arizonapete

Changed the oil & filter in my '57 ~ Added 5 quarts (1/2 quart in the filter canister), and it hardly showed on the dipstick. Yet all the spec info I can find says 5 quarts...
Looks like its down two quarts....
Is 5 correct?

JohnZ

If you have the stock oil pan, 5 quarts is correct with a filter change; you probably have the wrong dipstick. '57 dipstick shown below.

arizonapete

OK ~ Thanks John ~ mine does not look like that. Can you tell me the length from the flange/stop to the full mark?

67L36Driver

Also depends on if you have the correct dipstick tube. At least the one that goes with that particular stick.

arizonapete

Guess I need the measurements of both in order to determine if the problem is the dipstick, or the tube, or the oil pan...

Any source for those measurements?

67L36Driver

Why not use one of those compact tubing cutters to trim the tube back untill you get it to read "full".

finleyeagle

Hi Guy's

I hate to get in the middle of this but my 57 270 car with the correct original oil pan used 6 qts of oil. I do not know if it is listed that way anywhere and I no longer have my car, only 56's currently. Just my 2 cents worth.
Later Mike

JohnZ

The late '56-all '57 dipstick was P/N 3722959 (which wasn't on the stick, and Corvette was the ONLY application that used it); from the seat to the full mark was 19-31/64", and to the add mark was 20-7/16". Don't have the measurement for the tube.

arizonapete

Hmmm...
The dipstick does measure 19-1/2" to "Full" (close as I can come to 64ths with a tape~ but close enough) And it shows full with 6 quarts.......

Thanks, guys ~ Will keep looking for the tube measurement

1955 copper

Base engine 57 and 58 the same

56Heap

With the stock canister filter, oil pan, dipstick and tube my 56 takes 6 qts

arizonapete

OK ~ Thanks Heap ~
The asterisk on copper's chart above notes that the listed capacities are "without filter change"...
(and while the measurements are approx. the same, the '57 dipstick is a different part # than the # listed for '58....)

1955 copper

Your pic is the first design for 55 ,I believe the 57 is different using no arrows

JohnZ

Nope. '58-up dipstick was a different length to the markings than the one used on the late '56 and all of '57. Early '56 (1st design, RH dipstick) was yet another dipstick.

1955 copper

I was thinking the oil pans Basically hold the same amount of oil. What is the lenght of 57 then 58? or is it the oil tube lenght? Thanks

JohnZ

Must be the tube length, as the pans are the same; can't find the dimension for the tubes.

MikeM

'56 second design tube 7 11/16"

'57-'61 Corvette, '57 pass 8 cyl. 8 21/32" curved

Don't know if this is right/wrong. It came out of '61 P&A book.

1955 copper

OK ! Here is what I do know, the 55 oil stick is #3717868 first design showing arrows and 55 only I believe .
Tube is #3711729 and is curved and 6 1/4 long and this tube will NOT fit any other Chevy engine because later engines the tube hole is larger .
Because later engines used a oil filter 55 is a odd engine.

MikeM

Again, according to this '61 P&A book, you're correct on the dipstick. The tube you show #3711729 is for pass car. Corvette tube is #3718612 and is 3/16" shorter than the pass car tube.

1955 copper

First I NEVER believe a parts book , they keep changing unless you have that year parts book for that year Corvette,each year they supplement the numbers. You see that on e-bay all the time using the newer book saying the part is original number part( that's why it cost more to learn the correct design part) . I know the 55 is 6 1/4 long . By the way 55 car is the same as 55 Corvette like so many other parts.