After an oil change and filter, how many quarts do you add in? Is it right on or do you add a little more? I think my dip stick may be out of position and I need a baseline. Thanks.

six quarts with oil filter

Originally they called for six quarts but alot of people including myself only run 5.

FWIW--five quarts will put the oil level on my dipstick slightly above the full mark.

Gary, that' interesting! Until recently, I have never seen an American V-8 hold more than 5 quarts with the filter. Do you have a remote oil filter or oversized pan?

Amervo,
As Gary mentions, 6 quarts is what the '68 Owner's Manual and Pontiac Service Manual states and what I have used in mine for 36 years. That is the correct capacity for the V8 with standard PF24 filter change.

I just checked mine. With a 6 quart change about 20 miles ago, it shows a little above the full mark - probably a 1/4 - 1/3 quart or so above full. I estimate that with only 5 quarts it would be 2/3 to 3/4 quart low.

I have the original oil pan (engine never out of the car), original dip stick and correct filter.
Jim

Do the 326 and 400 take the same amount of oil?
In the rebuild we lost the dipstick for my 67 with a 326. Bought a new dipstick just want to check that it is the right length.

The problem many may encounter when the motor has been rebuilt etc. Is that in most cases, the two piece dip stick tube has been removed, and or replaced, and such as in your caes BAStereo, the dip stick itself may have been replaced. And you have to get the two piece tubes in there just right to get the dip stick to be held at the right position to properly register the oil level.

This I didn't take into account, and I had to fill with the correct 6 quarts, and then "mark" my dip stick to get the right level marker. Not many of us are as fortunate as Jim, to have the original motor and parts!

5 quarts will work, but 6 is what Pontiac stated for 326 - 455.

Brett - 67 Drop Top 455!

I put in six quarts and I have leak that is dripping form the bottom of the oil pan. It sounds like six quarts isn't too much, but where would it leak from if you put in too much,? I can't see were my leak is originating from. Thanks.

Look at the point where the dipstick exits the block, on the passenger side by the motor mount.

2 piece dipsick tube?
I have one pressed into the block and the dipstick I bought, has another tube with it, but I figured they were both the same piece
About how long are the 2 pieces and where does the top of the dipstick end up?

There was a short tube in the block when I bought the engine and I bought a GM tube and fit it into it. I'll take a look to see if it is leaking. That was a good suggestion. Is the best way to fix that, with some high temp silicone?

I don't know the exact length of the second tube. I could measure it when I take it out, but it sticks out just past the manifold. I am pretty sure I have the same problem as Brett.

bastereo, there are two distinctly different versions. One is standard, and the other is with AC. (the AC unit's top half of the dip stick will come up along side the valve cover between that and the compressor and will be almost as high as the top of the valve cover)

But the standard non AC one will come up between the manifold along the side of the head.

There should be a lower piece that is in the block from the bottom, and goes through a tapered slot/hole in the windage tray (if applicable) and up into the block. Then the outer piece is pressed in to the block from the outside and essentially the two mate in the block so to speak. And the dip stick goes into this outer piece.

BUT... it is hard to determine how far the lower half protrudes from the block, and the same for the outer half? And if they do fit/press together (one slightly inside the other) how far do they go in... did I get them far enough in, not far enough etc? And then there seems to be different lengths, and different length dip sticks...

On the Engine Cooling and Oiling page, #20 & #41:
http://www.1968firebird.org/illustrated/illeng/illeng4_v8.jpg

Something that I have never found any concise information on as of yet? Maybe Q or Tom have some insight for us on this topic? But this is why I had to fill it with 6 qts, run it, let it sit, and then... Mark my Dip Stick where FULL was! That way I knew for sure where the mark was with my particular combination of miss matched parts.

Hope that all makes sense?

Brett - 67 Drop Top 455!

