I did my oil change on my 302, I put 6qts in like I always have. The problem I have is that its reading at the minimum line. I checked the oil yesterday morning I moved it to level ground about 30 minutes before I checked it. It read at the minimum, so I added the rest of the oil I had which was about 1/4 of a quart. It read about 1/4 up the safe zone on the dipstick. I drove it 45 minutes, and checked it there on level ground about 1 1/2 hours later. It read at the minimum line. The biggest thing that added confusion to me is I've done two other oil changes to this truck, and both times 6qts got me to the top of the safe zone on the dipstick. I know for a fact I put 6qts in I read the bottles and I had one 5qt bottle and one 1qt bottle, and I put all of both of those in. The engine does have leaks, but those leaks don't leak fast enough to change the reading in the same day, I usually top it off every other week. Another thing I noticed if I move the truck, check the oil 10-30 minutes later ill top it off to just below the full mark. Then if it stays parked on level ground overnight and I check it the next morning, its above the full line by about 1/4 of the safe zone. If I install the dipstick like usual, it will read the minimum, if I install it upside down, it will read just above the minimum line. This is really weird to me and I'm not sure what could be the problem, I did drain the oil when the engine was at operating temp, and I have checked the oil with the engine cold sitting overnight, cold sitting for 30 minutes and after driving it. The readings don't change.

This is an old photo I have. Everyone said the dipstick was bent down, but its read right for the first two oil changes so im not sure how to fix this.

 

Is the dip stick tube secure?

 

Wouldn't matter even if it was bent over 180 degrees. As long as it bottoms-out it should measure the same oil level.

My thoughts exactly!

To the OP: Is the dipstick tube fully seated?

 

When I have a chance I will look if it is secure.

 

My thoughts are that the 5 qt bottle only had 4 qts ... A lot of packages these days are downsizing instead of raising the price ...

 

Rusty Bucket Ohio could be on to something. Search google for shrinkflation. Wouldn't surprise me if the 5 quart bottle was a little short, and the other one too.

But, oil at the "about right" level is normally fine. You don't want an excessive amount (if the crankshaft is splashing in it it will get frothy and not pump well), and you don't want it off the bottom of the dipstick (obviously). I don't consider what you're seeing to be dangerous for the engine, though the inconsistency is confusing. I'd be more concerned with getting the leak fixed.

 

I was more worried about the inconsistency thing than the level since it was on the dipstick. I want to fix the leaks but I need to pull the engine to fix them efficiently since I have transmission leaks to I’ll pull them together whenever I can probably get them rebuilt while it’s out. I check it weekly so it never goes to a dangerously low level.

 

nope thanks for the idea, can’t believe I didn’t think to check that.

 

ttheres a chance you drained more from your oil pan this time than other times in the past. Ive found that cars surprisingly retains a few pints, maybe up to a quarts to two, in the pan depending on sludge, design, baffles, angle the truck is when jacked up (unless you crawl without jacking it up, I do that to my 4x2, unlesss your not on a level surface lol.

 

Could be sludge or oil coking in the rocker area not letting oil drain properly and it is staying in the heads. I remember I did valve cover gaskets on a Bronco many years ago, and when I pulled the covers off of the heads there was so much build up. The passenger side head had "paths" that the oil followed eroded into the hardened oil between the rockers and cover. The driver side was the same with a small added path from the fill cap to a drain hole. I had to shop vac out the heads before I could do anything else. I showed the owner and told him he really should have the Intake and pan pulled for a good cleaning. I was afraid stuff could work loose and plug the pickup, and he would blame the valve cover job for a dead engine. His answer was ill just put it up for sale and let someone else deal with it.

 

I did an older small block Chevy valve seals for a guy years ago. When I pulled the valve covers you could read th imprints of the valve covers in the built up crud. I went ahead and pulled the intake to see how bad the crud problem was.

The whole lifter valley was full to the point the bottom of the intake imprint was all I could see of the valley.

Seen similar in a 70's model 302. Guy said he would check his oil in the evenings and it was over a quart low, then in the morning be over full, Head drains were full of crud.

 

so much worse than this lol

 

Possibly it was on a 4 post lift at my auto class when I did it. Usually I do it in the garage or in the yard. I’m sure my engine has sludge, it will read higher sitting overnight. I’ll be sticking to 3k, 6 months from now on to help clean it up. I’ll run 50 miles with atf in the oil before I change it next time. I’ve heard engine flush can screw with the bearings. And I’ll do that seafoam in the intake before the next oil change as well.
But I will fix the dipstick tube and the reading will be correct.

 

Use diesel oil to help clean up the engine. I'm using 3 quarts 10w30 Delo 400 and 3 quarts 15w40 Delo 400 gas and diesel oil. I had a decent stash, and I don't think they even make that anymore. I have used Rotella for a while.

Inside my valve cover since using diesel oi. My truck had 76k on it when I bought it decades ago, and wasn't looking so clean inside. It now has 132k, and since I started diesel oil around 15 years ago, the inside looks much better.