Oil Level

[HP HUNTER]

What have you guys seen in ET and MPH in stock dropping the oil level for lets say a heads up run? And how much oil did you take out?

[Larry Hill]

accumulator

[Rich Biebel]

Nothing and I dropped a QT. out....

I Tried it on my 350 Nova Stocker 20+ years ago...

and I know a couple guys who hurt bottom ends trying it....

[Lew Silverman]

Very interesting question!


Keeping the oil away from the spinning crankshaft makes sense, but wouldn't you want to do that all the time? With the technology available today a baffled deep-sump pan with a windage tray and/or a crank scraper should be easy enough to fit. A 6-quart pan would allow you to run the 5 quarts you need, and keep the motor happy.



I also wonder if anyone has seen a significant improvement in performance with a high volume versus standard volume pump or their high pressure versions? I've also heard of folks using the "0 weight" oil as a way to "free up" some horsepower!

[Rich Biebel]

I also tried some 0 weight Royal Purple oil in my LT-1 EFI Firebird...for one race weekend....

Mostly what I saw was oil pressure dropping lower than I cared for at low engine rpm. I Dumped that oil after 1 race and went back to Mobil 1 5-30 that worked well and was faster than any oil I used before....and maintained good pressure.

I used pretty std oil pumps in the Stockers I had....

Neither car was fast but both easily ran below their indexes without spending a fortune....

[HP HUNTER]

Heres my situation.

The previous owner of this particular car ran 10-30 Valvoline syn oil at a certain level, can't remember if it was 4 or 5 quarts total, but I never saw the oil pressure fluctuate during a run. I went through the engine and was running a 30 W break-in oil at the same 4-5 quarts, now with my engine and oil I noticed the oil pressure dropping the middle of the run, then come back up during the end of the run. My thoughts were the 30w oil couldn't drain back as easy as the 10-30 syn oil. So I pulled the engine out to have a look, the bearings were ok despite the oil pressure drop, so I stretched the pan for more capacity and was able to get 6 quarts in there while maintaining the same oil level to crank as the old pan set up. I put it all back together exactly as it was the first time, but I've lost .10-.15 in the 1320. Is it possible the lack of oil in the engine was the reason the car was so much quicker the first time around? On the dyno, oil pressure was never a problem due to the short duration of the pull.

[Rich Biebel]

I would doubt the ET changed that much just from the oil level and windage...BUT ...

I almost always find that my MPH is down a little right after I change the oil in my 565 in my dragster.....and it has an accusump....and when I change it I put the same amount of oil in it....or so I think...

Since its a S/C car I can't really see an ET issue but like I said the MPH might be down one or two and I am usually scratching my head wondering where that MPH went....

And then it usually comes back after some runs.....

Losing ET is often a real mystery.....

My EFI Firebird did exactly that and for no apparent reason.....and MPH was still about the same at the time...

[SSDiv6]

On a Gen 1 Chevy small block, the oil flow in the block at anytime, depending on the block, is around 1.8 to 2.2 quarts of oil, including the filter. This does not consider oil in the valley or on the cylinder heads that is draining to the pan.

A properly prepped or blueprinted standard volume oil pump is up to the job and I would set it up 45 to 55 psi max. One thing that needs to be considered is the engine clearances and with the advent of new oils, there is no need to use heavy oils anymore. High pressure and high volume oil pumps will created more heat and can also create cavitation by draining the pan and putting too much oil on the top.

One factor that is overlooked is that most oil pumps can start to bypass oil as low as 2,000 rpm. This means that the pump is delivering too much oil a reason why many times there is not a need for a high volume oil pump.

Therefore, a standard oil pump can provide enough volume.I have seen oil pumps that are standard volume, that have the body and gears shortened, and with the right clearances, the engines make power due to reduced friction and drag.

Baffling the pan, using the right sized pick up tube and screen, and using a properly designed scraper, also help.

The picture below, is a modified Schummann oil pump with a modified lower cover that has been modified with an external bypass. Instead of bypassing internally in the pump, bypasses the oil straight into the pan. This frees horsepower and puts the oil back in the pan quickly.

[MR DERBY CITY]

Originally Posted by HP HUNTER

Heres my situation.

The previous owner of this particular car ran 10-30 Valvoline syn oil at a certain level, can't remember if it was 4 or 5 quarts total, but I never saw the oil pressure fluctuate during a run. I went through the engine and was running a 30 W break-in oil at the same 4-5 quarts, now with my engine and oil I noticed the oil pressure dropping the middle of the run, then come back up during the end of the run. My thoughts were the 30w oil couldn't drain back as easy as the 10-30 syn oil. So I pulled the engine out to have a look, the bearings were ok despite the oil pressure drop, so I stretched the pan for more capacity and was able to get 6 quarts in there while maintaining the same oil level to crank as the old pan set up. I put it all back together exactly as it was the first time, but I've lost .10-.15 in the 1320. Is it possible the lack of oil in the engine was the reason the car was so much quicker the first time around? On the dyno, oil pressure was never a problem due to the short duration of the pull.

Yes, I remember you,....you are the one with the TRICK oil pan that you believed was LEGAL on a Stocker.....

[Adger Smith]

Try it on the dyno..
Cut up a pan and put a sight panel in it.
I tried it with a sight level tube on the outside of the pan on both sides, first..
Scared me how low you could go in a static position.
SS/Div6 that return to the sump by the bypass should cut down on the aeration of the oil coming out the bypass.
That is a huge benefit in lubrication. Air bubbles don't cool or lubricate.