Does anyone know the oil level recommended for a 302 referenced to the oil pan flange? I see all kinds of posts about quarts of oil etc. , but none of that mean anything when oil pan volumes are different and dipsticks are not always the same. Thanks.
Assuming it's a stock '70s passenger car pan, AFAIK they all hold four qt plus a fifth for the filter... Some trucks may have held five plus a sixth for filter, what I don't know is if they used a larger pan or just a shorter dipstick... I know dipsticks for passenger car 302 are same for '70 to '72... To the vendors a NOS stick or dip tube is a premium piece, as they also fit '70 Boss 302(yeah I had to chase the tube for my 302)... If you really need to know the distance I can probably dig up a stock pan, dump a quart of water in it and measure the height...
Exactly. Even on a small volume stocker type pan, the oil level will be WAY down below the flange. Easiest thing to do is put 5 fresh quarts of oil with new filter, run it just long enough to completely fill the filter, get an adjustable dipstick and adjust it till it reads right at the full mark. Done deal.. and now you know how much of those 5 quarts still remains in the pan between oil changes.
On the dipstick subject .. When installing any engine we fill the pan with four quarts of oil .. let it set a while .. DIP the stick .. check where the mark is on the stick .. THEN make reference marks on the stick itself.. I don't trust ANY dipstick to be accurate . We're welding a bung that accommodates a didpstick into an oil pan for a 5.0 engine now going into a '70 Maverick . We always Verify the fill and mark accordingly. Just a thought. Cometized ( Chip )
Hi Chip. I've never had a filter of this size hold a full quart of oil so shouldn't there be slightly more than 4 quarts in the pan to be "gnats-ass correct"? Or maybe you figure some of that 5th quarts leftovers(after the filter fills) just sits in the engine/lifters anyways and it all washes out close enough to 4 quarts left in the pan?
Hi : Yep ! That's a sure way to be " balls-on" .. there's got to be a little oil up in the lifters, passages, and areas that gets the lube so it's logical to do it that way . I keep a very close watch on my oil and coolant levels when I driving the cars and when they have been sitting a while. I'm more interested in where the oil level is when " FULL " and that's where I usually mark the stick , and at ONE QUART LOW locations in case I have to add oil. By the way , do you run synthetic or your rides ? I ran it on the last three cars we built and noticed a difference . I'm going to run Valvoline 10w 40 in the Maverick until I get some mileage on it then switch it to synthetic just before we begin the Power Tour this June. Catchyalater; Cometized (Chip)
Kinda what I thought. I'm one of those hardcore "last 1 percenters" all my life.. so, yes.. synthetic in EVERYTHING i own including small engines, 2 strokes and the whole shebang. Much of my before and after experiences came early on in life when I couldn't afford major.. or "next step".. type modifications to all my fast old Fords and went hunting for proof that the hype is worth the cash. It is without a doubt worth every extra penny. And the heavier the oil/fluid being replaced?.. the better the overall gains to be had. If I had to guess and generalize a bit.. I would say most cars would be in the range of 10 - 15 FWHP(or around 8 - 12 WHP) gains for full swaps.. engine/trans/differential/s(heavy 4x4's can see even greater gains). Heck, I even use synthetic PS fluids, greases, and brake fluids. With just a basic engine oil swap from say.. "valvoline 10/40" over to say.. a good 5/30 synthetic.. I'd expect a little cooler oil temp during light cruise(if you have a gauge to compare the two) and around 3 - 4 peak horsepower. Not earth shattering of course.. but you sure as hell earned it when you layed out that extra coin to run it and it'll be there. I'm also of the mind that I'll take every last little bit of power or efficiency that I can get from such a basic fluid swap. If you do it right and base your oil choices on your specific climate and driving style(aggressive vs cruising).. you can actually end up with better cold start(less wear).. less parasitic loss(more power EVERYWHERE but especially at peak rpms).. AND greater protection(less wear AND more safety margin). It'll surely cost ya more.. but after that initial investment.. synthetic is a "win win" all the way around because it lasts considerably longer. I really can't say enough about its overall advantage and longer term benefits. PS. If you're running that valvoline hard at all with a flat tappet cam?>> I would HIGHLY recommend using the more expensive VR1 racing oils. Much more relevant(and far less regulated) additive package to most of our older cars valve-train needs.
Tom, Thanks, I have an old oil pan and will add the 4 quarts of water and see where I end up. My rebuilt engine oil pan looks close enough to stock. My concern came from my engine rebuild and break in run/dyno. When I got the engine back and installed, oil started dripping out the bell housing continuously. I found my oil 2+ quarts high on the new dipstick. I put my son's old Mav 302 dipstick in and it was 1 quart high. I lost confidence on where my oil needed to be. I was thinking below the oil pan was the only reference point that applied to any dipstick and any oil pan. Lacking that info, I suspect the 4 quart estimate is probably good enough. Thanks, Steve
