A question
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 27
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A question
Hi guys this might look not so intelligent question but as a newcommer to the hubby i wonder :
whats the minimum amount of oil in Engine for avoiding damage to the components ?
at the moment i have no indication frm engine for low oilpressure and with start i got 3/4 of oilpressure and when i push the gas it rises towards 1,
i also have some ticking at startup which disappears after the engine getting warm
today i noticed the oil stick was totally dry and i poured in maybe 1,6 liter oil (20/50 with zink addic..) and after that oil stick showed about halfway upp to add: marking on the stick, that was directly after shutting off the engine
for now im not sure if i hear any ticking on warm engine or not i maybe forcing myself to hear that but the oil bay is not fully filled anyhow.
performancewise the car did not show any loss of power or anythingelse to indicate anything being thank for your answers
whats the minimum amount of oil in Engine for avoiding damage to the components ?
at the moment i have no indication frm engine for low oilpressure and with start i got 3/4 of oilpressure and when i push the gas it rises towards 1,
i also have some ticking at startup which disappears after the engine getting warm
today i noticed the oil stick was totally dry and i poured in maybe 1,6 liter oil (20/50 with zink addic..) and after that oil stick showed about halfway upp to add: marking on the stick, that was directly after shutting off the engine
for now im not sure if i hear any ticking on warm engine or not i maybe forcing myself to hear that but the oil bay is not fully filled anyhow.
performancewise the car did not show any loss of power or anythingelse to indicate anything being thank for your answers
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
On idle the pin rises up aproximately to 3/4 marking on the gauge and when i accelerate it rises towards full pressure also the digit 1
one more thing its a newly rebuilt engine with 390 hp and 4,7 liter oilcapacity
one more thing its a newly rebuilt engine with 390 hp and 4,7 liter oilcapacity
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Pro
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 708
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From: Minnesota
4 US Quarts = 3.8 Litres. That should be the minimum you reach before needing to add oil to the engine. Most small block Chev motors hold 5 US Quarts = 4.73 Litres (that extra 0.95L is held in the filter). Yes, if it runs very low it can cause damage, however is probably fine if you just noticed it and filled it and motor sounds and performs fine.
If you notice regular usage/loss of oil and aren't sure when it was last drained and changed, I would drain/change out the oil and filter with fresh stuff. As the oil gets dirty and breaks down, the engine will burn and lose it faster than fresh oil.
Change the oil and filter every 3000 miles or roughly 5000 km if you are running conventional motor oil.
If you notice regular usage/loss of oil and aren't sure when it was last drained and changed, I would drain/change out the oil and filter with fresh stuff. As the oil gets dirty and breaks down, the engine will burn and lose it faster than fresh oil.
Change the oil and filter every 3000 miles or roughly 5000 km if you are running conventional motor oil.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
hi
t-hanks for your answer here is some follow ups
the engine is a 427 bb with 390 hp and it has run from 8600 something miles to aproximally 9050miles efter engine rebuild and the date below marks the third oil exchange after the rebuild
oil was changed by aproximaly 4,7 liter on 07/06 2018
i have noticed blueish smoke from leftside of exhuast system when i accelerate out , pedal to metal or in this case to plastic , the smoke eventually vanished , and i related that to posiblity of excesive and high oil pressure or volume after oilchange and/or not really satt enginewashers and selfadjustment instead of the oilshortage,
oil level after fill up is now in between the two marking of add and full ,shall i tapp it up. it took about 2,2 liter of oil to reach this lvl
the ticking dissapears when the engin reach higher temp or at least it decreases by very much . About that remaining ticking sound im not sure if it is there or if its me who is too eager to hear that beloved sound :-)
If we now for the sake of argument assume that it might still be a bit of ticking left in enginsound ,shouldnt it vanish if i tap up the oil to toplevel or should it not be any sound at all even with this oil level?
As i said befor on idle oilpressure is slightly over the midmarking in between 35 and 75 and when i accelerate it goes towards (maxes out towards) 75 in the outer limit of oilpressure reader and that coresponding to the trottle
it has always done that even befor the fill up i did today but i still wonder why did i not get any warning about this oilshortage?
