engine oil level
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 252
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Originally Posted by jbrew
I know what happens - Heard the BIG BANG! 
I was in the passenger seat of the vehicle this belongs to when the pump ran dry (I scraped some of the crap off the screen - it was totally plugged though) - I pulled the oil filter and that was dry as well 
I was in the passenger seat of the vehicle this belongs to when the pump ran dry (I scraped some of the crap off the screen - it was totally plugged though) - I pulled the oil filter and that was dry as well 
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,200
Likes: 39
From: Easton, Pa.
YA know, all you guys are funny!
Argue about what oil is best, what filter is best, what intervals to change oil and now what is or is not full, in a motor.
On my race motors I have 10 qt pans.
Who is anyone to tell me what is full and what is not.
I know when I go out to race , there is 10 qts in that pan and the same when I come in no mater what the dip stick says.
We don't even use a dip stick in a race motor.
The truth is, your still safe even if you can just see a little indication on the stick tip in these motors.
Hell it's time to start arguing about autmatic transmission levels now to make it a full circle.
Argue about what oil is best, what filter is best, what intervals to change oil and now what is or is not full, in a motor.
On my race motors I have 10 qt pans.
Who is anyone to tell me what is full and what is not.
I know when I go out to race , there is 10 qts in that pan and the same when I come in no mater what the dip stick says.
We don't even use a dip stick in a race motor.
The truth is, your still safe even if you can just see a little indication on the stick tip in these motors.
Hell it's time to start arguing about autmatic transmission levels now to make it a full circle.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,439
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From: farmington hills, MI
witch fitlers best? i dont have a fitler i just made a pipe connecting from the oil pump to up top i picked up about 60HP from having no oil fitler!!!! WOOHOO as for my tranny fluid well to get my tranny warm faster in the winter i took out all but 2 Qt's of tranny fluid it warms up real nice and Shifts super super stiff 
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 178
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From: Idaho
FYI
Wednesday morning at about 3:00 AM I started my truck to go to work and the oil light came on and stayed. I slightly reved the engine and the light didn't go out so I shut off the engine and checked the oil level. It was just to or slightly below the add line, It's almost due for a 5000 mile oil change . It was also -6 F outside. I put in a quart of MOBIL 1 5W30 and it brought the level up to the full mark. I dont know how much of a role the tempeture played in it, but that seems like a pretty close tolerance between full and low oil pressure to me.
Wednesday morning at about 3:00 AM I started my truck to go to work and the oil light came on and stayed. I slightly reved the engine and the light didn't go out so I shut off the engine and checked the oil level. It was just to or slightly below the add line, It's almost due for a 5000 mile oil change . It was also -6 F outside. I put in a quart of MOBIL 1 5W30 and it brought the level up to the full mark. I dont know how much of a role the tempeture played in it, but that seems like a pretty close tolerance between full and low oil pressure to me.
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 25,641
Likes: 19
From: MI
Originally Posted by TECHDOC
Ouch, thats gotta hurt.
Dizzy Blond -
It's from a mini van (Windstar). She later admitted that since her divorce ( 3 or 4 years prior to implosion ) she neglected to change oil when it was due.
When I inquired about the vehicles last service, she stated - "My ex-husband had changed it last". Then she slowly added - "Before we were divorced"
The 3.8L just hit 60,000 miles before she went KABOOM !!
Last edited by jbrew; Jan 28, 2008 at 08:39 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,558
Likes: 3
From: Eastern TN
Originally Posted by wetanner
FYI
Wednesday morning at about 3:00 AM I started my truck to go to work and the oil light came on and stayed. I slightly reved the engine and the light didn't go out so I shut off the engine and checked the oil level. It was just to or slightly below the add line, It's almost due for a 5000 mile oil change . It was also -6 F outside. I put in a quart of MOBIL 1 5W30 and it brought the level up to the full mark. I dont know how much of a role the tempeture played in it, but that seems like a pretty close tolerance between full and low oil pressure to me.
Wednesday morning at about 3:00 AM I started my truck to go to work and the oil light came on and stayed. I slightly reved the engine and the light didn't go out so I shut off the engine and checked the oil level. It was just to or slightly below the add line, It's almost due for a 5000 mile oil change . It was also -6 F outside. I put in a quart of MOBIL 1 5W30 and it brought the level up to the full mark. I dont know how much of a role the tempeture played in it, but that seems like a pretty close tolerance between full and low oil pressure to me.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,205
Likes: 3
From: Along Lake Erie
Originally Posted by TECHDOC
So, what are you saying? Is the full mark put on there by elves in some magic kingdom where full marks don't mean anything?
There is a tolerance on any part manufactured for any product. The dipstick and oil pan are no exception. Although you may have two otherwise identical engines, one may sit slightly different in the truck, one might typically be checked in a driveway that slopes up, while one might be checked in a garage that's perfectly level. One truck might have a cap and sit at a slightly different angle, etc, etc. That's why there is a range where the oil has sufficient oil for lubrication, but isn't over-filled.
The "VOLUME" of oil for your engine is less than 6 qts. because there needs to be some oil in the pan for the pickup screen to be submerged in oil, if not, the oil pump would run dry and, well you know what happens then,
especially if you drive off road on steep inclines & declines there would be alot of locked up engines if that were the case, and I feel more comfortable knowing if I drive up a hill there will be oil to pump through my engine, that "wasted" 1/2 qt. can be an engine saver.
Never had a loss of oil pressure on those hills. I'm quite sure that extra 1/2 quart to take it to the MAX line isn't necessary to maintain oil pressure.
An engineer designed the dipstick and said don't go over that point plain and simple, what it means to you or me doesn't even matter.
6. Wipe the indicator clean. Insert the indicator fully, then remove it again.
-If the oil level is between the MIN and MAX marks, the oil level is acceptable. DO NOT ADD OIL.
-If the oil level is below the MIN mark, add enough oil to raise the level within the MIN-MAX range.
-Oil levels above the MAX mark may cause engine damage. Some oil must be removed from the engine by a service technician.
-If the oil level is between the MIN and MAX marks, the oil level is acceptable. DO NOT ADD OIL.
-If the oil level is below the MIN mark, add enough oil to raise the level within the MIN-MAX range.
-Oil levels above the MAX mark may cause engine damage. Some oil must be removed from the engine by a service technician.
The Fact is, it's not going to damage the engine if it's a little over or even a little under the crosshatched area, but i feel better knowing my oil level is to the full mark, and any engineer will tell you not to overfill or underfill the level.