[DeTomaso] Aviaid 351C oil pan / true capacity?

[Dan Courtney]

Thanks, Mike, I'll follow these steps (and order the Summit dipstick as well).
It seems like this "ten quart" Aviad only holds about 6 or 7 quarts, but it's hard to tell as I may not be getting all the old oil out of the system during these oil changes (even though I drain it hot, jack the P up in front, then back, etc).
Now I can tell for sure.

Dan
Dan F. Courtney


Excalibur Commercial Real Estate Services
La Jolla, CA

Phone (858) 551-5455
Fax (858) 551-5456

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: MikeLDrew at aol.com 
  To: dfcex at pacbell.net ; detomaso at realbig.com 
  Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2008 11:41 AM
  Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Aviaid 351C oil pan / true capacity?



  In a message dated 8/10/08 11 13 23, dfcex at pacbell.net writes:



    I've been using an Aviad for several years and I've never been able to tell the true capacity, but I'm sure it's nowhere near the advertised 10 gallons.


  >>>If you've been putting 10 *gallons* of oil in your motors, I think we may have found a clue as to why your motors don't hold together. :>)



    I've also had questions about the accuracy of my dip-stick fill mark.
    I saw some Shelby guys at the track filling their pan with water quart by quart so they could determine their capacity.
    Since my pan is off I'm going to try this. Does anyone know what height to measure to?


  >>>Simple to determine.  With the pan removed, insert the dipstick (ensuring that it's the proper length to begin with, 38 inches for a stock dipstick with stock tube) into the tube and see how far the 'full' line protrudes below the level of the bottom of the block.  It should be below the rotating assembly.  

  If you want to perform a sanity check, buy a cheap 351C dipstick assembly from Summit:

  http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=PRO%2D66618&N=700+115&autoview=sku

  $14.95

  then remove the De Tomaso unit, and install the standard one to use as a measuring gauge.  Hopefully the 'full' marks would be at the same distance from the bottom of the block.

  Then measure a corresponding distance down from the top of the pan (accounting for the thickness of the gasket), and that should be the 'full' level in the pan.


    >I'll then fill the engine with this amount, add a quart for the filter, and re-mark my dipstick.


  >>>If your dipstick is the proper length, there's no reason to re-mark it.  



    Actually, I doubt if this would work because an empty pan does not account for the displacement of the mains, crank, etc, right?


  >>>The rotating assembly is supposed to be above the level of the oil in the pan when the engine is running.  Remember that there is at least two quarts of oil circulating around the filter and the engine when the engine is running, so the static level is probably an inch or two higher than the level when the engine is running.  If you overfill the pan, the rotating assembly will whip the oil into a froth, and the oil will create drag and cost power; being 'worked' by the rotating assembly might also increase oil temperatures.

  Mike




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