maybe im too concerned or too worry but this is my first classic car and i know i do not know much about engines
best regards
Reza S
t-hanks for your answer here is some follow ups
the engine is a 427 bb with 390 hp and it has run from 8600 something miles to aproximally 9050miles efter engine rebuild and the date below marks the third oil exchange after the rebuild
oil was changed by aproximaly 4,7 liter on 07/06 2018
i have noticed blueish smoke from leftside of exhuast system when i accelerate out , pedal to metal or in this case to plastic , the smoke eventually vanished , and i related that to posiblity of excesive and high oil pressure or volume after oilchange and/or not really satt enginewashers and selfadjustment instead of the oilshortage,
oil level after fill up is now in between the two marking of add and full ,shall i tapp it up. it took about 2,2 liter of oil to reach this lvl
the ticking dissapears when the engin reach higher temp or at least it decreases by very much . About that remaining ticking sound im not sure if it is there or if its me who is too eager to hear that beloved sound :-)
If we now for the sake of argument assume that it might still be a bit of ticking left in enginsound ,shouldnt it vanish if i tap up the oil to toplevel or should it not be any sound at all even with this oil level?
As i said befor on idle oilpressure is slightly over the midmarking in between 35 and 75 and when i accelerate it goes towards (maxes out towards) 75 in the outer limit of oilpressure reader and that coresponding to the trottle
it has always done that even befor the fill up i did today but i still wonder why did i not get any warning about this oilshortage?
maybe im too concerned or too worry but this is my first classic car and i know i do not know much about engines
best regards
Reza S
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
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From: Cool Northern Michigan
You are confusing oil pressure, oil capacity and oil consumption.
You could have 90 lbs of oil pressure and never burn a drop of oil. The oil pressure lubes the bearings. Oil is burned in the combustion chamber. Two different things.
You could overfill the crankcase by a quart and still not burn a drop of oil if the rings are wiping down the cylinders efficiently.
You could be a quart low in the crankcase and not lose a pound of pressure. The oil pressure is determined by the little spring in the oil-pump (somewhat).
Oil pressure will always increase with RPMs. The pump is spinning faster, building up more pressure.
Any ticking sound in the valvetrain should be verified by removing the valve covers and noting if a rockerarm anywhere is loose.
You could have 90 lbs of oil pressure and never burn a drop of oil. The oil pressure lubes the bearings. Oil is burned in the combustion chamber. Two different things.
You could overfill the crankcase by a quart and still not burn a drop of oil if the rings are wiping down the cylinders efficiently.
You could be a quart low in the crankcase and not lose a pound of pressure. The oil pressure is determined by the little spring in the oil-pump (somewhat).
Oil pressure will always increase with RPMs. The pump is spinning faster, building up more pressure.
Any ticking sound in the valvetrain should be verified by removing the valve covers and noting if a rockerarm anywhere is loose.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Meriden CT
Pro
Joined: May 2016
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From: Minnesota
Another debate. I was simply giving him the general rule of thumb / recommendation.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
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From: SW Florida.
If you have oil pressure, you have enough oil to avoid damage. 1 quart and you can drive. Gently. That pickup tube is less than a half inch from the bottom of the pan. You start banging gears with low oil, the oil is gonna stand up on the back of the oil pan and the pickup tube is gonna suck air. At full throttle when you need oil the most.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,989
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From: Meriden CT
Of course, your general rule of thumb.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,989
Likes: 198
From: Meriden CT
Hi guys this might look not so intelligent question but as a newcommer to the hubby i wonder :
whats the minimum amount of oil in Engine for avoiding damage to the components ?
at the moment i have no indication frm engine for low oilpressure and with start i got 3/4 of oilpressure and when i push the gas it rises towards 1,
i also have some ticking at startup which disappears after the engine getting warm
today i noticed the oil stick was totally dry and i poured in maybe 1,6 liter oil (20/50 with zink addic..) and after that oil stick showed about halfway upp to add: marking on the stick, that was directly after shutting off the engine
for now im not sure if i hear any ticking on warm engine or not i maybe forcing myself to hear that but the oil bay is not fully filled anyhow.
performancewise the car did not show any loss of power or anythingelse to indicate anything being thank for your answers
whats the minimum amount of oil in Engine for avoiding damage to the components ?
at the moment i have no indication frm engine for low oilpressure and with start i got 3/4 of oilpressure and when i push the gas it rises towards 1,
i also have some ticking at startup which disappears after the engine getting warm
today i noticed the oil stick was totally dry and i poured in maybe 1,6 liter oil (20/50 with zink addic..) and after that oil stick showed about halfway upp to add: marking on the stick, that was directly after shutting off the engine
for now im not sure if i hear any ticking on warm engine or not i maybe forcing myself to hear that but the oil bay is not fully filled anyhow.
performancewise the car did not show any loss of power or anythingelse to indicate anything being thank for your answers
Last edited by SH-60B; Oct 24, 2018 at 12:35 PM.
