The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop I know this question has come up many times...

Looking for a definitive answer. My '49 216 cu.in. has a FRAM by pass oil filter on it. I know the crankcase holds 5 quarts of oil. I added another quart for the filter, so a total of 6 quarts. After I shut the engine down and let it sit for 30 minutes or so the level on the dip stick shows about a 1/2 to 1 quart high. Should the level be at the full mark only after shut down, or should it read above the full mark and how much? Will too much oil cause oil problems with the 216 engine?

Tim

- Should the level be at the full mark only after shut down, or should it read above the full mark and how much?
- Will too much oil cause oil problems with the 216 engine?

Tim,

You ask two/three good questions. The answers are complicated/affected by the nature of you FRAM by-pass oil filter; most importantly, the location of the "drain/flow" hole on the post in the middle of the filter canister.

If the drain hole is near the bottom of the canister, the oil level will increase above the dip-stick "full" mark after you turn off the engine.

If the drain hole is near the top of the canister, the oil level should increase none a little (or, most likely none) after you turn off the engine.

Do you know the location of the "drain hole" from the canister into the block on your Fram filter?

Fram sold a "sludge siphon" to help the owner/shop, during an oil change, remove oil that remained in the oil with the engine off.

Tim,

The oil drain to the block is on the bottom of the FRAM by pass filter. Similar to the AC? When I change the oil filter there is about 1/3 quart in the bottom of the canister after filter removal. Use a turkey baster to remove the remaining oil in the canister.

Tim

Take a good look at the standpipe in the filter housing the next time you change the filter. I think you'll find that there's a 1/16" hole in the standpipe about at the level of the inlet port in the side of the canister. That's as far as the filter will drain, regardless of the fact the drain hose is at the bottom of the housing. After the engine sits for an hour or more, the dipstick level will rise about 1/2 quart or so as the filter drains halfway.
Jerry

Jerry,

The inlet port is about 1/2 from the top of the canister. The 1/16 port in the stand pipe is about half way down the pipe. Just wondering if I have too much oil in the crankcase? Reads about 1/2 to 1 quart above full mark on dipstick after sitting for 30 plus minutes. Is 6 quarts too much oil?

Tim

I run 6 qrts in my 49 216 without any problems. This puts the oil level a little above the full line mark after it's drained down after shutdown.
My engine weeps oil at about 1 qrt every couple hundred miles. Most comes out of the rear rope seal and out the valve cover vents as a film I smell in the cab. I think I finally got it stopped around the pushrod gallery pan LOL.

As much splashing around these old oil slingers do I wouldn't worry about running 6 qrts with a bypass filter. I certantly don't LOL.