Thanks Brett, I was thinking that some how there were two pieces outside the block. Im guess Im just going to have to fill it with 6 quarts and mark is as evryone else has
Thanks

Here is a thread that covered the correct dipstick measurements.
/forums/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=23;t=003721#000000

Anyone have a measurement from the block to the top of the tube (Jim)? Basically the length from the block to the end of part number 20 on this illustration: www.1968firebird.org/illustrated/illeng/illeng4_v8.jpg

This thread is making me nervous and I am about to empty my oil and put 6 quarts in just to be safe
Someone please save me the time and oil

Joe, With all the AC stuff in the way I cannot get to it to measure.


Jim

Thanks anyway Jim, maybe someone with a Non-AC car can. I get paranoid easily when these topics come up. I may just drain the oil tonight and add 5 3/4 quarts (oil filter would be full so I dont want to put a full 6 in) just to make sure.

I have an a/c block on a motor stand if you need some measurements thats still original, the a/c one is different than non a/c and there is a non a/c one in my car after a rebuild though. Pete

Ahhhhhhhhh!
I went home last night, drained my oil and filled it with 5 quarts (BTW it says 5 quarts on the stick) and guess what, it went all the way up to the O on the DO NOT OVERFILL warning.
S&!T!!!
I was running about a quart and a half low for about 200 miles!
Checked the oil and there were no shavings and everything seems to be in fine working order, but that really pisses me off!
Think I did any damage I dont think so, just looking for re-assurance??? :rolleyes:
Thank God for this site, saved me again

Joe , I dont think 1 1/2 qt too low will affect the engine over 200 miles if you didnt "race" it...there was still lots of oil (4.5 qts) in there and if not run too hard should be enough..

Define "race" :rolleyes:
Did one burnout for a few seconds, and a dozen 0 to 40's.
No 1/4 miles or street racing.
Highway 100 miles at about 60 to 70.

Joe,
I wouldn't worry about it. There was still a lot of oil in your car. Most people don't check oil level in their cars and those who do don't even add any if it's not a full quart low.
Jim

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Define "race" </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">hahaha, reminds me of my ex-wife , when we just arrived to US from Sweden in 69 and she was getting her drivers license...
one block to fill out said "race",
she answered "no"...
they asked :"what do you mean ,no for race"?
She says ,:" no , I just want a regular license! "

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> hahaha, reminds me of my ex-wife </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">So in the block that said SEX, did she put yes, or no :p

Kel

YES ,but she thought that one was 'of course'....

Are you sure she didn't put down "NO"? She is your Ex right? Lol...

Oh and Joe, your ok, if it would have been low until the next change? Might have taken some miles off it's over all life, but still nothing major... usually!

Brett!

Likely the only time you would have starved the engine would have been under sustained heavy braking or cornering, so doubtful that there will be any damage at all. In fact, that's exactly what some people recommend for drag racing to keep the oil from getting whipped up by the crank.

Thanks guys. Didnt think that I did any damage either, but your all the experts.
Oh, and under the SEX box I always put "yes please" but it dosent seem to work???

all star move!!

I've run 6 quarts (as per owner's manual) with filter change in my Bird from the day I bought it until the day she was hit (10 years)!

With the correct stick it reads just a bit over the full mark...

thanks, I am already at 'full' with just 5 quarts..

I was going to 'bump' the stick with a grinder to mark it,, any better ideas?

Carbide scribe tool works well.

send me one

6 qts...5.5 if you dont change the filter

I've often wondered, who changes the oil and leaves the old filter in place? Anyone?

I've always wondered that too.

I think it was fairly common in the '40's and '50's. I remember having that debate with my dad when I was 10 or so. (about 100 years ago)

I know he used to only change the filter on his cars "every-other". But he stopped doing that in the '60's. But I don't remember why. Maybe after our debate?

LOL, I had an old truck that leaked/burned so much oil that I only changed the filter every 3000 miles, never changed the oil. Did this for 30K miles til I donated the truck. Figured I was feeding and bleeding the oil fresh.

I have a nephew who bought a 90-something Cougar. Had the car for 6 YEARS and NEVER changed the oil, just added a quart every 1k miles. He bought it used and traded it in recently. Dam thing ran perfect, just used a quart of oil for every 1k miles. But in that 6 years he never once changed the filter and never once drained the oil... LOL