Oil Level Question

[Old Crow]

So, we're getting ready to start this truck('54 3100). Stock 235 more or less.
My son puts 5 quarts of oil in the engine...gives it a while to drain, and it doesn't show on the stick. Adds another, still doesn't show, adds another, and it just barely shows on the tip of the stick. I mean like maybe a 1/16" on the tip.
Took a piece of 3/16" brake line and stuck down the tube until it hit the bottom of the pan, and there's plenty of oil(as you can imagine). So, since the dipstick appears un-altered, the only thing I can think of is the tube is too long.
I pulled on the tube, and it came right out of the block, was only in about 1/2". So, now my question is, "Was the tube all the way into the block?".

Can anyone tell me how far above the surface of the block the top of the dipstick tube is supposed to be? Or, alternately, the distance from the pan to the top of the tube measured with something besides the dipstick. I'm thinking that the tube isn't down in the block far enough, but before I just drive it down in there, I wanted to consult the collective.

[OrrieG]

I would check the dip stick length with stock too. I had a similar issue with the th350 trans dipstick, ended up getting a matched stick and tube from GM because of the mismatch between auto and truck applications. Might be the same issue with our, longer truck tube with shorter auto stick??? I don't have any 235's laying around so can't give measurements.

[Old Crow]

We decided that since we know for a fact that the pan's 2 quarts over full we could just cut enough off the tube to make the stick match the oil level.
My son cut the tube, and he is of the opinion that the tube we have is just a piece of 3/8" tubing. Anyway, the stick now reads 2 quarts over.

Any idea how much oil the bee hive oil filter holds? Still waiting on that from Patrick's, and I know it'll take at least a quart of that overage.

[OrrieG]

I'm old school, hold a quart can next to it, should be close to that. That is what the Fram type held.

[mr48chev]

Anyone got a stock 235 dipstick that reads right that can measure the dipstick from the stop to the tip and the tube from the block to the top and post the measurements?

I'm another one who has hassled with dipstick lengths over the years and especially with aftermarket dipsticks or what I think may have happened here in that someone has either used the wrong dipstick or tube in that 235 in the past.

Unlike later engines I have never read anything on larger pans on some applications as one might expect on a 1-1/2 or 2 ton or larger.

[Old Crow]

We're thinking the tube was fabbed out of brake line.
There is also a possibility that the motor in this truck came out of a car at some point. It had a solenoid starter on it when it came to us, but it had the foot start flywheel. Customer wanted the foot start, so a new starter and some linkage and we were there. Orrie's reply seems to indicate that car and truck motors might have had different dipsticks.

[tmoble]

take a gander at the oil pan on that engine and compare to a small block, big block 4 qt pan. Did you look up and see what it is supposed to take on a re-fill?

[Get Down]

I have a stock 235 the oil dip stick tube measures 7" and the dip stick measures about 16" as seen in the photo.

[Old Crow]

Originally Posted by tmoble

take a gander at the oil pan on that engine and compare to a small block, big block 4 qt pan. Did you look up and see what it is supposed to take on a re-fill?

Everything I find says it's a 5 quart capacity. This doesn't include the oil filter which was an option. We adjusted the tube length so that the dipstick shows 2 quarts over full with 7 quarts in the pan. When(if)we ever get the oil filter from Patrick's we will adjust the level as necessary after filling the filter canister.