Dipstick question...

blykins · #1 (**permalink**) 03-15-2005, 02:08 PM

Would a regular dipstick that mounts in the front cover (SBF) sit down in the pan the same distance, no matter what pan is used? So if you use that dipstick in a 5-quart stock fox-body pan and it reads 5 quarts....then if you change pans to say a Canton T-sump pan...it would still read 5 quarts, right? Because it will extend the same distance into the front cover....no matter what pan it is....

So if that dipstick read full (5 qts) on a Canton pan, it would be common sense to say it's not showing all that's in the pan, right? The pan sump is out of reach of the dipstick, correct?

Burgs · #2 (**permalink**) 03-15-2005, 03:55 PM

Makes sense to me. Not a SBF, but my new FE from Keith Craft uses a stock stick even though it has a Canton pan. The full mark means full, even if that's 8 quarts

blykins · #3 (**permalink**) 03-15-2005, 03:57 PM

Kinda what I was thinkin...my Canton pan is 8" tall.....that's taller than a stock 302/351 oil pan, right?

Burgs · #4 (**permalink**) 03-15-2005, 04:01 PM

It may not be much taller, if any, but it's wider at the "T" for the extra capacity, right?

blykins · #5 (**permalink**) 03-15-2005, 04:35 PM

Sounds right to me.

dlowe01 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-15-2005, 04:49 PM

I had a chrome one that went in the front of the block with the stock pan and tried it on my canton pan and they were different lengths. But...I am using a rear pickup pan so that may be the difference. I was able to pull the dip stick wire out of the handle on each and swap them so that I could use the chrome handle. Had to cut some off the end that went into the handle to make it come out the same though.

blykins · #7 (**permalink**) 03-15-2005, 04:57 PM

Where's the dipstick location on the Canton pan? On the side of the pan, in the sump, or in the front cover?

blykins · #8 (**permalink**) 03-15-2005, 05:00 PM

Hey Burgs....you positive you got a stock stick or the stick that you get from Canton for that pan? And does it mount in the timing cover?

I think we're right on our theory though....it doesn't matter what pan you use with the stock stick...if it mounts in the front cover, it should show full if your oil capacity is where it should be. Unless of course you have a pan that's so shallow that the dipstick hits the bottom of the pan and curls up.....

Anyone else have an opinion?

dlowe01 · #9 (**permalink**) 03-15-2005, 05:13 PM

Mine is on the rear driver side in the sump.

Burgs · #10 (**permalink**) 03-15-2005, 05:27 PM

blykins, Shelly Craft called me as they were crating up the motor to ask me if If I had a stock stick to use because they were out. Five minutes later she told me she found one, and sent it with the motor. I unboxed the motor to check for freight damage, and boxed it back up. The stick is new and still in the package, and I don't even know where it goes yet, as I didn't really pay attention when I checked out the motor.

Edley Rondinone · #11 (**permalink**) 03-15-2005, 05:44 PM

I think you guys are right: The oil dipstick measures oil LEVEL, and not necessarily the number of quarts of oil in the pan.

If I am correct, you dont want the oil level above the "FULL" point on the dipstick, else it would get beaten to a froth by the spinning crank and rods.

blykins · #12 (**permalink**) 03-15-2005, 06:03 PM

I'm pretty sure that's the case.....that's why my Mr. Gasket dipstick for a SBF that I bought at Autozone shows the oil level right at the full mark....even though it's a 7 quart pan.

I'm just trying to be 100% sure.....so that I can be safe in the fact that my engine hasn't used a couple quarts of oil in the past few running times....

Richard Hudgins · #13 (**permalink**) 03-15-2005, 08:15 PM

Folks,

You may wish to speak with the manufacturers of your oil pans.

The first goal in a performance unit is to get the oil away from the crank.

The next goal is to keep the oil at the pickup in all dynamic conditions.

One way that the above can be done is by designing the capacity into the lower part of the pan and add trapdoors, etc..

In other words. make it wide to hold 8 quarts, but deeper to keep the oil away from the crank and put in a bunch of sheet metal bits and a bespoke pickup tube.

In view of the above, a stock dipstick measurement could give you too much oil in the pan.

One thing for sure. You never wish the oil level above the windage tray.

Talk to the designers of your oil pan. They are the only folks who know what is correct.

EarlsflyinCobra · #14 (**permalink**) 03-16-2005, 03:51 AM

I thought the "dipstick" was a guy that drove one of them thar Jap cars........................

Just kidding, on a serious note I am attaching an incert from a post I did a while back.....

Oil Dip Stick Help????
I am using a 1989 5.0/302 Engine and am converting from the double hump oil pan to the forward sump pan. My oil pan has a place for the dip stick, but so does the block. The one in the block, if used, causes the dip stick to jit the girdle and bind. So, my question is, how do I plug the hole in the block???? I am sure this has been dealt with before by guys converting from double hump to single hump oil pans, so how did they do it???? Thanks in advance for your answers...........Earl

Now, my reason for jumping in here, I pluged the hole in the block with a freeze plug...I am now looking for a dipstick to fit in the pan...according to the Ford dealership there were only a couple of years they could find in their book that used the pan type dipstick (unfortunately I misplaced the piece of paper that I wrote down those years on). So, as soon as I find one that will work how do I make sure it reads correctly??? I was thinking, fill the pan to correct amount then insert stick and check reading, then either shim or trim till it reads correct?? Does this sound right??

blykins · #15 (**permalink**) 03-16-2005, 03:59 AM

Hey Earl, in your case, I would just get a regular dipstick of your choice, fill the engine up with the correct amount of oil, and then scribe you a full mark line on the stick. Easy as that.

Ron61 · #16 (**permalink**) 03-16-2005, 04:11 AM

I have seen a generic type dip stick in some of the Auto Parts Places that is long and not scribed. You fill your pan with the correct amount of oil and then put this stick in.If it hits bottom, cut some off untilit clears, then scribe your full mark. One guy even went so far as to draim 2 quarts back out and scribe his at that mark too. Also he changed the handle and put his shrome on on it. I don't know if that was made to be done or if he had to cut the old handle off and then put his on.

Ron