Pro
Joined: May 2016
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From: Minnesota
Dick Responses
Actually, no. Not mine. To HEADS point, with newer oils and many articles dispelling the "myth" of the 3000 mile oil change over the years, it is probably not necessary. However, if you've been listening for the past 50 years, the 3000 mile or 3 months habit has been pushed by the industry - until lately.
For me, I wouldn't wait 2-3 years with the car running only a couple thousand miles per year and so much invested in motors, etc. as it's pretty cheap annual maintenance. For the OP guy who just asked the first question on this thread, it's not a bad "rule of thumb" if he has no idea where to start. Also depends on the climate, how hard you drive your car, and how dirty your oil gets, and are you using conventional or synthetic.
It's Dick responses like yours and the "piling on" that makes me post less and less on this forum when somebody is just asking for a little help and input. I just saw a comment on another post re pistons and the guy said " asking a corvette question on here can be suicide". No sh-t. I'll leave it to you experts - your input was obviously very constructive.
For me, I wouldn't wait 2-3 years with the car running only a couple thousand miles per year and so much invested in motors, etc. as it's pretty cheap annual maintenance. For the OP guy who just asked the first question on this thread, it's not a bad "rule of thumb" if he has no idea where to start. Also depends on the climate, how hard you drive your car, and how dirty your oil gets, and are you using conventional or synthetic.
It's Dick responses like yours and the "piling on" that makes me post less and less on this forum when somebody is just asking for a little help and input. I just saw a comment on another post re pistons and the guy said " asking a corvette question on here can be suicide". No sh-t. I'll leave it to you experts - your input was obviously very constructive.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,803
Likes: 4,422
From: Virginia
To the OP, if you have a multimeter, you can test your pressure sender independent of the gauge:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ding-unit.html
If the sender is working, it will give you an indication of how much oil pressure you have. You can also run the engine with a valve cover off to make sure there is some oil squirting up the push rod passages.
As for the evolution into a "how often do you you change your oil" question, I change the oil in my C3s at least twice a year. I don't put 3000 miles on the car between oil changes. Oil is the cheapest thing that goes into these cars.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ding-unit.html
If the sender is working, it will give you an indication of how much oil pressure you have. You can also run the engine with a valve cover off to make sure there is some oil squirting up the push rod passages.
As for the evolution into a "how often do you you change your oil" question, I change the oil in my C3s at least twice a year. I don't put 3000 miles on the car between oil changes. Oil is the cheapest thing that goes into these cars.
Dr. Detroit
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,090
Likes: 4,015
From: New Braunfels Texas
There is zero damage if the oil pickup is not uncovered due to low oil level. If the pick is uncovered even for a second....aeration and damage may result.
Is this a pass to run your oil level low? No......the reason it has 5 quarts in it from the factory is for adequate sump capacity during sustained running....low or high RPM.
Oil has to drain back more than it picks up or it will run the pan dry. This is one of the reasons HV oil pumps should not be used on the street.
But for the average fella....about two quarts low is the lowest without running into potential damage......such as cornering and heavy acceleration.
If you ran it with a couple of quarts low....it is unlikely you damaged anything unless you were hitting it hard.
Jebby
Is this a pass to run your oil level low? No......the reason it has 5 quarts in it from the factory is for adequate sump capacity during sustained running....low or high RPM.
Oil has to drain back more than it picks up or it will run the pan dry. This is one of the reasons HV oil pumps should not be used on the street.
But for the average fella....about two quarts low is the lowest without running into potential damage......such as cornering and heavy acceleration.
If you ran it with a couple of quarts low....it is unlikely you damaged anything unless you were hitting it hard.
Jebby
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,989
Likes: 198
From: Meriden CT
Crybaby retorts
Actually, no. Not mine. To HEADS point, with newer oils and many articles dispelling the "myth" of the 3000 mile oil change over the years, it is probably not necessary. However, if you've been listening for the past 50 years, the 3000 mile or 3 months habit has been pushed by the industry - until lately.
For me, I wouldn't wait 2-3 years with the car running only a couple thousand miles per year and so much invested in motors, etc. as it's pretty cheap annual maintenance. For the OP guy who just asked the first question on this thread, it's not a bad "rule of thumb" if he has no idea where to start. Also depends on the climate, how hard you drive your car, and how dirty your oil gets, and are you using conventional or synthetic.
It's Dick responses like yours and the "piling on" that makes me post less and less on this forum when somebody is just asking for a little help and input. I just saw a comment on another post re pistons and the guy said " asking a corvette question on here can be suicide". No sh-t. I'll leave it to you experts - your input was obviously very constructive.