Oil Level

HP HUNTER · 09-01-2019, 10:07 PM

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 · 09-02-2019, 08:35 AM

accumulator

Rich Biebel · 09-02-2019, 11:07 AM

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 · 09-02-2019, 11:42 AM

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 · 09-02-2019, 12:10 PM

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 · 09-02-2019, 12:34 PM

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.

09-01-2019, 10:07 PM	#1
HP HUNTER Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Colorado Springs Colorado/Thousand Oaks Ca Posts: 606 Likes: 68 Liked 238 Times in 97 Posts	Oil Level 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? Last edited by HP HUNTER; 09-01-2019 at 10:12 PM.

09-02-2019, 08:35 AM	#2
Larry Hill Live Reporter Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Hickory, Ky Posts: 10,277 Likes: 1,635 Liked 9,452 Times in 1,956 Posts	Re: Oil Level accumulator __________________ IHM Used Parts https://ihmusedparts.com 888-821-1817

09-02-2019, 11:07 AM	#3
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,275 Likes: 25 Liked 510 Times in 200 Posts	Re: Oil Level 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.... __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479 Last edited by Rich Biebel; 09-02-2019 at 11:10 AM.

09-02-2019, 11:42 AM	#4
Lew Silverman VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Newport News, VA Posts: 1,438 Likes: 372 Liked 129 Times in 59 Posts	Re: Oil Level 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! __________________ Lew Silverman #2070 "The Wagon Master" N/SA

09-02-2019, 12:10 PM	#5
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,275 Likes: 25 Liked 510 Times in 200 Posts	Re: Oil Level 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.... __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479

09-02-2019, 12:34 PM	#6
HP HUNTER Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Colorado Springs Colorado/Thousand Oaks Ca Posts: 606 Likes: 68 Liked 238 Times in 97 Posts	Re: Oil Level 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.