Oil Capacity

David Bahr · 03-12-2002, 07:24 PM

Having added a tuna can and external oil cooler, I intend to add more oil to the crankcase to fill the extra capacity.

Any idea what happens if I guess wrong and add too much oil? Are we talking broken crank or cam? Or just blow it out the exhaust like a 911?

Thanks for your thoughts!

HMeeder · HMeeder's Garage

When I put too much oil into my old VW bus I blew out my front main seal (on our cars it would be the rear main seal.)

Too much oil can also end up in the air cleaner box as it sloshes and splashes around in the case and gets sucked in (a friend of mine swears that he doesn't have a K&N filter.)

John Rogers · 03-12-2002, 08:28 PM

I'd recommend taking your time and adding the original amount that is called for, then warm up the engine for a bit while checking for leaks. Then shut it off, wait a couple of minutes and check and add a little at a time till it is full. If it reads low on the stick after you add the can it will not hurt things if you go slow and fill it. Good luck.

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

Dump in four quarts. Wait for it to make its way down to the sump, then check the oil level. You should, if your car is like mine, wind up almost 1 "division" over the full mark--which is 1/2 quart over full, just where you want to be. Or at least, just where I want to be.

--DD

campbellcj · 03-12-2002, 10:21 PM

With my (former) car the capacity went close to 6qts IIRC after the tuna can and big earl's cooler. I think stock is 3.7qts, right? Definitely don't overfill it...like DDD says, I'd start around 4-4.25 and check/recheck/top-off from there.

Otto · 03-13-2002, 04:07 PM

I never realized how it is not having a working computer. Well, I got it fixed. Trying to get my blued-haired techno geek down here to address my problem was harder than building a sportomatic transmission. Now to the oil level problem, DD is right. We found out when we ran in showroom stock in SCCA in the early '70s that the oil pressure light would come on in the middle of big sweeping turns(9@Riverside, 8@Willow, 2/3/4 complex on the old Laguna) so we ran the oil level, checked when cold on level ground, about the difference between the full mark and the add mark over the full mark. This got rid of that scary light coming on under power @100 in the middle of a comitted turn! When in a long sweeping turn, all the oil will slosh on one side of the motor or the other, thus leaving the pick-up dry, hence the idiot light comes on. DUH! OTTO