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Posted By Discussion Topic: Oil capacity -- page: 1 2 3 4 5     MG 09-24-2010 @ 3:33 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1254 Joined: Nov 2009 GM, Was it you who said that 4 qt's of oil is the correct/maximum capacity of oil the flathead V8 requires - those equipped without an oil fliter even though the owners manual says 5 qt's? In my case, I'm refering to my 1934 Ford e/w original engine. supereal 09-25-2010 @ 10:22 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 Four quarts without the filter, five quarts with it. The books continued to print the wrong info for years. That is one reason so many report severe oil leakage at the back main. It is always a good idea to check the dipstick after an oil change with the correct fill, and mark the level if your dipstick shows over or under filling. Many engines have either the wrong stick, or tube from junkyard replacements over the years. 37 Coupe 09-25-2010 @ 11:46 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 362 Joined: Oct 2009 I still cannot believe nor will I evr that Ford was printing in owners manual the wrong capacity for oil years before filters were used or available for instane my owners manual for my 37 Ford 5 quarts capacity,and no filter was used. I have also seen old receipts from Ford dealers and have continued to see them every now and the on Ebay for instance of service work at Ford garage,you usually see say in 1935-1936-1937 and so on " Engine oil drained and refilled 5 quarts" At least that is what they were charging you for. In my opinion Ford engineers knew exactly how much oil to recommend and would have been aware of reference manuals being wrong. I myself think the correct amount is 4 quarts plus a partial 5th for non filtered and who cared back then if it was over and came out,customer already paid for it. In other words it was rounded off to the highest figure 5. supereal 09-25-2010 @ 2:28 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 You don't have to believe it, but it is true. The fifth quart is to accommodate the capacity of the canister holding the filter element. Most books, including some owner's manuals, include the notation in the oil capacity section specifying 5 quarts, that it includes "filter absorption". Oil filters didn't come into general use until the 40's, then five quarts was correct. And owners of older cars and trucks without filters just assumed they needed five quarts, as well. Unfortunately, the early "slinger"type rear mains couldn't hold it all, and many just assumed that the accepted "fact" that all Fords leaked oil like a sieve was true. George 09-25-2010 @ 3:22 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 25 Joined: Oct 2009 I have an original Ford Manual V 8-112 for my 1934 Ford Pickup. On page 15, under Group 1, Engine Lubrication, paragraph two, it clearly states, and I quote, "It is advisable to clean out the oil pan by draining off the old oil when the new car has been driven 300 miles, and again when a total milage of 1000 miles has been reached and at each 1000 miles thereafter. The oil will drain out more completely if warm, and should be replaced with 5 quarts of engine oil of the proper viscosity and quality." If Ford was not THE authority on their products - then who is? Really!! George Maher, a 1934 Ford owner George supereal 09-26-2010 @ 10:59 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 George: I didn't mean to step on anyone's toes, but four quarts is sufficient without a filter. The oil pan capacity wasn't changed when the filters became available, so the quantity of oil was increased at that time to 5 quarts compensate for the extra need. I can't explain why some of the Ford literature doesn't agree. Knowing how Ford operated, it is logical that the subject was covered in a "service bulletin" at some time, but not incorporated into owner's manuals. At one point, a bulletin was issued saying to re-mark the dipstick 5/16 lower than the "full" mark when replacing the "new" stick in an older engine. As mentioned above, some literature mentions the filter, which became a production item in '41, as requiring 5 quarts instead of 4 due to "absorption". It may have been deemed safer to recommend 5 quarts for all at that time to avoid oil starvation by those who had been accustomed to the one gallon fill. Overfilling the oil pan usually doesn't cause a problem beyond increased leakage, unless it reaches the point where the crankshaft is involved. That results in aeration of the oil that can reduce lubrication of vital parts of the engine. In the pre-'41 days, most motor oil was sold in refillable glass jars with long snouts. Many of us "gas station rats" had the job of cranking the bulk pumps to refill them. After 5 quarts became the norm, we began to see the now familiar prepackaged 5 quart jugs. kubes40 09-26-2010 @ 7:09 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 3395 Joined: Oct 2009 Super, You know I have a deep respect for your base of knowledge. I have stated thus both publicly and privately. You have taught me a number of things. However, this is one time I can't agree with you. I have studied the drawings of oil pans at the Benson Ford Research Center. All the 85 pans were designed for a 5 quart capacity. This specification began before any oil filters were offered. The exception being the very early 60HP pans were designed for 4 quarts but soon were redesigned for a 5 quart capacity. The above documented research coupled with the fact (fore-mentioned) of the owners manuals for so many years stating 5 quarts CRANKCASE capacity, as well as all the service manuals, letters, etc. reiterating that same statistic ... I simply find it ridiculous to believe Ford Motor CO. made that mistake for so many years in so many publications. Respectfully, Mike 40guy 09-27-2010 @ 7:39 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 270 Joined: Oct 2009 It's been 5 for me the last 30 years; filter or no. I will continue to do so. I guess with all the varying opinions and data, just run which ever you feel best about. My philosophy has always been better too much lubrication than not enough when it comes to machinery. supereal 09-27-2010 @ 10:44 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 Thanks, Mike. It is a difference of opinion that makes the world go round. If the capacity of the oil pan was always 5 quarts, it does seem inconsistent that so many manuals didn't call for 6 quarts when the filter was added to accommodate the amount retained in the canister. Most, if not all, printed materials were not actual Ford issues, as Ford didn't publish a comprehensive shop manual. Most are by Polyprints, and some do contain inaccuracies in some areas. That said, if anyone wants to use 5 quarts, that's fine with me. I'd didn't say the oil pan capacity was changed, but according to my records, the "full" mark on the dipstick was amended as mentioned in my earlier post to reflect the difference between the early and later oil fill amount. This message was edited by supereal on 9-27-10 @ 11:42 AM TomO 09-27-2010 @ 11:05 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7250 Joined: Oct 2009 There was a change to 4 quarts with out a filter in the Strato Star engines, when the filter became standard equipment. Before that all of the oil pans that I have seen were 5 quart capacity. Tom

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