[Ziggysdad]

I changed the oil in my 1970 Judge. A PF-24 filter was used. 5 qts. were added and the dipdtick read 1/4 qt. low. If I put in 6 qts. it will read almost a quart too much. Drove the car for about 10 miles and than let it sit. Checked it again and it still read a 1/4 qt. low. I know the 400 engine is a 6 qt. capacity. What should I check?

[Lloyd-TX]

Dipstick tubes are fudged up.

Chnage oil and filter again, refill with five quarts, run engine then shut off for 10+ minutes. Make a new "ADD" mark on stick. Add another quart, run engine and shut off for 10+ minutes and make a new "FULL" mark on dipstick. Done!

[Sirrotica]

The 67s ran 7 quarts in them from the factory so your not going to have to worry about running 6 in yours. The 67 was the only Stratostreak engine that used that particular dipstick gauge, in 68 they again went back to 6 qts. W filter. Other than the markings on the stick itself everything else is the same.

People that have used Stratostreak engines in events such as autocrossing or any thing requiring turning corners frequently run 7 quarts to keep from uncovering the oil pump pickup during hard cornering.

[4dblnkldude]

When you change the oil 5 qts is fine. Your dipstick may be fudged up like Lloyd said, thats good advice. On a fresh start up I put in 6 qts. There is approx. a pint or so that you can't get out of a pontiac engine.

[Ziggysdad]

Originally Posted by 4dblnkldude

When you change the oil 5 qts is fine. Your dipstick may be fudged up like Lloyd said, thats good advice. On a fresh start up I put in 6 qts. There is approx. a pint or so that you can't get out of a pontiac engine.

So I think you are saying is it is OK with 5, but 6 is not overfill regardless what the dipstick says. For as little driving the car gets, I agree that 5 won't hurt anything.

[Sirrotica]

5 qts. is 1 qt. low unless you didn't put a new filter on, 6 is correct with a new filter. If your using a small diameter filter for header clearance etc. maybe a little less than 6, I wouldn't run it with less in it, however it's your car.

I'd rather have it full than try running it a quart low. as long as you have 6 in it you have enough. 5 is where you tend to starve the oil system under hard acceleration, braking or cornering and you end up with a spun rod bearing. In my mind saving 4-5 dollars on a quart of oil is really false economy when your risking a spun bearing. if you look at a Pontiac pan it's wider in the sump area than most any other V8 making it more susceptible to uncovering the oil pickup when run at too low a level. Hopefully this will make you see why you need to have the sump full in a Pontiac.

[4dblnkldude]

Okay so what do you do with the half qt you cant get out, so its oil capacity is actually 6 1/2 qts? You only need a qt,maybe a tad more, to keep the pickup covered. You have 10 or so ounces in your filter. At a 5 qt oil change you got 3 1/2 qts or so for true lubrication. Granted some of that is falling back into the pan. I'm no pro but thats how much oil I've ever ran in any pontiac motor I've ever had steet/ strip.

[Sirrotica]

Anything under 7 with a filter is good, I think I put it in the first post that 67 ran 7 quarts with a stick calibrated for 7 quarts. 66 and earlier ran 6 with filter 68 and later ran 6 with filter.

Not sure what one thinks they're gaining by trying to run the engine at less than the engineers designed it for. The reason I feel well qualified to answer this question is in 1970 my first job on CO OP from my Vo Tech was working on the lube rack at the local Pontiac dealer. I changed oil in more Pontiacs than probably anyone on this site. I have also run my own 73 T/A a quart low by neglecting to check it before running it at an auto cross event and spun #3 rod bearing. Any spirited driving running a quart low is really taking a chance on uncovering the pickup and sucking air with a Pontiac.

Mitchell Manual states : Oil capacity all Pontiac V8 engines, 5 quarts plus one for filter.

Most aftermarket manuals however don't list 67 using 6 quarts, plus 1 for filter. If you look in a 67 GM manual it will state 67 V8 capacity is 6 quarts plus 1 for filter. The reason I absolutely know this is because of my apprenticeship at the dealers lube rack.

Hopefully this puts the question to rest about what the correct oil capacity is..........

[Ziggysdad]

Thanks for all the great input. If it is supposed to take 6 with a filter change, I will just put the 6th qt. in. I used a new PF-24 filter, which I believe was what was used originally. Thanks again.

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by Ziggysdad

Thanks for all the great input. If it is supposed to take 6 with a filter change, I will just put the 6th qt. in. I used a new PF-24 filter, which I believe was what was used originally. Thanks again.

Good choice, just drain the oil and change filter and add 6 quarts, you'll be fine no matter what the stick/gauge reads. If you have no plans to find out why the stick is reading incorrectly at this point I'd just file a small notch in the edge of the stick so you know the proper level when full. Use that for reference from now on.

[4dblnkldude]

Hhhhmmmmm...... okay. I'm gonna check my dipstick for my own curiosity then. No pun intended.

[Sirrotica]

Some, not all, factory sticks have the capacity stamped into them also.

[GT182]

Brad if someone didn't use a 1 quart filter, would you still run 6 + 1 in a 67?

[Sirrotica]

If you have an accurate stick you could just add until it was full, really 5 and 1 in a 67 is plenty, only thing is the stick if it's a 67 stick it'll read a little low. I wouldn't sweat using the extra quart in a 67 because the stock pans all hold roughly the same amount, the difference is the markings on the stick are different on the 67. I have never heard why the engineers went from 5 to 6 and then back to 5 again in the pan. Back in 1970 there were only 2 filters, the long one and the short one. The thin one had yet to come along.

[1967Tempest]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

Good choice, just drain the oil and change filter and add 6 quarts, you'll be fine no matter what the stick/gauge reads. If you have no plans to find out why the stick is reading incorrectly at this point I'd just file a small notch in the edge of the stick so you know the proper level when full. Use that for reference from now on.

Glad I looked at this. I was always on the assumption that the capacity with a new filter was 5 quarts. I was trying to find out why I was running a little warmer, someone mentioned oil a quart low.

Yup, I have been a quart low for a LONG time!!

Thanks, I am changing the oil and filter this weekend. Car doesn't need it, but it is a cheap thing to do and add some p.o.m.

Thanks, I learn something new everyday!!!

Dave


Mayne I'll make a sticker that says add 6 quarts!!!