How much oil is below the dipstick?

[Sycostang67]

I've put about 2k miles on my 86, I went to check the oil the other day(hot) and the dipstick was dry. I checked it cold a bit later and it was still dry. I put 2 gallons in and now it appears to be about 2 quarts over filled. How much oil could still be in the pan that the dipstick cant reach?

The motor must be consuming the oil as it hardly leaks at all, maybe a quarter sized spot when I park it. I get white/blue smoke on hard acceleration, but otherwise it doesn't smoke at all. I still need to check the CDR though as I haven't touched it since I got the truck. Weather turned sour before I could do everything I wanted.

 

[dyoung14]

When it dont touch the stick its atleat a gallon low in you case it was a gallon and a half, always check your oil atleast every other day, daily is better, its a piece of mind, would you rather save 2 minutes or blow your engine up?

 

[88beast]

well its 10 qts capicity
i think theres 8 in pan
2 in oil cooler filter pressueized passeges etc.
so 6 qts below the add line on dipstick stick catches one more qt from waht i can tell

 

[Diesel JD]

The add line is 2 quarts low, so from what I can tell Dyoung's estimate of a gallon low at the end of the dipstick sounds right. I would imagine some real complaining from the lifters if you got it that low. I've never run mine off the dipstick, maybe 3 quarts low in extreme cases and I run a PSD filter so it is really as if it were only 2 quarts down thanks to the extra capacity. Even when I get into the 1-2 quart low range she complains, or at least I think I can tell a difference in operation noise. The 6.9s can be relatively good engines and still go through oil like it's going out of style, 5 quarts in 2000 miles is about a quart every 400 miles, not too bad considering IH and Ford considered up to 1 quart per 500 miles acceptable when these trucks were new. That was probably from low egt operation and coking of the rings or glazing from a poor break in, also the 6.9s used a non positive valve stem seal so they would suck down a little extra oil there too sometimes.

 

[dyoung14]

My psd eats around 1 quart in 400 miles, not being ran easy, and it has 233,000 miles on it, some of that is leaked but not all.

My idi used around 1 quart every 200 miles or so it was pretty bad, but it sure was fun to drive i have ran the idi down to a gallon low, wasnt touching the stick and i could never tell any difference in the way it sounded or run,

but dont make a habbit of running one low on oil, its not good!

 

[Diesel JD]

Mainly because the lifters and valves might not get enough lube, the cam might not either all of which could get expensive. Maybe I have a more finely tuned ear than most but I can definitely tell when that oil level is not where it's supposed to be.

 

[pybyr]

Mainly because the lifters and valves might not get enough lube, the cam might not either all of which could get expensive. Maybe I have a more finely tuned ear than most but I can definitely tell when that oil level is not where it's supposed to be.

I'd never promote knowingly running an engine too low on oil- but there's something I am not following here-- the pickup for the oil pump faces down, and is nearly at the bottom of the oil pan-- so you'd need to get pretty close to dry before oil stopped flowing or air bubbles entered the oil flow. Getting low on oil _would_ probably cause the oil to start running hotter/ thinner, as there's less of it to absorb/ dissipate heat, and less time to release heat before it goes back through the system.

 

[dyoung14]

Mainly because the lifters and valves might not get enough lube, the cam might not either all of which could get expensive. Maybe I have a more finely tuned ear than most but I can definitely tell when that oil level is not where it's supposed to be.

I wouldnt doubt you have better hearing, i cant hear alot of thing, and the things i can hear i have to battle the crickets in my ear to really get a good listen of things

 

[BigRigTech]

Sounds like my 6.9, fill the oil and check the fuel....

 

[gonecrazyi]

Mine likes eating oil as well. She tendts to get a bit sluggish wwen re oil gets to he bottn of the dipstick. All shes used for is hauling trailers so I just feed the addiction.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

i cant hear alot of thing, and the things i can hear i have to battle the crickets in my ear to really get a good listen of things

So you hear them too and it's not just me ??


Oh goodie; finally someone that knows what I have lived with for many years.


When I was a kid, on hot summer nights with the windows open (we called them wenders), the fence-rows would be alive with the constant hollerin' of crickets.

I must have poked my head out from under the covers and some of them crawled back inside my skull.

For the last several years, I hear them night and day, winter and summer.

It would drive a lesser man

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Like others have already stated, my old 1985 6.9 required 10-quarts (2-1/2 gallons) for an oil-change.

Between "FULL" and "ADD" on the dip-stick equals 2-quarts (1/2 gallon).


I always thought that was piddlin' little for a load-hauling hard-working diesel engine.

 

[JackSpeed]

I agree with checking the oil often and never letting it get low. Mine is completely inconsistent. I've burned as much as 3 quarts in 600 miles of low load cruising and as little as one quart in 1300 miles of heavily loaded full throttle mountain towing. Anyone have any answer to that one? I don't have enough trips on it to figure out why it varies so much.

I think the best answer to how much oil is below the dipstick would be not enough.

 

[gonecrazyi]

I here hear the ringing as well. Have since I was about 12. I tested as having perfect hearing and was told thu wernt sure what the cause was.

 

[oldmisterbill]

I here hear the ringing as well. Have since I was about 12. I tested as having perfect hearing and was told thu wernt sure what the cause was.

X3 Its called tinnitus -I have had it since 1968.Makes me hate crouds. I have the sound of spring 24-7. I'm a lesser man cause I 'm a bit "off" if ya know what I mean!

Actually its a very common ailment.