427 oil capacity
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,349
Likes: 34
From: Porterville Ca
427 oil capacity
I am unsure of the oil capacity of my 69 427 390 hp. I've changed the oil twice since I've owned it (5 miles, too many years). I replaced the filter and oil, but at 8 quarts, it still doesn't show on the dip stick. The dipstick tube is all the way in the block.The oil pan is an original Chevy pan, I don't know what the PO did to it. I don't want to over or under fill it. I've replaced the dipstick, and the second one still shows no oil on it at 8 quarts. Any ideas? How much oil do others with BB's hold ? 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,317
Likes: 292
From: Ocala FL
6 quarts is right. 5 quarts plus 1 quart filter.
You have something wrong.
Be sure the dipstick and the dipstick tube are a matched set. These MUST match, or the reading is wrong. I'll measure mine in the morning.
You have something wrong.
Be sure the dipstick and the dipstick tube are a matched set. These MUST match, or the reading is wrong. I'll measure mine in the morning.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,317
Likes: 292
From: Ocala FL
Oil dipstick for 1968 427 is 18-3/8 inches from end to bottom of the cap.
The tube is 13-5/8 inches from the top of the oil pan tube (expanded ring on dipstick tube) to the top of the dipstick tube.
Be sure the tube goes into the oil pan on the passenger side. It does not go into the block of a big block. Does your oil pan look like this? You can see the tube coming in the passenger side in the picture. One possibility is that your baffle in the bottom has the hole blocked so the dipstick doesn't go through, or your windage tray is in wrong and deflects the dipstick from going down into the oil.
But if you have 8 quarts in there, and run it, odds are you will have this whipped mess in no time and have it running out everywhere. And you could get oil starvation in areas due to too much air in the oil from whipping from the crank.
The tube is 13-5/8 inches from the top of the oil pan tube (expanded ring on dipstick tube) to the top of the dipstick tube.
Be sure the tube goes into the oil pan on the passenger side. It does not go into the block of a big block. Does your oil pan look like this? You can see the tube coming in the passenger side in the picture. One possibility is that your baffle in the bottom has the hole blocked so the dipstick doesn't go through, or your windage tray is in wrong and deflects the dipstick from going down into the oil.
But if you have 8 quarts in there, and run it, odds are you will have this whipped mess in no time and have it running out everywhere. And you could get oil starvation in areas due to too much air in the oil from whipping from the crank.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 581
Likes: 0
From: Southeast WI
I noticed a similar phenomenon on my 427/390.
I don't know the total history on my car, so I don't know if someone installed a larger oil pan, but I change the oil twice annually and I pour in 6.5 qts of oil. And I don't get much of a reading on the dip stick.
BTW, I also bought a new dipstick from Paragon with OEM specs.
Go figure.
I don't know the total history on my car, so I don't know if someone installed a larger oil pan, but I change the oil twice annually and I pour in 6.5 qts of oil. And I don't get much of a reading on the dip stick.
BTW, I also bought a new dipstick from Paragon with OEM specs.
Go figure.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,317
Likes: 292
From: Ocala FL
Now if you dump the oil in and then check the dipstick, it will often look empty. It seems like it can take forever for the oil to flow down to the pan in a big block.
Make sure your pan doesn't look something like this.
Make sure your pan doesn't look something like this.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,349
Likes: 34
From: Porterville Ca
Thanks for the input!! My dipstick is completely different. The tube came out easily and looks different. It's 21 5/8 from the mounting ring to the end, the dipstick is 16 3/4 tip to cap. The po cut it off and remarked it, it is part # 3981083, my internet searches didn't come up with anything. The most important thing is that I'll add it to my Willcox order tomorrow. Got a fiber optic kit and some misc stuff on order. One step closer to cruising...Thanks Procrastination, Easy & Tele...
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,821
Likes: 204
From: Lincoln CA
That's weird. I had a non-original dip stick in my 69 427/390 too. I didn't even know until I took it to an NCRS judging and they zapped me for it. When I replaced it with the correct stick with a loop on top, I checked the comparative lengths of the two dip sticks to make sure I wasn't creating a problem. They were the same length and had the markings in the same places. I assume some mechanic lost the original and just grabbed one that was handy (or cheap) to stick in the engine. The P.O.s probably never noticed. The one on my car had a "P" shaped loop on the top instead of the "O" shaped one on the correct part. I suspect it might have come off a 396 Chevy engine.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,349
Likes: 34
From: Porterville Ca
Thanks all, I received and installed the correct dipstick and tube, I am about 1 1/2 quarts overfilled !! Thanks to all I didn't drive around like that, I can now continue on ALL the other projects with that one worry out of my mind...
