on the money. If you were burning that much oil, you'd have to run two stroke spark plugs to slow down the fouling, and would have the accompanied blue haze following you around.

[QUOTE=LarrBeard;11312]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bmorgil

5JeepsAz just said Senior Chief Larry's freshly rebuilt '48 blows, burns and leaks oil. Oh man... all I can think about is how Larry preaches "Payback".

I probably spill as much oil as the engine burns.

That reminds me of the old story - the doc asked the drunk if he drank a half-pint a day. The guy replied, "I spill a half-pint a day".

But - just about every Jeep leaks oil. Like an old airplane, if it quits leaking - it's probably empty. A bit more seriously - most of them do have a level they like. You can fill them to spec and they will throw out what they don't like.

When roads dry out and salt gets washed off, I'll go get the truck out of Butch's garage.

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all so so very true, with some as i said somw experience on lil levels i have found out that the diff between fresh oil after a change (have only done three on mny 134f) on the dipstick is just not true. takes a few miles of driving to grt oil flowing, oil to get into all the hidey holes that exist. one other thing, when changine oil, got to hve oil HOT ostherwise the oil filter line does not want to flow into block thru bottom of filter

I know I'm out of line. But I have nowhere else to go. But... So, does the thing actually measure overfull? The dipstick may only measure a bit overfull, even if it is way overfull. Why would the design allow the dipstick to measure 2 quarts over if nobody is supposed to put two extra quarts in?

You might be overthinking it. As the oil level increases in the pan, so does the surface area of the pan. It gets considerably larger once the oil reaches the top of the sump in the pan. At that point it will take a lot of oil to raise it on the stick. If it gets that high, it will be coming out everywhere! Once it gets high enough to hit the crank continuously, things get bad. They mark it in "overfill" to let you know how much you should drain back out.

The best practice is to warm it up, then shut it down and check the oil immediately. If it reads low, add as much as it reads low. Start it again and shut it down. It needs to read full right after you shut it down. What ever it is after it sets for bit, and what it is while it is running, it is.